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Best states for a protective services social worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to protective services social worker jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. In fact, our research shows that Connecticut is the best state for protective services social workers in America. The best city in America for protective services social workers with the highest pay is New Brunswick, NJ.
The median salary for protective services social workers in Connecticut is $63,537. Compare that to the median salary in Mississippi of $36,374, which ranked worst for protective services social workers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for protective services social workers, and the West is the worst. New Brunswick, NJ is the best city in the country for protective services social worker jobs, where as Connecticut is the best state in the country.
10 best states for protective services social workers in 2026
1. Connecticut
Total protective services social worker jobs: 729 Average annual salary: $63,537 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
2. Idaho
Total protective services social worker jobs: 388 Average annual salary: $57,798 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
3. Louisiana
Total protective services social worker jobs: 766 Average annual salary: $56,617 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
4. Washington
Total protective services social worker jobs: 1,639 Average annual salary: $59,722 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
5. New Jersey
Total protective services social worker jobs: 996 Average annual salary: $78,780 Lowest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
6. Maryland
Total protective services social worker jobs: 962 Average annual salary: $66,101 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
7. North Dakota
Total protective services social worker jobs: 118 Average annual salary: $63,018 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.74
8. District of Columbia
Total protective services social worker jobs: 303 Average annual salary: $65,595 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
9. New Hampshire
Total protective services social worker jobs: 401 Average annual salary: $55,256 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
10. Oregon
Total protective services social worker jobs: 1,025 Average annual salary: $55,762 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.45
Protective services social worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a protective services social worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a protective services social worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $63,537 | $52,000 | 3,588,184 | 729 |
| 2 | Idaho | $57,798 | $45,000 | 1,716,943 | 388 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $56,617 | $42,000 | 4,684,333 | 766 |
| 4 | Washington | $59,722 | $48,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,639 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $78,780 | $64,000 | 9,005,644 | 996 |
| 6 | Maryland | $66,101 | $52,000 | 6,052,177 | 962 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $63,018 | $52,000 | 755,393 | 118 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $65,595 | $52,000 | 693,972 | 303 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $55,256 | $47,000 | 1,342,795 | 401 |
| 10 | Oregon | $55,762 | $44,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,025 |
| 11 | Virginia | $59,667 | $47,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,717 |
| 12 | Alaska | $58,990 | $52,000 | 739,795 | 154 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $52,361 | $42,000 | 869,666 | 266 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $54,093 | $40,000 | 2,088,070 | 448 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $57,045 | $45,000 | 1,815,857 | 205 |
| 16 | Nevada | $57,627 | $43,000 | 2,998,039 | 273 |
| 17 | Kansas | $57,258 | $44,000 | 2,913,123 | 326 |
| 18 | California | $57,291 | $43,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,096 |
| 19 | Iowa | $53,747 | $42,000 | 3,145,711 | 648 |
| 20 | Colorado | $54,514 | $42,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,207 |
| 21 | Utah | $52,651 | $40,000 | 3,101,833 | 690 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $49,914 | $38,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,293 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $59,191 | $51,000 | 1,427,538 | 158 |
| 24 | Illinois | $55,367 | $44,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,512 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $51,367 | $39,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,891 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $51,177 | $39,000 | 5,024,369 | 854 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $48,568 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 542 |
| 28 | New York | $54,854 | $44,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,978 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $51,205 | $40,000 | 579,315 | 92 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $52,934 | $43,000 | 5,795,483 | 193 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $52,797 | $44,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,329 |
| 32 | Montana | $51,163 | $41,000 | 1,050,493 | 189 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $50,769 | $41,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,195 |
| 34 | Maine | $47,972 | $41,000 | 1,335,907 | 263 |
| 35 | Michigan | $49,677 | $40,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,056 |
| 36 | Vermont | $49,301 | $42,000 | 623,657 | 104 |
| 37 | Texas | $46,810 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,571 |
| 38 | Missouri | $42,719 | $33,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,323 |
| 39 | Alabama | $43,828 | $33,000 | 4,874,747 | 741 |
| 40 | Delaware | $45,791 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 237 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $46,653 | $37,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,140 |
| 42 | Florida | $39,791 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,470 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $39,763 | $30,000 | 3,930,864 | 617 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $45,242 | $37,000 | 1,059,639 | 166 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $42,426 | $32,000 | 3,004,279 | 361 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $43,068 | $33,000 | 4,454,189 | 427 |
| 47 | Georgia | $38,101 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,968 |
| 48 | Arizona | $43,203 | $32,000 | 7,016,270 | 706 |
| 49 | Indiana | $43,547 | $34,000 | 6,666,818 | 661 |
| 50 | Ohio | $42,243 | $33,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,057 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,374 | $27,000 | 2,984,100 | 230 |
Highest paying states for protective services social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Protective Services Social Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $63,537 |
| 2 | Idaho | $57,798 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $56,617 |
| 4 | Washington | $59,722 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $78,780 |
| 6 | Maryland | $66,101 |
| 7 | North Dakota | $63,018 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $65,595 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $55,256 |
| 10 | Oregon | $55,762 |
| 11 | Virginia | $59,667 |
| 12 | Alaska | $58,990 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $52,361 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $54,093 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $57,045 |
| 16 | Nevada | $57,627 |
| 17 | Kansas | $57,258 |
| 18 | California | $57,291 |
| 19 | Iowa | $53,747 |
| 20 | Colorado | $54,514 |
| 21 | Utah | $52,651 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $49,914 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $59,191 |
| 24 | Illinois | $55,367 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $51,367 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $51,177 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $48,568 |
| 28 | New York | $54,854 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $51,205 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $52,934 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $52,797 |
| 32 | Montana | $51,163 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $50,769 |
| 34 | Maine | $47,972 |
| 35 | Michigan | $49,677 |
| 36 | Vermont | $49,301 |
| 37 | Texas | $46,810 |
| 38 | Missouri | $42,719 |
| 39 | Alabama | $43,828 |
| 40 | Delaware | $45,791 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania | $46,653 |
| 42 | Florida | $39,791 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $39,763 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $45,242 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $42,426 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $43,068 |
| 47 | Georgia | $38,101 |
| 48 | Arizona | $43,203 |
| 49 | Indiana | $43,547 |
| 50 | Ohio | $42,243 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $36,374 |
Expert opinions on the best states for protective services social workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for protective services 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.
Protective services social worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025