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Best states for a psychiatric social worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you want to become a psychiatric social worker at Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for psychiatric social workers that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Our research shows that California is the best state in the country for psychiatric 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 psychiatric social workers.If you are currently seeking employment as a psychiatric social worker, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for psychiatric social workers in 2025
1. California
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 5,994 Average annual salary: $86,511 Lowest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location Quotient: 1.29
2. Alaska
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 179 Average annual salary: $76,673 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
3. Oregon
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 870 Average annual salary: $72,933 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
4. Washington
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 1,744 Average annual salary: $68,258 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.5
5. Connecticut
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 755 Average annual salary: $67,611 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
6. Idaho
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 344 Average annual salary: $63,581 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
7. Vermont
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 203 Average annual salary: $61,575 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.66
8. New Hampshire
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 189 Average annual salary: $70,011 Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 0.68
9. New Jersey
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 967 Average annual salary: $68,789 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location Quotient: 0.77
10. Pennsylvania
Total psychiatric social worker jobs: 1,409 Average annual salary: $63,399 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
Psychiatric social worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a psychiatric social worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a psychiatric social worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $86,511 | $62,000 | 39,536,653 | 5,994 |
| 2 | Alaska | $76,673 | $69,000 | 739,795 | 179 |
| 3 | Oregon | $72,933 | $57,000 | 4,142,776 | 870 |
| 4 | Washington | $68,258 | $55,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,744 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $67,611 | $50,000 | 3,588,184 | 755 |
| 6 | Idaho | $63,581 | $50,000 | 1,716,943 | 344 |
| 7 | Vermont | $61,575 | $49,000 | 623,657 | 203 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $70,011 | $55,000 | 1,342,795 | 189 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $68,789 | $50,000 | 9,005,644 | 967 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $63,399 | $46,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,409 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $59,962 | $43,000 | 2,088,070 | 378 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $74,463 | $53,000 | 693,972 | 195 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $57,351 | $45,000 | 579,315 | 128 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $56,019 | $40,000 | 1,815,857 | 305 |
| 15 | Nevada | $62,581 | $45,000 | 2,998,039 | 201 |
| 16 | Indiana | $61,998 | $46,000 | 6,666,818 | 561 |
| 17 | Ohio | $61,820 | $45,000 | 11,658,609 | 777 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $60,529 | $45,000 | 1,059,639 | 156 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $64,469 | $56,000 | 1,427,538 | 179 |
| 20 | Delaware | $58,862 | $42,000 | 961,939 | 235 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $55,745 | $43,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,297 |
| 22 | Michigan | $57,679 | $44,000 | 9,962,311 | 873 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $53,494 | $38,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,059 |
| 24 | Utah | $55,105 | $42,000 | 3,101,833 | 572 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $53,618 | $36,000 | 4,684,333 | 576 |
| 26 | Arizona | $56,402 | $40,000 | 7,016,270 | 711 |
| 27 | New York | $53,324 | $39,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,755 |
| 28 | Maryland | $57,305 | $41,000 | 6,052,177 | 950 |
| 29 | Colorado | $53,062 | $40,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,165 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $53,417 | $36,000 | 2,984,100 | 200 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $54,199 | $45,000 | 755,393 | 84 |
| 32 | Maine | $48,383 | $39,000 | 1,335,907 | 353 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $50,303 | $34,000 | 5,024,369 | 796 |
| 34 | Montana | $52,274 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 151 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $49,755 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 422 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $50,921 | $36,000 | 3,004,279 | 284 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $49,794 | $36,000 | 3,930,864 | 499 |
| 38 | Texas | $49,652 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,096 |
| 39 | Alabama | $48,613 | $33,000 | 4,874,747 | 665 |
| 40 | Illinois | $52,986 | $40,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,163 |
| 41 | Iowa | $51,368 | $40,000 | 3,145,711 | 305 |
| 42 | Florida | $46,738 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,155 |
| 43 | Kansas | $52,005 | $38,000 | 2,913,123 | 220 |
| 44 | Missouri | $49,207 | $36,000 | 6,113,532 | 964 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $48,493 | $33,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,447 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $42,221 | $34,000 | 869,666 | 207 |
| 47 | Virginia | $48,644 | $34,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,471 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $49,343 | $36,000 | 4,454,189 | 268 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $49,131 | $38,000 | 5,795,483 | 417 |
| 50 | Minnesota | $48,155 | $39,000 | 5,576,606 | 662 |
| 51 | Georgia | $41,406 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,907 |
Highest paying states for psychiatric social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Psychiatric Social Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $86,511 |
| 2 | Alaska | $76,673 |
| 3 | Oregon | $72,933 |
| 4 | Washington | $68,258 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $67,611 |
| 6 | Idaho | $63,581 |
| 7 | Vermont | $61,575 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $70,011 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $68,789 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $63,399 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $59,962 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $74,463 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $57,351 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $56,019 |
| 15 | Nevada | $62,581 |
| 16 | Indiana | $61,998 |
| 17 | Ohio | $61,820 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $60,529 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $64,469 |
| 20 | Delaware | $58,862 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $55,745 |
| 22 | Michigan | $57,679 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $53,494 |
| 24 | Utah | $55,105 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $53,618 |
| 26 | Arizona | $56,402 |
| 27 | New York | $53,324 |
| 28 | Maryland | $57,305 |
| 29 | Colorado | $53,062 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $53,417 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $54,199 |
| 32 | Maine | $48,383 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $50,303 |
| 34 | Montana | $52,274 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $49,755 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $50,921 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $49,794 |
| 38 | Texas | $49,652 |
| 39 | Alabama | $48,613 |
| 40 | Illinois | $52,986 |
| 41 | Iowa | $51,368 |
| 42 | Florida | $46,738 |
| 43 | Kansas | $52,005 |
| 44 | Missouri | $49,207 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $48,493 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $42,221 |
| 47 | Virginia | $48,644 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $49,343 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $49,131 |
| 50 | Minnesota | $48,155 |
| 51 | Georgia | $41,406 |
Expert opinions on the best states for psychiatric social workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for psychiatric 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.
Psychiatric social worker best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025