Contents
Social Worker Salary
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $14.83 | $18.95 | $26.23 | $33.27 | $38.62 |
| Annual Wage | $30,800 | $39,400 | $54,600 | $69,200 | $80,300 |
How much does a social worker make? Social workers are professionals who assist clients with the daily problems they are facing. There are several different types of social workers, all with various duties and responsibilities. Depending on their specialization, social workers help people in a variety of situations such as those who are adopting a child, families who are applying for government benefits, and couples who are going through a divorce. The minimum amount of education required to become a social worker is a bachelor’s degree in social work. However, those wanting to pursue a career in clinical social work must obtain a master’s degree and then complete two more years of clinical experience. In order to work in the field, social workers must become state licensed in the state where they plan to work.
Salary
In 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary was $44,200 for social workers. Those earning in the top 10 percent made $72,980 or more,and social workers earning in the lowest 10 percent made $27,450 or more.
Factors Impacting Salary
The type of work a social worker does can affect his or her salary. According to the BLS, in 2012, those employed as healthcare social workers made more than those employed as child, family, and school social workers or those who worked for mental health facilities. The highest salaries in the field were made by the Federal Executive Branch of the government and insurance carriers.
Geographical Location and Salary
The states where social workers command the highest salaries are Rhode Island, Idaho, South Dakota, Maryland, and Nevada. The metropolitan areas in the United States with the highest paid social workers include Oakland, CA and Camden, NJ.
Work Environment and Schedule
Social workers are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, child welfare agencies, government agencies, and private practice. Most social workers are employed on a full time basis in an office setting, and many work a normal business schedule. Others in the field might travel to different locations visiting clients in schools or homes and could be expected to work evening hours and on the weekends to meet the needs of clients.`
Job Outlook
Future job prospects for social workers are very good. Overall, the field is expected to expand by 19 percent from the years of 2012 and 2022, but will vary based on specializations. Child, family and school social worker jobs are expected to grow by 15 percent, healthcare social worker jobs are projected to increase by 27 percent, and those social workers employed in the area of mental health will see a 23 percent job increase in their specific area.
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Employment | % of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean salary |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 12,390 | 0.62 | $34.15 | $71,030 |
| Insurance Carriers | 730 | 0.06 | $32.67 | $67,950 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 50 | 0.02 | $30.13 | $62,680 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 3,660 | 0.07 | $30.00 | $62,400 |
| Local Government (OES Designation) | 18,330 | 0.33 | $28.27 | $58,800 |
Salary By State
| State | 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Jobs (2010) | Jobs (2020) | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $22,400 | $29,400 | $63,100 | $68,900 | $75,700 | 940 | 1,210 | +29% |
| Alaska | $41,100 | $43,900 | $53,800 | $67,300 | $82,700 | 380 | 480 | +25% |
| Arizona | $26,400 | $37,100 | $52,600 | $64,800 | $74,600 | 550 | 580 | +7% |
| Arkansas | $28,200 | $30,000 | $34,200 | $59,300 | $71,800 | 700 | 760 | +9% |
| California | $36,000 | $48,500 | $62,700 | $76,900 | $89,500 | 13,000 | 14,700 | +13% |
| Colorado | $27,700 | $33,800 | $45,100 | $63,600 | $73,900 | 1,360 | 1,630 | +20% |
| Connecticut | $31,300 | $34,800 | $42,700 | $65,400 | $84,100 | 340 | 380 | +13% |
| Delaware | $42,400 | $44,600 | $61,900 | $73,400 | $79,600 | 120 | 120 | +5% |
| District of Columbia | $35,500 | $48,900 | $64,500 | $77,400 | $89,800 | 630 | 730 | +15% |
| Florida | $29,900 | $38,400 | $55,200 | $70,900 | $80,100 | 2,390 | 2,720 | +14% |
| Georgia | $29,100 | $34,100 | $43,700 | $65,300 | $74,600 | 530 | 550 | +3% |
| Hawaii | $28,900 | $41,200 | $61,700 | $74,500 | $83,300 | 330 | 340 | +4% |
| Idaho | $47,400 | $62,100 | $67,000 | $74,800 | $80,300 | 130 | 150 | +11% |
| Illinois | $23,900 | $35,600 | $52,400 | $67,600 | $75,700 | 5,150 | 5,110 | -1% |
| Iowa | $32,300 | $44,200 | $59,000 | $67,300 | $74,600 | 480 | 540 | +13% |
| Kansas | $38,400 | $38,400 | $43,300 | $61,200 | $71,100 | 640 | 660 | +3% |
| Kentucky | $37,100 | $49,900 | $63,100 | $71,100 | $76,500 | 520 | 530 | +2% |
| Louisiana | $32,100 | $41,400 | $53,400 | $65,000 | $73,400 | 870 | 920 | +7% |
| Maine | $34,200 | $40,000 | $47,500 | $62,700 | $73,400 | 360 | 370 | +4% |
| Maryland | $42,400 | $56,000 | $70,700 | $82,600 | $92,400 | 1,040 | 1,230 | +19% |
| Massachusetts | $26,300 | $35,700 | $55,100 | $75,300 | $85,200 | 1,110 | 1,320 | +19% |
| Michigan | $28,400 | $35,300 | $46,000 | $61,200 | $71,900 | 2,200 | 2,510 | +14% |
| Minnesota | $47,700 | $60,800 | $67,400 | $74,300 | $82,000 | 400 | 430 | +6% |
| Mississippi | – | – | – | – | – | 150 | 170 | +12% |
| Missouri | $30,800 | $33,900 | $41,000 | $63,100 | $73,400 | 1,190 | 1,210 | +2% |
| Montana | $28,900 | $29,400 | $34,300 | $42,600 | $61,200 | 610 | 670 | +10% |
| Nebraska | $29,200 | $37,400 | $48,300 | $63,100 | $74,600 | 290 | 330 | +15% |
| Nevada | $41,300 | $57,400 | $70,200 | $75,700 | $80,300 | 200 | 210 | +2% |
| New Hampshire | $33,100 | $42,300 | $64,800 | $75,200 | $82,800 | 160 | 190 | +20% |
| New Jersey | $35,800 | $47,700 | $60,700 | $71,200 | $84,100 | 760 | 830 | +8% |
| New Mexico | $33,600 | $38,500 | $46,100 | $54,500 | $66,600 | 730 | 800 | +9% |
| New York | $38,900 | $46,300 | $56,600 | $68,600 | $76,700 | 11,300 | 11,720 | +4% |
| North Carolina | $27,500 | $29,800 | $35,900 | $59,200 | $70,900 | 1,560 | 1,680 | +8% |
| North Dakota | $26,000 | $47,500 | $59,300 | $68,800 | $74,600 | 70 | 70 | -2% |
| Ohio | $26,900 | $33,900 | $43,600 | $56,900 | $69,600 | 3,660 | 4,050 | +11% |
| Oklahoma | $26,500 | $31,400 | $38,000 | $61,200 | $74,800 | 940 | 1,090 | +16% |
| Oregon | $26,900 | $34,200 | $44,800 | $51,300 | $64,600 | 1,830 | 2,090 | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | $35,200 | $51,200 | $64,600 | $74,600 | $84,100 | 880 | 890 | +2% |
| Rhode Island | $49,900 | $62,800 | $69,000 | $77,700 | $90,300 | 160 | 160 | +6% |
| South Carolina | $31,600 | $34,500 | $40,300 | $57,100 | $70,800 | 670 | 720 | +8% |
| South Dakota | $47,600 | $59,300 | $67,000 | $75,700 | $84,800 | – | – | – |
| Tennessee | $29,400 | $38,300 | $52,100 | $65,100 | $75,700 | 870 | 950 | +9% |
| Texas | $25,500 | $34,500 | $57,400 | $72,700 | $80,300 | 2,960 | 3,570 | +21% |
| Utah | $34,700 | $34,700 | $38,700 | $55,000 | $72,700 | 500 | 570 | +12% |
| Vermont | $48,200 | $52,800 | $62,800 | $71,100 | $82,600 | 50 | 50 | -2% |
| Virginia | $30,200 | $39,900 | $63,100 | $74,600 | $82,400 | 660 | 700 | +7% |
| Washington | $27,100 | $33,900 | $48,100 | $67,400 | $79,600 | 1,630 | 1,980 | +21% |
| West Virginia | $30,600 | $42,200 | $65,100 | $74,600 | $82,400 | 190 | 210 | +6% |
| Wisconsin | $33,700 | $44,600 | $55,600 | $65,300 | $75,300 | – | – | – |
| Wyoming | $40,400 | $46,300 | $46,600 | $58,500 | $72,700 | 200 | 240 | +17% |
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