Social Work Specialist Salaries in California
How Much Does a Social Work Specialist Make in California?
Updated April 01, 2025
As of April 01, 2025,
the average annual pay of Social Work Specialist in California is $73,994.
While Salary.com is seeing that Social Work Specialist salary in CA can go up to $89,217
or down to $58,281, but most earn between $65,769 and $81,962.
Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors,
including education, certifications, additional skills, and your experience levels.
With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Related Job Titles to Social Work Specialist
Facing Salary Structure Challenges? Let Our Expert Guide You
The job market is increasingly challenging. Our whitepaper, Navigating the Challenges of Creating Salary Structures, offers guidance on creating salary structures. Provide your phone number and work email to download the full version.
We will handle your contact details in line with our Privacy Policy.
If you prefer not to receive marketing emails from Salary.com, you can opt-out out of marketing communications at any time by clicking unsubscribe.
Choose a prefer time
Choose Your Preferred Time
All times are listed as US Eastern time (Boston/New York)
-
9:00 AM-9:30 AM
-
9:30 AM-10:00 AM
-
10:00 AM-10:30 AM
-
10:30 AM-11:00 AM
-
11:00 AM-11:30 AM
-
11:30 AM-12:00 PM
-
12:00 PM-12:30 PM
-
12:30 PM-1:00 PM
-
1:00 PM-1:30 PM
-
1:30 PM-2:00 PM
-
2:00 PM-2:30 PM
-
2:30 PM-3:00 PM
-
3:00 PM-3:30 PM
-
3:30 PM-4:00 PM
-
4:00 PM-4:30 PM
-
4:30 PM-5:00 PM
-
5:00 PM-5:30 PM
-
5:30 PM-6:00 PM
-
6:00 PM-6:30 PM
-
6:30 PM-7:00 PM
-
7:00 PM-7:30 PM
-
7:30 PM-8:00 PM
Similar Job Salaries to Social Work Specialist by Company
Loading results...
| Company | average base salary in (usd) | range |
|---|---|---|
|
Nightingale's List
Social Work Specialist
|
$97,841/yr
|
RANGE: $86,204 - $109,478
|
|
Nightingale's List
Social Work Correctional Specialist
|
$90,238/yr
|
RANGE: $79,400 - $101,077
|
|
Patterns LLC
Hospital Social Work Specialist
|
$87,297/yr
|
RANGE: $76,914 - $97,680
|
|
Remede Consulting Group, Inc.
Social Work Specialist
|
$63,258/yr
|
RANGE: $56,355 - $70,161
|
|
Concentric Healthcare Staffing
Social Work Rehabilitation Specialist Opportunity
|
$110,179/yr
|
RANGE: $97,238 - $123,119
|
|
Britt Medical Search
Geriatric Care Specialist - Clinical Social Work Position
|
$126,132/yr
|
RANGE: $113,619 - $138,646
|
|
Tenet Desert
Social Work
|
$79,764/yr
|
RANGE: $70,365 - $89,164
|
|
Nightingale's List
Social Work
|
$90,238/yr
|
RANGE: $79,400 - $101,077
|
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Social Work Specialist Jobs in California
It is important to understand how location impacts your career prospects in the United States.
There are some cities where a Social Work Specialist can find a job easily with a greater salary paid then achieve a higher standard of living.
Below is the top cities list for Social Work Specialist job salaries in California.
Some cities can pay higher salaries for Social Work Specialist jobs, which can indicate that there is a large demand for Social Work Specialist positions in this city.
The following table shows top 10 cities where the Social Work Specialist salary is higher than other cities in California.
San Jose takes first place in this list, followed by Santa Clara, Fremont.
The Social Work Specialist salary is $84,614 in San Jose,
which is higher than the national average. There are 76 cities' Social Work Specialist salary higher than national average in California.
The average salary for a Social Work Specialist in California is $73,994,
but we found that the city with the highest salary for Social Work Specialist jobs is San Jose, CA, and it is higher than Santa Clara.
Social Work Specialist jobs in San Jose can have the opportunity to earn higher salaries than in other cities in California.
| CITY | ANNUAL SALARY | MONTHLY PAY | WEEKLY PAY | HOURLY WAGE |
| San Jose | $84,614 | $7,051 | $1,627 | $41 |
| Santa Clara | $84,614 | $7,051 | $1,627 | $41 |
| Fremont | $84,453 | $7,038 | $1,624 | $41 |
| San Francisco | $83,782 | $6,982 | $1,611 | $40 |
| Daly City | $83,782 | $6,982 | $1,611 | $40 |
| Berkeley | $81,924 | $6,827 | $1,575 | $39 |
| Oakland | $81,924 | $6,827 | $1,575 | $39 |
| Hayward | $81,789 | $6,816 | $1,573 | $39 |
| Antioch | $77,295 | $6,441 | $1,486 | $37 |
| Vallejo | $75,470 | $6,289 | $1,451 | $36 |
What Does a Social Work Specialist Do?
Typically self-employed, an Independent Social Worker takes on cases from local authorities or the children’s courts, carrying out specialist assessments or providing an expert opinion where one is required.
Updated December 14, 2021
Other social workers are concerned that they will not have enough work and this is a fear for most professionals becoming self-employed.
Updated November 14, 2021
For example, some people use independent social work once they retire to top up their pension so would take on less work.
Updated November 07, 2021
Social work programme will earn while studying for a fully funded postgraduate diploma and Masters degree.
Updated October 26, 2021
Often social workers like to work in frontline children’s services for a period during their early career to gain essential skills while having the backing of the organisation.
Updated December 14, 2021
Empower Your Talent Strategy with Salary.com's Skills Library.
Struggling with Managing Your Job Descriptions?
View Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles, 18 Industries, and 26 Job Families.
Skills LibraryOur job description management tool- JobArchitect streamlines your job description process. Say goodbye to the hassle of crafting job descriptions.
Explore JobArchitectFrequently Asked Questions About a Social Work Specialist Salaries
What is the average of a Social Work Specialist in California?
The Social Work Specialist salary range is from $65,769 to $81,962, and the average Social Work Specialist salary is $73,994/year in California.
The Social Work Specialist's salary will change in different locations.
Which location pays the highest Social Work Specialist salary in the United States?
The Social Work Specialist salary in San Jose, CA is $84,614
which is the highest in the US.
What kinds of reasons will influence the Social Work Specialist's salary?
Besides the location, employees' education degree, related skills, and work experience also will influence the salary.
Try to improve your skills and experience to get a higher salary for the position of Social Work Specialist.
What is the growth rate of the Social Work Specialist's salary?
If you are thinking of becoming a Social Work Specialist or planning the next step in your career, find the detailed salary report of a Social Work Specialist.
