What are the main factors that influence a Social Work Specialist's salary?

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

How does experience change a Social Work Specialist's salary?

A Social Work Specialist's salary grows with experience: starting around $60,509 for beginners, reaching about $63,153 at mid-level, and approach $66,628 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Social Work Specialist?

Social Work Specialist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Social Work Specialist roles are District of Columbia $68,762, California $68,502, Massachusetts $67,589. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Social Work Specialist roles make?

Salaries for Social Work Specialist level roles vary by specialization: Director Of Social Work: $107,525; Professor - Social Work: $105,590; Social Work Manager: $98,350; Social Work Supervisor: $89,499; Social Work Counselor: $63,287.

How do different companies affect a Social Work Specialist's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Social Work Specialist 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.

Social Work Specialist Salary in the United States

How much does a Social Work Specialist make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Social Work Specialist in the United States is $62,105 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $75,835
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,346 to $69,292
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,193

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Social Work Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$69,292	$5,774	$1,333	$33
Average	$62,105	$5,175	$1,194	$30
25th Percentile	$55,346	$4,612	$1,064	$27

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Key Factors That Influence Social Work Specialist Salaries

A Social Work Specialist'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 Social Work Specialist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Social Work Specialist'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): $60,509
Early Career (1-2 years): $60,697
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $63,153
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $66,396
Expert (over 8 years): $66,628

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Social Work Specialist	$60,509
Intermediate Level Social Work Specialist	$60,697
Senior Level Social Work Specialist	$63,153
Specialist Level Social Work Specialist	$66,396
Expert Level Social Work Specialist	$66,628

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Social Work Specialist 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 Social Work Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $68,762.
California: $68,502.
Massachusetts: $67,589.

District of Columbia $68,762 California $68,502 Massachusetts $67,589 Washington $67,340 New Jersey $67,315 Alaska $67,228 Connecticut $66,371 New York $66,024

Hawaii $64,912 Rhode Island $64,390 Maryland $64,036 Minnesota $63,552 Colorado $63,366 Illinois $63,303 Oregon $63,067 Delaware $62,894

New Hampshire $62,784 Virginia $62,540 Pennsylvania $61,825 Nevada $61,465 North Dakota $61,347 Michigan $61,161 Wisconsin $61,092 Vermont $60,956

Texas $60,577 Maine $60,552 Arizona $60,515 Ohio $60,471 Georgia $59,900 Indiana $59,614 Wyoming $59,559 Utah $59,472

Iowa $59,434 Kansas $59,136 Louisiana $59,049 North Carolina $59,018 Missouri $59,006 Florida $58,764 Montana $58,633 Nebraska $58,509

Kentucky $58,441 South Carolina $58,192 Tennessee $58,037 Idaho $57,975 New Mexico $57,521 Oklahoma $57,422 Alabama $57,056 South Dakota $56,441

Arkansas $56,105 West Virginia $55,925 Mississippi $55,385

Top Paying Cities for Social Work Specialists

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: $78,333
San Francisco: $77,563
Oakland: $75,842

San Jose, CA $78,333

San Francisco, CA $77,563

Oakland, CA $75,842

New York, NY $71,973

Queens Village, NY $71,507

Paramus, NJ $71,011

Passaic, NJ $70,949

Bergenfield, NJ $70,886

Stamford, CT $70,793

Huntington, NY $70,731

Newark, NJ $70,327

Bridgeport, CT $70,203

New Brunswick, NJ $69,998

Vallejo, CA $69,868

Middlesex, NJ $69,831

Somerset, NJ $69,775

Petaluma, CA $69,632

Santa Cruz, CA $69,390

Boston, MA $69,265

Monterey, CA $68,955

Fairbanks, AK $68,911

Los Angeles, CA $68,793

Washington, DC $68,762

Seattle, WA $68,651

Santa Rosa, CA $68,638

Juneau, AK $68,458

Orange, CA $68,253

Anchorage, AK $68,141

Anaheim, CA $68,098

Santa Ana, CA $68,005

Nassau, NY $67,967

Long Beach, CA $67,943

Danbury, CT $67,924

Santa Maria, CA $67,713

Everett, WA $67,700

Bremerton, WA $67,396

Trenton, NJ $67,278

Sacramento, CA $67,253

San Diego, CA $67,222

Brockton, MA $67,197

Tacoma, WA $67,173

Santa Barbara, CA $67,086

Lowell, MA $66,837

New Suffolk, NY $66,812

Nashua, NH $66,738

Lompoc, CA $66,638

Ventura, CA $66,576

Stockton, CA $66,558

New Haven, CT $66,434

Atlantic City, NJ $66,272

Hartford, CT $66,135

Modesto, CA $66,104

Poughkeepsie, NY $65,968

New Britain, CT $65,937

Olympia, WA $65,850

Kennewick, WA $65,850

New London, CT $65,837

Norwich, CT $65,819

Lawrence, MA $65,788

Bakersfield, CA $65,614

Riverside, CA $65,527

New Bedford, MA $65,527

Richland, WA $65,465

Portsmouth, NH $65,415

Vineland, NJ $65,403

San Bernardino, CA $65,353

Boulder, CO $65,179

Worcester, MA $65,129

Portland, OR $65,073

Saint Paul, MN $64,999

Minneapolis, MN $64,999

Philadelphia, PA $64,912

Honolulu, HI $64,583

Springfield, MA $64,365

Providence, RI $64,359

Chicago, IL $64,179

Bellingham, WA $64,105

Baltimore, MD $64,036

Chico, CA $63,881

Wilmington, DE $63,775

Pittsfield, MA $63,713

Manchester, NH $63,595

Spokane, WA $63,322

Denver, CO $63,316

Albany, NY $63,024

Troy, NY $62,999

Schenectady, NY $62,869

Burlington, VT $62,732

Portland, ME $62,515

Salem, OR $62,465

Yakima, WA $62,453

Ann Arbor, MI $62,434

Rochester, MN $62,260

Fresno, CA $62,229

Reno, NV $62,229

Milwaukee, WI $62,173

Detroit, MI $62,111

Allentown, PA $62,092

Carson City, NV $62,086

Houston, TX $61,993

Colorado Springs, CO $61,987

Syracuse, NY $61,956

Eugene, OR $61,838

Bismarck, ND $61,763

Gary, IN $61,763

Galveston, TX $61,763

Springfield, OR $61,714

Medford, OR $61,564

Fort Collins, CO $61,540

Austin, TX $61,490

Mesa, AZ $61,360

Phoenix, AZ $61,347

Dallas, TX $61,328

Reading, PA $61,291

Saint Cloud, MN $61,266

Concord, NH $61,210

Madison, WI $61,186

Utica, NY $61,018

Raleigh, NC $60,968

Las Vegas, NV $60,962

Rochester, NY $60,919

Des Moines, IA $60,912

Atlanta, GA $60,813

Battle Creek, MI $60,794

Salt Lake City, UT $60,776

Lancaster, PA $60,683

Champaign, IL $60,670

Harrisburg, PA $60,596

Durham, NC $60,540

Kansas City, MO $60,534

Kansas City, KS $60,521

Fort Worth, TX $60,515

Boca Raton, FL $60,490

Cleveland, OH $60,484

Columbus, OH $60,471

Pittsburgh, PA $60,465

Richmond, VA $60,440

Indianapolis, IN $60,428

Cincinnati, OH $60,347

Petersburg, VA $60,254

Billings, MT $60,117

Lansing, MI $60,117

Huntsville, AL $60,117

Lebanon, PA $60,111

Dayton, OH $60,105

Pueblo, CO $60,105

Appleton, WI $60,086

Buffalo, NY $60,062

Racine, WI $60,030

Charlotte, NC $60,024

Saint Louis, MO $60,006

Springfield, IL $59,981

Elkhart, IN $59,968

York, PA $59,968

Gastonia, NC $59,962

Benton Harbor, MI $59,962

Beaumont, TX $59,925

Lorain, OH $59,913

Toledo, OH $59,888

Binghamton, NY $59,857

Rock Hill, SC $59,850

Rockford, IL $59,819

Fargo, ND $59,788

Elyria, OH $59,788

Flagstaff, AZ $59,745

Fort Lauderdale, FL $59,708

Miami, FL $59,670

Duluth, MN $59,571

Bangor, ME $59,490

Cedar Rapids, IA $59,422

Louisville, KY $59,391

Grand Rapids, MI $59,378

Hialeah, FL $59,372

Casper, WY $59,285

Scranton, PA $59,211

New Orleans, LA $59,192

Virginia Beach, VA $59,186

Akron, OH $59,155

Peoria, IL $59,074

Sarasota, FL $59,062

Green Bay, WI $59,018

Baton Rouge, LA $58,987

Charleston, SC $58,975

Nashville, TN $58,956

Jamestown, NY $58,944

Davenport, IA $58,944

Tucson, AZ $58,913

Cheyenne, WY $58,894

Saint Petersburg, FL $58,875

Tampa, FL $58,863

Omaha, NE $58,851

Port Arthur, TX $58,826

Evansville, IN $58,826

Bradenton, FL $58,801

Santa Fe, NM $58,689

Orlando, FL $58,627

Clearwater, FL $58,559

Canton, OH $58,428

La Crosse, WI $58,428

Grand Forks, ND $58,410

Albuquerque, NM $58,391

Tulsa, OK $58,391

Newport News, VA $58,385

High Point, NC $58,366

Ogden, UT $58,341

Corpus Christi, TX $58,292

Laramie, WY $58,254

Norfolk, VA $58,254

Rock Island, IL $58,217

Saginaw, MI $58,205

Jacksonville, FL $58,198

Salisbury, NC $58,186

Memphis, TN $58,174

Moline, IL $58,143

Fort Myers, FL $58,124

Waterloo, IA $58,043

Spartanburg, SC $57,981

Lincoln, NE $57,950

Fort Wayne, IN $57,938

Birmingham, AL $57,869

Cedar Falls, IA $57,857

Provo, UT $57,851

Springfield, OH $57,844

San Antonio, TX $57,832

Greensboro, NC $57,807

South Bend, IN $57,801

Winston Salem, NC $57,795

Boise, ID $57,776

Savannah, GA $57,733

Muskegon, MI $57,621

Lima, OH $57,546

Lake Charles, LA $57,521

Anderson, IN $57,509

Lexington, KY $57,490

Augusta, GA $57,472

Greenville, SC $57,472

Wichita, KS $57,416

Tuscaloosa, AL $57,416

Columbia, SC $57,360

Bloomington, IN $57,205

Roanoke, VA $57,167

Asheville, NC $57,087

Knoxville, TN $56,981

Shreveport, LA $56,975

Wilmington, NC $56,894

Frankfort, KY $56,776

Oklahoma City, OK $56,733

Chillicothe, OH $56,708

Longview, TX $56,702

Topeka, KS $56,683

Mobile, AL $56,590

Terre Haute, IN $56,565

Erie, PA $56,559

Altoona, PA $56,528

Melbourne, FL $56,509

Amarillo, TX $56,484

Killeen, TX $56,466

Fayetteville, AR $56,416

Sioux Falls, SD $56,373

Chattanooga, TN $56,335

Idaho Falls, ID $56,329

Gainesville, FL $56,199

Portsmouth, OH $56,168

Little Rock, AR $56,155

Lynchburg, VA $56,155

Lafayette, LA $56,130

Youngstown, OH $56,130

Temple, TX $56,105

Daytona Beach, FL $56,093

Clarksville, TN $56,087

Pensacola, FL $56,081

Hopkinsville, KY $55,894

Charleston, WV $55,888

Florence, SC $55,857

Sioux City, IA $55,820

Macon, GA $55,640

Tallahassee, FL $55,633

Fayetteville, NC $55,621

Waco, TX $55,609

Wichita Falls, TX $55,609

Pine Bluff, AR $55,584

Vincennes, IN $55,466

Lubbock, TX $55,441

Great Falls, MT $55,404

Alamogordo, NM $55,397

Abilene, TX $55,348

Rapid City, SD $55,267

Monroe, LA $55,267

Albany, GA $55,230

Huntington, WV $55,224

Jackson, MS $55,217

Greenville, MS $55,211

Parkersburg, WV $55,149

Montgomery, AL $55,137

Johnstown, PA $55,124

Springfield, MO $55,075

Biloxi, MS $55,043

Sumter, SC $54,913

Columbus, GA $54,907

Twin Falls, ID $54,870

Pascagoula, MS $54,789

Kingsport, TN $54,627

Gulfport, MS $54,609

Alexandria, LA $54,404

Fort Smith, AR $54,249

El Paso, TX $54,081

Helena, MT $54,000

Las Cruces, NM $53,801

Harlingen, TX $53,627

Pocatello, ID $53,572

Florence, AL $53,553

Brownsville, TX $53,541

Dothan, AL $53,441

Mcallen, TX $53,410

Columbus, MS $52,951

Altus, OK $52,665

Lawton, OK $52,547

Pierre, SD $52,323

What Skills Can Increase a Social Work Specialist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 7.82% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Discharge Planning (Mentioned in 3.73% Job Postings): Developing a personalized plan to ensure the smooth transition of a patient from a health organization to the patient's home or residential care.
Patient Care (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	7.82%
Discharge Planning	3.73%
Patient Care	2.13%

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 Social Work Specialist's salary.

Care Management: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Patient Care: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Community Health: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Care Management	$66,452	7%
Patient Care	$65,831	6%
Community Health	$64,589	4%
Leadership	$64,589	4%
Organizing	$64,589	4%
Collaboration	$63,968	3%

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How Education impacts a Social Work Specialist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Social Work Specialists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Social Work Specialist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $63,714 and $67,641).

Social Work Specialist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Social Work Specialist

No Diploma 0.2%

High School 2.3%

Associates 3.7%

Bachelors 82.5%

Masters 10.9%

Doctorate 0.5%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.2%
High School	2.3%
Associates	3.7%
Bachelors	82.5%
Masters	10.9%
Doctorate	0.5%

view as graph

Social Work Specialist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Social Work Specialist'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 January 01, 2026

$55,346

Average $62,105/year

$69,292

$4,612

Average $5,175/month

$5,774

$1,064

Average $1,194/week

$1,333

$27

Average $30/hour

$33

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$69,292	$5,774	$1,333	$33
Average	$62,105	$5,175	$1,194	$30
25th Percentile	$55,346	$4,612	$1,064	$27

Salaries of jobs related to Social Work Specialist

Salary Trends for Social Work Specialist

Salaries for a Social Work Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $73,838 in 2023 to around $70,261 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Social Work Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Social Work Specialist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$73,838

2024

$71,684

2025

$70,261

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$73,838
2024	$71,684
2025	$70,261
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Social Work Specialist

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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