Introduction:
A person working as a Social Worker Salary in United States typically earns around 29,300 USD per year. Salaries range from 14,100 USD (lowest) to 46,000 USD (highest). This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Social Worker salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Social Worker Average Base Salary:
The average salary for a social worker is $66,409 per year in the United States. 12k salaries reported, updated on August 26, 2022.
Social Worker Outlook of Salary:
The median annual wage for social workers was $50,390 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Social Worker Salary Distribution:
- Salary Range
Social workers’ salaries in the United States range from 14,100 USD per year (minimum salary) to 46,000 USD per year (maximum salary).
- Median Salary
The median salary is 30,500 USD per year, which means that half (50%) of people working as Social workers (s) are earning less than 30,500 USD while the other half are earning more than 30,500 USD. The median represents the middle salary value. Social Worker Salary in United States, Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
- Percentiles
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Social Worker Salary in United States are earning less than 20,000 USD while 75% of them are earning more than 20,000 USD. Also from the diagram, 75% of Social workers are earning less than 39,800 USD while 25% are earning more than 39,800 USD.
How much does a Social Worker make in the US?
The average Social Worker (MSW) salary in the United States is $67,884 as of July 26, 2022, but the range typically falls between $61,405 and $74,891. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, Social Worker Salary in United States additional skills, and the number of years you have spent in your profession. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Social Worker Salary by Years of Experience:
A top-level social worker earning:
- $44.97per hour
- $93,540per year
A senior-level social worker earning:
- $38.48per hour
- $80,040per year
A mid-level social worker earning:
- $29.42per hour
- $61,190per year
A junior-level social worker earning:
- $22.28per hour
- $46,340per year
Starting level social worker earning:
- $17.68per hour
- $36,780per year
Social Worker Salary with a Bachelor’s Degree:
A master’s degree is widely recognized as the industry standard in the field of social work since it’s a requirement for clinical positions that require licensure in most states. However, entry-level and other nonclinical jobs are available with a bachelor’s degree, and in fact, the number of new professionals coming into the field with a bachelor’s has been rising in recent years. The NASW found that BSW graduates increase by about Social Worker Salary in United States by 50 percent every five years, while the number of MSWs awarded increased by about 25 percent over the same period.
That’s in part a reflection of the growing number of positions that don’t formally require licensure. This is basic work that takes some of the load off of more highly educated social workers, but it’s still important and offers a high degree of job satisfaction.
With a Bachelor of Social Work or similar degree in sociology, psychology, or human services, you would qualify for jobs that include:
- Behavioral management aide
- Case management aide
- Community outreach worker
- Juvenile court liaison
- Child Welfare Screener
- Benefits Eligibility Screener
- Probation counselor / Court Compliance Officer
- Rehabilitation case worker
As you might expect, these positions all fall into the lower tier of social work salaries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics showed an average Social Worker Salary in United States for a couple of positions where a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement, both offering respectable salaries (national median as reported in 2020):*
- Health educators and community health workers – $48,140
- Social and community service managers – $69,660
Social Worker Salary with a Master’s Degree:
A Master of Social Work (MSW), or similar master’s in related fields like human services, psychology, counseling, or sociology, gives you access to jobs in licensed positions. Social Worker Salary in United States These include jobs in clinical social work and other highly skilled positions that involve direct interaction with clients, as well as management positions that involve developing strategy and overseeing other social workers as they perform their duties.
Social Worker Salary Comparison by Gender:
Male Social Worker employees in the United States earn 5% less than their female counterparts on average.
Social Worker Salary Highly Paying Cities:
| New York, NY | $76,982 per year | 413 salaries reported |
| Washington, DC | $76,934 per year | 89 salaries reported |
| Boston, MA | $75,962 per year | 69 salaries reported |
| Los Angeles, CA | $72,907 per year | 274 salaries reported |
| Chicago, IL | $72,128 per year | 122 salaries reported |
| Philadelphia, PA | $70,116 per year | 52 salaries reported |
| Brooklyn, NY | $69,500 per year | 324 salaries reported |
| Detroit, MI | $68,829 per year | 64 salaries reported |
| Houston, TX | $67,809 per year | 55 salaries reported |
Social Worker Best-paid Skills and Qualification:
The jobs requiring this certification have increased by 165.06% since 2018. Social Workers with this certification earn +69.79% more than the average base salary, which is $66,409 per year.
FAQs about Social Worker Salary in United States:
What factors affect the salary range of a social worker?
But the educational level and specialty are not the only factors that affect pay level. Salaries for social workers vary according to years of experience, industry, the locale of employment, occupational responsibility or management level, and the economy.
Where do social workers get paid the most in the US?
Salaries for healthcare Social Worker Salary in United States vary by state and metropolitan region, as you can see in the charts below. California ranks as the top-paying state for healthcare social workers, with an average annual salary of $79,620.
How much are social workers paid in USA?
The lowest-earning 10% of social workers made less than $33,020 per year in 2020, according to the BLS. The highest 10% of Social Worker Salary in United States earners made more than $85,820 annually that year. Social worker salaries can vary based on factors like different social work careers, education, and experience.
What type of social worker earns the most money?
- Residential mental health and substance-abuse facilities: $41,300.
- Individual and family services: $48,550.
- Outpatient care centers: $54,380.
- Psychiatric and substance-abuse hospitals: $57,840.
How long do social workers last?
According to recent research, the average career length for a social worker is just seven years. Not having support or being able to prioritize Social Worker Salary in United States self-care is not only detrimental to social workers’ health, but also to the children and families who need a consistent worker.
How can a social worker make more money?
Typically, the highest-paying social work roles are clinical. This means you’ll find yourself working for hospitals, insurance companies, or doing therapy. You should also prioritize licensure if you want to practice social work, even if you don’t want to be a therapist.
Which state is best for social workers?
Our research found that Oregon is the best state for social workers, while Oregon and Alaska are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Social Worker Salary in United States Oregon has a median salary of $67,057 and Oregon has the highest median salary among all 50 states for social workers. The median salary for social workers in Oregon is $67,057.
Are social workers in demand in the USA?
Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. About 78,300 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
What are the benefits of being a social worker?
- Social Workers Make a Positive Impact.
- Every Day Is Different.
- Many Opportunities for Specialization.
- Flexible Hours.
- Social Work Is a Growing Field.
- Forge a Meaningful Career in Social Work.
What subjects do you need to do social worker?
A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for many entry-level jobs as a social worker. Besides the Bachelor of Social Work, Social Worker Salary in United States undergraduate majors in psychology, sociology, and related fields satisfy hiring requirements in some agencies, especially small community agencies.
How much does a social worker earn in a month?
The average salary for a social worker is R 14 369 per month in Gauteng.
Conclusion:
A Social Worker’s Salary in United States is considered to be a low bonus-based job due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
68% of surveyed staff reported that they haven’t received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 32% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus. Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 0% to 4% of their annual salary.
