What are the main factors that influence a Lcsw's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Lcsw's salary?

A Lcsw's salary grows with experience: starting around $79,964 for beginners, reaching about $84,678 at mid-level, and approach $89,150 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Lcsw?

Lcsw salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lcsw roles are District of Columbia $90,771, California $90,427, Massachusetts $89,222. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lcsw roles make?

Salaries for Lcsw level roles vary by specialization: Psychologist or LCSW: $96,462; LCSW Clinical Supervisor: $86,795; Clinician LCSW: $86,710; LCSW Resident in Counseling: $85,226; LCSW LMSW: $84,257.

How do different companies affect a Lcsw's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lcsw roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Lcsw Salary in the United States

How much does a Lcsw make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lcsw in the United States is $81,983 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

However, a Lcsw's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $98,522
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $72,294 to $90,640
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $63,474

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Lcsw Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$90,640	$7,553	$1,743	$44
Average	$81,983	$6,832	$1,577	$39
25th Percentile	$72,294	$6,025	$1,390	$35

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Key Factors That Influence Lcsw Salaries

A Lcsw's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lcsw Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lcsw's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here’s how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $79,964
Early Career (1-2 years): $80,637
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,678
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $88,472
Expert (over 8 years): $89,150

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Lcsw	$79,964
Intermediate Level Lcsw	$80,637
Senior Level Lcsw	$84,678
Specialist Level Lcsw	$88,472
Expert Level Lcsw	$89,150

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Lcsw Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lcsws. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $90,771.
California: $90,427.
Massachusetts: $89,222.

District of Columbia $90,771 California $90,427 Massachusetts $89,222 Washington $88,894 New Jersey $88,861 Alaska $88,746 Connecticut $87,615 New York $87,156

Hawaii $85,688 Rhode Island $85,000 Maryland $84,532 Minnesota $83,893 Colorado $83,647 Illinois $83,565 Oregon $83,253 Delaware $83,024

New Hampshire $82,879 Virginia $82,556 Pennsylvania $81,614 Nevada $81,138 North Dakota $80,982 Michigan $80,736 Wisconsin $80,646 Vermont $80,466

Texas $79,966 Maine $79,933 Arizona $79,884 Ohio $79,826 Georgia $79,072 Indiana $78,695 Wyoming $78,621 Utah $78,507

Iowa $78,457 Kansas $78,064 Louisiana $77,949 North Carolina $77,908 Missouri $77,892 Florida $77,572 Montana $77,400 Nebraska $77,236

Kentucky $77,146 South Carolina $76,818 Tennessee $76,613 Idaho $76,531 New Mexico $75,932 Oklahoma $75,801 Alabama $75,317 South Dakota $74,506

Arkansas $74,063 West Virginia $73,825 Mississippi $73,112

Top Paying Cities for Lcsws

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $103,405
San Francisco: $102,272
Oakland: $100,117

San Jose, CA $103,405

San Francisco, CA $102,272

Oakland, CA $100,117

New York, NY $94,394

Paramus, NJ $93,246

Queens Village, NY $93,242

Passaic, NJ $93,164

Bergenfield, NJ $93,157

Stamford, CT $92,976

Huntington, NY $92,943

Newark, NJ $92,337

Bridgeport, CT $92,164

Vallejo, CA $92,001

New Brunswick, NJ $91,968

Petaluma, CA $91,919

Middlesex, NJ $91,763

Somerset, NJ $91,706

Santa Cruz, CA $91,599

Boston, MA $91,099

Monterey, CA $90,811

Seattle, WA $90,624

Santa Rosa, CA $90,607

Los Angeles, CA $90,583

Juneau, AK $90,369

Washington, DC $90,279

Orange, CA $89,987

Santa Ana, CA $89,771

Long Beach, CA $89,689

Anaheim, CA $89,673

Anchorage, AK $89,632

Santa Maria, CA $89,386

Everett, WA $89,369

Danbury, CT $89,081

Bremerton, WA $88,968

Tacoma, WA $88,672

New Suffolk, NY $88,671

Sacramento, CA $88,648

Santa Barbara, CA $88,558

Trenton, NJ $88,467

San Diego, CA $88,467

Brockton, MA $88,377

Fairbanks, AK $88,176

Lompoc, CA $87,967

Lowell, MA $87,901

Ventura, CA $87,885

Nashua, NH $87,869

Stockton, CA $87,861

Modesto, CA $87,262

Poughkeepsie, NY $87,082

Olympia, WA $86,926

Kennewick, WA $86,926

New Haven, CT $86,893

Lawrence, MA $86,598

Hartford, CT $86,516

Riverside, CA $86,500

New Bedford, MA $86,418

Richland, WA $86,418

Bakersfield, CA $86,303

San Bernardino, CA $86,270

New Britain, CT $86,262

Atlantic City, NJ $86,262

New London, CT $86,229

Norwich, CT $86,205

Portsmouth, NH $86,188

Boulder, CO $86,015

Portland, OR $85,901

Worcester, MA $85,893

Minneapolis, MN $85,639

Philadelphia, PA $85,524

Honolulu, HI $85,254

Saint Paul, MN $85,214

Vineland, NJ $85,196

Providence, RI $84,959

Chicago, IL $84,721

Bellingham, WA $84,622

Springfield, MA $84,557

Baltimore, MD $84,532

Chico, CA $84,327

Pittsfield, MA $84,106

Manchester, NH $83,950

Spokane, WA $83,589

Denver, CO $83,581

Albany, NY $83,196

Troy, NY $83,163

Nassau, NY $83,075

Schenectady, NY $82,991

Wilmington, DE $82,925

Burlington, VT $82,811

Salem, OR $82,778

Portland, ME $82,524

Yakima, WA $82,442

Rochester, MN $82,188

Reno, NV $82,147

Fresno, CA $82,147

Milwaukee, WI $82,073

Detroit, MI $81,991

Ann Arbor, MI $81,977

Allentown, PA $81,966

Colorado Springs, CO $81,827

Syracuse, NY $81,786

Carson City, NV $81,786

Houston, TX $81,671

Eugene, OR $81,630

Gary, IN $81,532

Springfield, OR $81,466

Bismarck, ND $81,450

Galveston, TX $81,392

Medford, OR $81,269

Fort Collins, CO $81,237

Concord, NH $81,196

Austin, TX $81,171

Mesa, AZ $80,999

Reading, PA $80,991

Phoenix, AZ $80,982

Dallas, TX $80,958

Saint Cloud, MN $80,879

Madison, WI $80,769

Utica, NY $80,548

Rochester, NY $80,417

Des Moines, IA $80,409

Raleigh, NC $80,400

Atlanta, GA $80,277

Battle Creek, MI $80,253

Salt Lake City, UT $80,228

Lancaster, PA $80,105

Harrisburg, PA $79,990

Kansas City, MO $79,908

Champaign, IL $79,892

Kansas City, KS $79,892

Fort Worth, TX $79,884

Columbus, OH $79,870

Boca Raton, FL $79,851

Pittsburgh, PA $79,818

Richmond, VA $79,785

Indianapolis, IN $79,769

Cleveland, OH $79,761

Las Vegas, NV $79,662

Cincinnati, OH $79,662

Petersburg, VA $79,540

Huntsville, AL $79,417

Lansing, MI $79,362

Lebanon, PA $79,351

Pueblo, CO $79,343

Appleton, WI $79,318

Buffalo, NY $79,285

Dayton, OH $79,261

Racine, WI $79,244

Charlotte, NC $79,236

Saint Louis, MO $79,212

York, PA $79,162

Elkhart, IN $79,162

Gastonia, NC $79,147

Billings, MT $79,127

Beaumont, TX $79,105

Lorain, OH $79,089

Benton Harbor, MI $79,072

Toledo, OH $79,056

Binghamton, NY $79,015

Rock Hill, SC $79,007

Rockford, IL $78,966

Springfield, IL $78,933

Elyria, OH $78,925

Fargo, ND $78,925

Flagstaff, AZ $78,867

Fort Lauderdale, FL $78,818

Duluth, MN $78,769

Miami, FL $78,769

Cheyenne, WY $78,711

Grand Forks, ND $78,711

Bangor, ME $78,531

Cedar Rapids, IA $78,441

Durham, NC $78,407

Louisville, KY $78,400

Grand Rapids, MI $78,384

Hialeah, FL $78,375

Casper, WY $78,261

Scranton, PA $78,162

New Orleans, LA $78,138

Virginia Beach, VA $78,129

Akron, OH $78,088

Peoria, IL $77,982

Sarasota, FL $77,965

Nashville, TN $77,908

Omaha, NE $77,908

Green Bay, WI $77,908

Baton Rouge, LA $77,867

Charleston, SC $77,851

Jamestown, NY $77,810

Davenport, IA $77,810

Tucson, AZ $77,769

Saint Petersburg, FL $77,720

Tampa, FL $77,703

Evansville, IN $77,654

Port Arthur, TX $77,654

Bradenton, FL $77,621

Santa Fe, NM $77,474

Orlando, FL $77,326

Clearwater, FL $77,301

Canton, OH $77,129

La Crosse, WI $77,129

Albuquerque, NM $77,080

Newport News, VA $77,072

High Point, NC $77,047

Ogden, UT $77,014

Corpus Christi, TX $76,949

Norfolk, VA $76,900

Laramie, WY $76,900

Rock Island, IL $76,850

Saginaw, MI $76,834

Jacksonville, FL $76,826

Salisbury, NC $76,809

Boise, ID $76,793

Moline, IL $76,752

Fort Myers, FL $76,728

Memphis, TN $76,711

Tulsa, OK $76,670

Waterloo, IA $76,621

Spartanburg, SC $76,539

Lincoln, NE $76,498

Fort Wayne, IN $76,482

Provo, UT $76,473

Cedar Falls, IA $76,375

San Antonio, TX $76,342

Greensboro, NC $76,309

South Bend, IN $76,301

Savannah, GA $76,211

Muskegon, MI $76,178

Birmingham, AL $76,170

Winston Salem, NC $76,130

Lake Charles, LA $75,932

Anderson, IN $75,916

Lexington, KY $75,891

Augusta, GA $75,867

Greenville, SC $75,867

Lima, OH $75,801

Wichita, KS $75,793

Tuscaloosa, AL $75,793

Columbia, SC $75,719

Springfield, OH $75,703

Asheville, NC $75,572

Bloomington, IN $75,514

Knoxville, TN $75,219

Shreveport, LA $75,211

Wilmington, NC $75,104

Roanoke, VA $75,104

Topeka, KS $74,957

Frankfort, KY $74,948

Oklahoma City, OK $74,891

Chillicothe, OH $74,858

Longview, TX $74,850

Melbourne, FL $74,842

Sioux Falls, SD $74,711

Mobile, AL $74,703

Terre Haute, IN $74,670

Altoona, PA $74,621

Amarillo, TX $74,563

Killeen, TX $74,539

Fayetteville, AR $74,473

Chattanooga, TN $74,448

Sioux City, IA $74,375

Idaho Falls, ID $74,358

Lynchburg, VA $74,293

Gainesville, FL $74,186

Portsmouth, OH $74,145

Little Rock, AR $74,129

Lafayette, LA $74,096

Youngstown, OH $74,096

Daytona Beach, FL $74,047

Clarksville, TN $74,038

Pensacola, FL $74,030

Temple, TX $74,025

Hopkinsville, KY $73,784

Erie, PA $73,768

Florence, SC $73,735

Charleston, WV $73,604

Great Falls, MT $73,563

Macon, GA $73,448

Tallahassee, FL $73,440

Fayetteville, NC $73,424

Waco, TX $73,407

Helena, MT $73,350

Pine Bluff, AR $73,319

Vincennes, IN $73,219

Lubbock, TX $73,186

Alamogordo, NM $73,137

Twin Falls, ID $73,063

Rapid City, SD $73,038

Jackson, MS $72,891

Huntington, WV $72,885

Greenville, MS $72,883

Parkersburg, WV $72,799

Montgomery, AL $72,784

Wichita Falls, TX $72,702

Springfield, MO $72,702

Biloxi, MS $72,661

Monroe, LA $72,579

Johnstown, PA $72,522

Sumter, SC $72,489

Columbus, GA $72,481

Pascagoula, MS $72,325

Abilene, TX $72,325

Kingsport, TN $72,112

Albany, GA $72,112

Gulfport, MS $72,087

Alexandria, LA $71,817

Fort Smith, AR $71,612

El Paso, TX $71,390

Las Cruces, NM $71,022

Harlingen, TX $70,813

Pocatello, ID $70,800

Florence, AL $70,694

Brownsville, TX $70,677

Mcallen, TX $70,505

Dothan, AL $70,390

Columbus, MS $69,903

Altus, OK $69,521

Lawton, OK $69,365

Pierre, SD $69,070

What Skills Can Increase a Lcsw's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 9.21% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
Psychotherapy (Mentioned in 2.34% Job Postings): Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing.
Integrated Care (Mentioned in 1.6% Job Postings): It is care that is planned with people who work together to understand the service user and their carer(s), puts them in control and coordinates and delivers services to achieve the best outcomes.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	9.21%
Psychotherapy	2.34%
Integrated Care	1.6%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lcsw's salary.

Clinical Care: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Psychiatric: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Organizational Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Clinical Care	$85,262	4%
Psychiatric	$85,262	4%
Organizational Skills	$83,622	2%
Presentation	$83,622	2%
Pediatric	$83,622	2%
Psychotherapy	$83,622	2%

Get Latest Data

Lcsw Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lcsw roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Insurance, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Lcsw positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Lcsw as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Lcsw

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Insurance	$98,379	$47.0	20%

How Education impacts a Lcsw's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lcsws enter the field with a Master's Degree or MBA degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Lcsw with a Master's Degree or MBA is between $79,956 and $83,861).

Lcsw Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lcsw

No Diploma 0.5%

High School 0.5%

Associates 1.6%

Bachelors 1.9%

Masters 94.5%

Doctorate 1.4%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.5%
High School	0.5%
Associates	1.6%
Bachelors	1.9%
Masters	94.5%
Doctorate	1.4%

view as graph

Lcsw Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lcsw's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

$72,294

Average $81,983/year

$90,640

$6,025

Average $6,832/month

$7,553

$1,390

Average $1,577/week

$1,743

$35

Average $39/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$90,640	$7,553	$1,743	$44
Average	$81,983	$6,832	$1,577	$39
25th Percentile	$72,294	$6,025	$1,390	$35

Salaries of jobs related to Lcsw

Salary Trends for Lcsw

Salaries for a Lcsw can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $87,726 in 2023 to around $86,499 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lcsw salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lcsw Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$87,726

2024

$87,887

2025

$86,499

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$87,726
2024	$87,887
2025	$86,499
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lcsw

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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FAQ about Lcsw

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lcsw?

The Insurance industry offers the highest average compensation for Lcsw roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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