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Social Worker Salary in the United States

How much does a Social Worker make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Social Worker in the United States is $63,099 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,025
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $56,217 to $70,388
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,953
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Social Worker Salaries

A Social Worker'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 Worker Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Social Worker'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): $60,709
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $61,187
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $64,164
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $67,452
  • Expert (over 8 years): $68,039
Levels Salary
Entry Level Social Worker$60,709
Intermediate Level Social Worker$61,187
Senior Level Social Worker$64,164
Specialist Level Social Worker$67,452
Expert Level Social Worker$68,039
View as Graph

How Do Social Worker 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 Workers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $69,863.
  • California: $69,598.
  • Massachusetts: $68,670.

Top Paying Cities for Social Workers

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: $79,586
  • San Francisco: $78,715
  • Oakland: $77,056

What Skills Can Increase a Social Worker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Planning (Mentioned in 8.84% 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.
  • Patient Care (Mentioned in 2.49% 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.
  • Geriatrics (Mentioned in 1.28% Job Postings): Geriatrics, or geriatric medicine, is a medical specialty focused on providing care for the unique health needs of older adults. The term geriatrics originates from the Greek geron meaning "old man", and iatros meaning "healer".
Skills Demand Percentage
Planning 8.84%
Patient Care 2.49%
Geriatrics 1.28%
See More Skills

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 Worker's salary.

  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Psychiatric: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Verbal Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Coaching $65,622
4%
Psychiatric $64,991
3%
Verbal Communication $64,991
3%
Get Latest Data

Social Worker Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Social Worker roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare., offers compensation 5% above the average. Conversely, Social Worker positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Social Worker as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Social Worker

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare.$66,253$32.05%

How Education impacts a Social Worker's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Social Workers 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 Social Worker with a Master's Degree or MBA is between $71,017 and $74,969).

Social Worker Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Social Worker
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.1%
High School 0.8%
Associates 1.5%
Bachelors 5.1%
Masters 91.4%
Doctorate 1.1%
View as Graph

Social Worker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Social Worker'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 September 01, 2026
$56,217
Average $63,099/year
$70,388
$4,685
Average $5,258/month
$5,866
$1,081
Average $1,213/week
$1,354
$27
Average $30/hour
$34
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $70,388 $5,866 $1,354 $34
Average $63,099 $5,258 $1,213 $30
25th Percentile $56,217 $4,685 $1,081 $27

Most common benefits for Social Worker

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Social Worker

Here are companies hiring for Social Worker and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Social Worker

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Social Worker?

The Healthcare. industry offers the highest average compensation for Social Worker roles, with salaries approximately 5% 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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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