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Best states for a licensed social worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and community and social services careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to licensed social worker jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for licensed social workers.Our research shows that Oregon is the best state in the country for licensed social workers.
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 licensed social workers.Oregon is the best state, and Juneau is the city with the highest pay for licensed social workers.
10 best states for licensed social workers in 2025
1. Oregon
Total licensed social worker jobs: 1,301 Average annual salary: $70,064 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
2. California
Total licensed social worker jobs: 8,758 Average annual salary: $74,041 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $112,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
3. Washington
Total licensed social worker jobs: 2,546 Average annual salary: $65,594 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
4. Alaska
Total licensed social worker jobs: 231 Average annual salary: $75,532 Lowest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
5. Idaho
Total licensed social worker jobs: 468 Average annual salary: $61,068 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.27
6. New Hampshire
Total licensed social worker jobs: 368 Average annual salary: $66,195 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
7. Connecticut
Total licensed social worker jobs: 723 Average annual salary: $64,458 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
8. New Mexico
Total licensed social worker jobs: 626 Average annual salary: $57,137 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.42
9. Massachusetts
Total licensed social worker jobs: 2,198 Average annual salary: $62,379 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
10. Delaware
Total licensed social worker jobs: 372 Average annual salary: $56,784 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
Licensed social worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a licensed social worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a licensed social worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $70,064 | $50,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,301 |
| 2 | California | $74,041 | $48,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,758 |
| 3 | Washington | $65,594 | $49,000 | 7,405,743 | 2,546 |
| 4 | Alaska | $75,532 | $67,000 | 739,795 | 231 |
| 5 | Idaho | $61,068 | $43,000 | 1,716,943 | 468 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $66,195 | $48,000 | 1,342,795 | 368 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $64,458 | $44,000 | 3,588,184 | 723 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $57,137 | $37,000 | 2,088,070 | 626 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,379 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,198 |
| 10 | Delaware | $56,784 | $38,000 | 961,939 | 372 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $72,108 | $48,000 | 693,972 | 231 |
| 12 | Nevada | $58,220 | $38,000 | 2,998,039 | 411 |
| 13 | Texas | $53,284 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,007 |
| 14 | Indiana | $58,733 | $40,000 | 6,666,818 | 640 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $53,716 | $36,000 | 1,815,857 | 318 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $56,726 | $38,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,569 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $57,369 | $40,000 | 1,059,639 | 161 |
| 18 | Utah | $52,610 | $36,000 | 3,101,833 | 812 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $52,309 | $41,000 | 755,393 | 223 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $54,321 | $39,000 | 579,315 | 119 |
| 21 | Vermont | $58,230 | $43,000 | 623,657 | 89 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $49,903 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 2,520 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $57,926 | $39,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,037 |
| 24 | Arizona | $52,545 | $34,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,230 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $51,002 | $34,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,197 |
| 26 | Colorado | $52,818 | $36,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,621 |
| 27 | Ohio | $53,456 | $37,000 | 11,658,609 | 912 |
| 28 | Montana | $50,421 | $38,000 | 1,050,493 | 272 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $51,766 | $35,000 | 3,930,864 | 550 |
| 30 | Michigan | $47,897 | $34,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,847 |
| 31 | New York | $55,481 | $38,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,117 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $48,722 | $32,000 | 10,273,419 | 2,781 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $50,817 | $32,000 | 4,684,333 | 648 |
| 34 | Iowa | $48,465 | $34,000 | 3,145,711 | 756 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $46,451 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 742 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $51,588 | $33,000 | 2,984,100 | 224 |
| 37 | Kansas | $47,998 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 646 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $51,432 | $44,000 | 1,427,538 | 197 |
| 39 | Missouri | $45,750 | $31,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,759 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $49,096 | $32,000 | 5,024,369 | 899 |
| 41 | Maine | $45,577 | $34,000 | 1,335,907 | 323 |
| 42 | Alabama | $43,237 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,139 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $47,217 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 924 |
| 44 | Illinois | $47,304 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,403 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $43,332 | $29,000 | 3,004,279 | 578 |
| 46 | Maryland | $49,862 | $33,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,089 |
| 47 | Florida | $44,578 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,258 |
| 48 | Virginia | $47,109 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,659 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $46,497 | $31,000 | 4,454,189 | 325 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $40,031 | $30,000 | 869,666 | 234 |
| 51 | Georgia | $40,283 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,926 |
Highest paying states for licensed social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Licensed Social Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $70,064 |
| 2 | California | $74,041 |
| 3 | Washington | $65,594 |
| 4 | Alaska | $75,532 |
| 5 | Idaho | $61,068 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $66,195 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $64,458 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $57,137 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,379 |
| 10 | Delaware | $56,784 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $72,108 |
| 12 | Nevada | $58,220 |
| 13 | Texas | $53,284 |
| 14 | Indiana | $58,733 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $53,716 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $56,726 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $57,369 |
| 18 | Utah | $52,610 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $52,309 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $54,321 |
| 21 | Vermont | $58,230 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $49,903 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $57,926 |
| 24 | Arizona | $52,545 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $51,002 |
| 26 | Colorado | $52,818 |
| 27 | Ohio | $53,456 |
| 28 | Montana | $50,421 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $51,766 |
| 30 | Michigan | $47,897 |
| 31 | New York | $55,481 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $48,722 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $50,817 |
| 34 | Iowa | $48,465 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $46,451 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $51,588 |
| 37 | Kansas | $47,998 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $51,432 |
| 39 | Missouri | $45,750 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $49,096 |
| 41 | Maine | $45,577 |
| 42 | Alabama | $43,237 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $47,217 |
| 44 | Illinois | $47,304 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $43,332 |
| 46 | Maryland | $49,862 |
| 47 | Florida | $44,578 |
| 48 | Virginia | $47,109 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $46,497 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $40,031 |
| 51 | Georgia | $40,283 |
Expert opinions on the best states for licensed social workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for licensed 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.
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Updated January 8, 2025