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Child welfare worker salary
Average child welfare worker salary
$48,032
Let Zippi find your next child welfare worker job
Let Zippi find your next child welfare worker job
Average child welfare worker salary by state
Highest paying states for child welfare workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $80,764 | $38.83 |
| 2 | Idaho | $75,811 | $36.45 |
| 3 | Oregon | $75,879 | $36.48 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $72,645 | $34.93 |
| 5 | Utah | $65,889 | $31.68 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $90,102 | $43.32 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $76,617 | $36.84 |
| 8 | Nevada | $72,007 | $34.62 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $58,651 | $28.20 |
| 10 | Maryland | $73,527 | $35.35 |
| 11 | South Dakota | $60,556 | $29.11 |
| 12 | California | $68,179 | $32.78 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $59,965 | $28.83 |
| 14 | Montana | $64,923 | $31.21 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $61,233 | $29.44 |
| 16 | Alaska | $70,337 | $33.82 |
| 17 | New York | $65,646 | $31.56 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $72,271 | $34.75 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $60,009 | $28.85 |
| 20 | Illinois | $61,575 | $29.60 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $68,154 | $32.77 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $51,622 | $24.82 |
| 23 | Michigan | $56,349 | $27.09 |
| 24 | Iowa | $57,807 | $27.79 |
| 25 | Ohio | $58,033 | $27.90 |
| 26 | Virginia | $56,111 | $26.98 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $50,550 | $24.30 |
| 28 | Massachusetts | $55,996 | $26.92 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $58,828 | $28.28 |
| 30 | Maine | $53,434 | $25.69 |
| 31 | Colorado | $52,811 | $25.39 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $53,884 | $25.91 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $47,921 | $23.04 |
| 34 | Kansas | $53,863 | $25.90 |
| 35 | Missouri | $43,401 | $20.87 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $38,899 | $18.70 |
| 37 | Vermont | $51,690 | $24.85 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $51,258 | $24.64 |
| 39 | Delaware | $51,641 | $24.83 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $30,606 | $14.71 |
| 41 | Texas | $39,466 | $18.97 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $35,525 | $17.08 |
| 43 | Arizona | $41,989 | $20.19 |
| 44 | Georgia | $27,572 | $13.26 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $30,962 | $14.89 |
| 46 | Alabama | $31,420 | $15.11 |
| 47 | Indiana | $44,864 | $21.57 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $39,985 | $19.22 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $32,243 | $15.50 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $25,851 | $12.43 |
| 51 | Florida | $26,386 | $12.69 |
Child welfare worker salary details
A child welfare worker's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a child welfare worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $48,032 | $4,003 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying child welfare worker jobs
The highest paying types of child welfare workers are licensed social worker, school social worker, and child welfare specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Advocate | $33,924 | $2,827 | $16.31 | 78,437 |
| Youth Development Professional | $43,758 | $3,647 | $21.04 | 91,372 |
| Child Protective Investigator | $47,903 | $3,992 | $23.03 | 15,938 |
| Youth Worker | $32,242 | $2,687 | $15.50 | 87,360 |
| School Social Worker | $54,856 | $4,571 | $26.37 | 122,376 |
| Licensed Social Worker | $57,005 | $4,750 | $27.41 | 66,130 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for child welfare workers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah Christa Butts MSW
Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers
Top companies hiring child welfare workers now:
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Child welfare worker salary trends
The average child welfare worker salary has risen by $7,686 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average child welfare worker earned $40,346 annually, but today, they earn $48,032 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for child welfare workers over the last decade.
Compare child welfare worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average child welfare worker salary over time
Compare child welfare worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Child welfare worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,000 | $23.09 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $47,000 | $22.60 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $45,900 | $22.06 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $44,000 | $21.16 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $42,900 | $20.62 | +2.1% |
Recently added child welfare worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aunt Marthas Health and Wellness Inc. | Child Welfare Services Referral Worker | Park Forest, IL | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Durham County, Nc | Child Welfare Social Worker-Child Protective Services | Durham, NC | 06/26/2025 | $64,093 |
| State of Idaho | Child Welfare Social Worker 1 or 2-Cyfs | Boise, ID | 06/06/2025 | $56,975 |
| Aunt Marthas Health and Wellness Inc. | Child Welfare Services Referral Worker | Park Forest, IL | 05/28/2025 | $45,914 |
| Durham County, Nc | Child Welfare Social Worker-Child Protective Services | Durham, NC | 05/18/2025 | $64,093 |
| State of Idaho | Child Welfare Social Worker 1 or 2-Cyfs | Boise, ID | 05/07/2025 | $56,975 |
| Aunt Marthas Health and Wellness Inc. | Child Welfare Services Referral Worker | Park Forest, IL | 04/30/2025 | $45,914 |
| State of Idaho | Child Welfare Social Worker 1 or 2-Cyfs | Caldwell, ID | 04/22/2025 | $54,199 |
| Aunt Marthas Health and Wellness Inc. | Child Welfare Services Referral Worker | Park Forest, IL | 03/31/2025 | $45,914 |
| Montgomery County | Child Welfare Supervisory Social Worker (Supervisory Social Worker), Grade N26 | Rockville, MD | 03/26/2025 | $84,694 |
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