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Best states for a clinical social worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for clinical social workers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for clinical social worker jobs.As clinical social workers are popular in the U.S., we wanted to bring you a list of the best states for clinical social workers. In case you are trying to decide where to start your career as a clinical social worker, or if you are considering moving to a different city or state, we got you covered.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for clinical social workers.If you are currently seeking employment as a clinical social worker, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for clinical social workers in 2026
1. Oregon
Total clinical social worker jobs: 1,312 Average annual salary: $80,983 Lowest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $106,000 Location Quotient: 1.31
2. Connecticut
Total clinical social worker jobs: 1,029 Average annual salary: $77,293 Lowest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
3. California
Total clinical social worker jobs: 8,856 Average annual salary: $83,803 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
4. Washington
Total clinical social worker jobs: 2,462 Average annual salary: $73,557 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
5. New Hampshire
Total clinical social worker jobs: 379 Average annual salary: $81,306 Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
6. Idaho
Total clinical social worker jobs: 432 Average annual salary: $70,954 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
7. Pennsylvania
Total clinical social worker jobs: 2,557 Average annual salary: $71,712 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $105,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
8. New Jersey
Total clinical social worker jobs: 1,741 Average annual salary: $77,573 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
9. District of Columbia
Total clinical social worker jobs: 368 Average annual salary: $83,373 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
10. Rhode Island
Total clinical social worker jobs: 294 Average annual salary: $69,735 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1
Clinical social worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a clinical social worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a clinical social worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $80,983 | $61,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,312 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $77,293 | $53,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,029 |
| 3 | California | $83,803 | $56,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,856 |
| 4 | Washington | $73,557 | $58,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,462 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $81,306 | $58,000 | 1,342,795 | 379 |
| 6 | Idaho | $70,954 | $54,000 | 1,716,943 | 432 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $71,712 | $48,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,557 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $77,573 | $52,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,741 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $83,373 | $54,000 | 693,972 | 368 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $69,735 | $48,000 | 1,059,639 | 294 |
| 11 | Alaska | $79,276 | $71,000 | 739,795 | 180 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $63,117 | $41,000 | 1,815,857 | 429 |
| 13 | Indiana | $71,334 | $48,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,139 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $63,245 | $40,000 | 2,088,070 | 595 |
| 15 | Ohio | $71,372 | $48,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,520 |
| 16 | Vermont | $70,496 | $52,000 | 623,657 | 153 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $64,622 | $45,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,610 |
| 18 | Delaware | $65,974 | $43,000 | 961,939 | 282 |
| 19 | Nevada | $66,459 | $45,000 | 2,998,039 | 386 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $56,319 | $33,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,663 |
| 21 | New York | $64,150 | $43,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,342 |
| 22 | Utah | $60,592 | $44,000 | 3,101,833 | 808 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $63,880 | $48,000 | 579,315 | 106 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $63,286 | $51,000 | 755,393 | 188 |
| 25 | Maryland | $64,180 | $42,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,421 |
| 26 | Montana | $59,994 | $48,000 | 1,050,493 | 281 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $55,083 | $41,000 | 869,666 | 328 |
| 28 | Colorado | $60,170 | $42,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,518 |
| 29 | Maine | $54,842 | $40,000 | 1,335,907 | 451 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $62,423 | $47,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,273 |
| 31 | Illinois | $61,775 | $43,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,044 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $55,781 | $40,000 | 1,920,076 | 624 |
| 33 | Arizona | $59,348 | $38,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,212 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $64,212 | $57,000 | 1,427,538 | 197 |
| 35 | Missouri | $54,683 | $36,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,561 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $49,134 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 903 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $50,472 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,448 |
| 38 | Iowa | $59,136 | $42,000 | 3,145,711 | 533 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $48,471 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,169 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $59,307 | $43,000 | 5,795,483 | 826 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $52,266 | $32,000 | 3,930,864 | 757 |
| 42 | Michigan | $56,637 | $40,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,491 |
| 43 | Kansas | $57,194 | $38,000 | 2,913,123 | 479 |
| 44 | Virginia | $52,858 | $32,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,225 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $55,202 | $35,000 | 4,454,189 | 537 |
| 46 | Texas | $47,776 | $28,000 | 28,304,596 | 5,208 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $52,481 | $31,000 | 3,004,279 | 394 |
| 48 | Florida | $39,276 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 4,624 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $51,027 | $29,000 | 2,984,100 | 303 |
| 50 | Alabama | $46,408 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 834 |
| 51 | Georgia | $39,592 | $22,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,587 |
Highest paying states for clinical social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Clinical Social Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $80,983 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $77,293 |
| 3 | California | $83,803 |
| 4 | Washington | $73,557 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $81,306 |
| 6 | Idaho | $70,954 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $71,712 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $77,573 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $83,373 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $69,735 |
| 11 | Alaska | $79,276 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $63,117 |
| 13 | Indiana | $71,334 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $63,245 |
| 15 | Ohio | $71,372 |
| 16 | Vermont | $70,496 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $64,622 |
| 18 | Delaware | $65,974 |
| 19 | Nevada | $66,459 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $56,319 |
| 21 | New York | $64,150 |
| 22 | Utah | $60,592 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $63,880 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $63,286 |
| 25 | Maryland | $64,180 |
| 26 | Montana | $59,994 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $55,083 |
| 28 | Colorado | $60,170 |
| 29 | Maine | $54,842 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $62,423 |
| 31 | Illinois | $61,775 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $55,781 |
| 33 | Arizona | $59,348 |
| 34 | Hawaii | $64,212 |
| 35 | Missouri | $54,683 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $49,134 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $50,472 |
| 38 | Iowa | $59,136 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $48,471 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $59,307 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $52,266 |
| 42 | Michigan | $56,637 |
| 43 | Kansas | $57,194 |
| 44 | Virginia | $52,858 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $55,202 |
| 46 | Texas | $47,776 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $52,481 |
| 48 | Florida | $39,276 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $51,027 |
| 50 | Alabama | $46,408 |
| 51 | Georgia | $39,592 |
Expert opinions on the best states for clinical social workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for clinical social workers to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
Clinical social worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025