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Foster care worker salary
Average foster care worker salary
$46,037
Understanding Foster Care Worker Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Foster Care Worker in the United States is $46,037 annually. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific type of organization employing the worker.
For instance, states like California and New York often provide higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for social services. According to various salary estimates, entry-level positions typically start around $30,000, while experienced professionals can earn upwards of $60,000 per year.
Additionally, roles that involve specialized training or certifications may command higher salaries. For example, foster care supervisors or those working in urban areas may have different compensation structures. Understanding the landscape of foster care salaries can aid job seekers in making informed career decisions and better negotiating their pay.
Consider researching salary data by state and experience level to identify potential opportunities that align with your career goals in this vital field.
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Where can a Foster Care Worker earn more?
Foster care worker salaries by experience level
Foster care worker salary estimates from across the web
Average foster care worker salary by state
The highest-paying states for foster care workers are New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. The lowest average foster care worker salary states are Louisiana, Kentucky, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for foster care workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $60,967 | $29.31 |
| 2 | Alaska | $59,778 | $28.74 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $52,962 | $25.46 |
| 4 | Maryland | $66,497 | $31.97 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $60,666 | $29.17 |
| 6 | North Carolina | $53,057 | $25.51 |
| 7 | Oregon | $54,367 | $26.14 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $52,725 | $25.35 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $79,379 | $38.16 |
| 10 | Nevada | $57,986 | $27.88 |
| 11 | California | $55,602 | $26.73 |
| 12 | Virginia | $56,549 | $27.19 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $55,542 | $26.70 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $65,637 | $31.56 |
| 15 | New York | $63,870 | $30.71 |
| 16 | Idaho | $50,980 | $24.51 |
| 17 | Illinois | $52,388 | $25.19 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $47,950 | $23.05 |
| 19 | Maine | $46,459 | $22.34 |
| 20 | Texas | $54,050 | $25.99 |
| 21 | Michigan | $46,845 | $22.52 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $44,881 | $21.58 |
| 23 | Ohio | $47,773 | $22.97 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $49,451 | $23.77 |
| 25 | Iowa | $46,116 | $22.17 |
| 26 | Montana | $45,098 | $21.68 |
| 27 | Kansas | $47,761 | $22.96 |
| 28 | Massachusetts | $45,224 | $21.74 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $41,881 | $20.14 |
| 30 | Delaware | $46,358 | $22.29 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $43,285 | $20.81 |
| 32 | Colorado | $44,208 | $21.25 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $46,829 | $22.51 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $43,528 | $20.93 |
| 35 | Arizona | $43,495 | $20.91 |
| 36 | Utah | $43,964 | $21.14 |
| 37 | Vermont | $45,337 | $21.80 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $44,028 | $21.17 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | $44,868 | $21.57 |
| 40 | Georgia | $40,795 | $19.61 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $37,055 | $17.81 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $42,895 | $20.62 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $38,684 | $18.60 |
| 44 | Missouri | $30,707 | $14.76 |
| 45 | Alabama | $37,294 | $17.93 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $34,220 | $16.45 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $37,856 | $18.20 |
| 48 | Indiana | $38,266 | $18.40 |
| 49 | Florida | $35,673 | $17.15 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $36,741 | $17.66 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $31,246 | $15.02 |
Highest paying cities for foster care workers
The highest-paying cities for foster care workers are Baltimore, MD, New York, NY, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $66,711 | $32.07 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $64,114 | $30.82 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $61,466 | $29.55 |
| 4 | Eden Prairie, MN | $60,537 | $29.10 |
| 5 | Oakland, CA | $59,668 | $28.69 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach, VA | $56,610 | $27.22 |
| 7 | Grand Forks, ND | $56,153 | $27.00 |
| 8 | Lubbock, TX | $54,666 | $26.28 |
| 9 | Raleigh, NC | $54,399 | $26.15 |
| 10 | Portland, OR | $54,208 | $26.06 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $52,690 | $25.33 |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $49,912 | $24.00 |
| 13 | Allentown, PA | $47,001 | $22.60 |
| 14 | Grand Rapids, MI | $45,749 | $21.99 |
| 15 | Appleton, WI | $44,535 | $21.41 |
| 16 | Phoenix, AZ | $43,784 | $21.05 |
| 17 | Morristown, TN | $42,594 | $20.48 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $40,915 | $19.67 |
| 19 | South Bend, IN | $39,565 | $19.02 |
| 20 | Omaha, NE | $38,740 | $18.63 |
Foster care worker salary details
A foster care worker's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $65,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a foster care worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $46,037 | $3,836 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying foster care worker jobs
The highest paying types of foster care workers are licensed social worker, school social worker, and child welfare specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Planner | $43,496 | $3,625 | $20.91 | 36,065 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $43,111 | $3,593 | $20.73 | 77,220 |
| Family Counselor | $41,510 | $3,459 | $19.96 | 93,253 |
| Counselor | $36,225 | $3,019 | $17.42 | 77,536 |
| Service Counselor | $35,402 | $2,950 | $17.02 | 44,284 |
| Program Counselor | $43,820 | $3,652 | $21.07 | 133,491 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for foster care workers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah Christa Butts MSW
Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers
Which companies pay foster care workers the most?
Foster care worker salaries at Riverview Health and The New York Foundling are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average foster care worker salary at companies like Centene and Washington State University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riverview Health | $63,072 | $30.32 |
| 2 | The New York Foundling | $54,400 | $26.15 |
| 3 | Centene | $54,028 | $25.98 |
| 4 | Washington State University | $51,921 | $24.96 |
| 5 | Spectrum | $50,959 | $24.50 |
| 6 | Health Connect America | $47,689 | $22.93 |
| 7 | State of North Dakota | $46,962 | $22.58 |
| 8 | Seneca Companies | $46,910 | $22.55 |
| 9 | Camelot Center | $46,787 | $22.49 |
| 10 | LSS INC | $46,359 | $22.29 |
| 11 | The Arc Baltimore | $46,303 | $22.26 |
| 12 | Wake County | $46,265 | $22.24 |
| 13 | FamilyCore | $46,078 | $22.15 |
| 14 | Camelot Foster Care | $45,980 | $22.11 |
| 15 | UnitedHealth Group | $45,603 | $21.92 |
| 16 | HireLevel | $45,058 | $21.66 |
| 17 | The Children's Village | $43,689 | $21.00 |
| 18 | The National Center For Children And Families | $43,659 | $20.99 |
| 19 | Marygrove | $43,642 | $20.98 |
| 20 | The State of Oregon | $43,531 | $20.93 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Foster Care Worker salary by industry
The average foster care worker salary varies across industries:
- The average foster care worker salary in the construction industry is $50,830, the highest of any industry.
- The average foster care worker salary in the finance industry is $45,897.
- Foster care workers in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $40,043, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for foster care workers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | $50,830 | $24.44 |
| 2 | Government | $45,897 | $22.07 |
| 3 | Finance | $44,881 | $21.58 |
| 4 | Professional | $42,385 | $20.38 |
| 5 | Health Care | $40,620 | $19.53 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $40,043 | $19.25 |
High paying foster care worker jobs
Foster care worker salary trends
The average foster care worker salary has risen by $7,367 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average foster care worker earned $38,670 annually, but today, they earn $46,037 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for foster care workers over the last decade.
Compare foster care worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average foster care worker salary over time
Compare foster care worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Foster care worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,000 | $22.13 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $45,000 | $21.66 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $44,000 | $21.15 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $42,200 | $20.28 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $41,100 | $19.77 | +2.1% |
Recently added foster care worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque Public Schools | Specialist: Foster Care | Albuquerque, NM | 06/30/2025 | $52,738 |
| Neheadstart | Foster Care Review Specialist | Lincoln, NE | 06/29/2025 | $56,203 |
| The Children's Home | Foster Care Home Finder | Auburn, NY | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| Lutheran Services Carolinas | Foster Care Supervisor | Columbia, SC | 06/28/2025 | $55,180 |
| Holy Cross Services | Foster Care Worker-Norton Shores Office, Muskegon (Serving Muskegon & Surrounding Counties) | Norton Shores, MI | 06/28/2025 | $42,500 |
| Mainstream Nonprofit Solutions | Foster Care Worker | Kearney, NE | 06/28/2025 | $50,109 |
| Christian Career | Foster Care Recruiter-GAP Ministries | Tucson, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| State of Nebraska | Foster Care Review Specialist | Lincoln, NE | 06/27/2025 | $56,203 |
| Cedars | Foster Care Specialist | Omaha, NE | 06/26/2025 | $45,392 |
| Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois | Foster Care Licensing Representative | Decatur, IL | 06/26/2025 | $50,336 |
Foster care worker salary FAQs
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