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The role of a case worker is essential in providing support to those facing challenges, from mental health issues to housing instability. As of October 2025, case workers earn an average salary of $41,459 per year, which translates to approximately $20 per hour. Salaries can differ significantly based on various factors such as location, experience, and the specific field of practice.
In states like California and New York, case workers can expect higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for services. For instance, the highest paying states for case workers often include:
Additionally, case workers with more experience typically earn higher salaries. Entry-level positions may start lower but can increase significantly with additional experience and responsibilities. Understanding these factors can help aspiring case workers gauge their potential earnings and career paths in this rewarding field.
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The highest-paying states for case workers are New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. The lowest average case worker salary states are Louisiana, Nebraska, and Kentucky.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $50,149 | $24.11 |
| 2 | New York | $51,155 | $24.59 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $45,331 | $21.79 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $45,981 | $22.11 |
| 5 | Delaware | $48,690 | $23.41 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $52,661 | $25.32 |
| 7 | Maine | $43,347 | $20.84 |
| 8 | Washington | $43,122 | $20.73 |
| 9 | Colorado | $44,749 | $21.51 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $45,682 | $21.96 |
| 11 | California | $44,637 | $21.46 |
| 12 | Idaho | $40,792 | $19.61 |
| 13 | Texas | $41,799 | $20.10 |
| 14 | Alaska | $41,780 | $20.09 |
| 15 | Oregon | $41,723 | $20.06 |
| 16 | Arkansas | $40,483 | $19.46 |
| 17 | South Carolina | $39,860 | $19.16 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $41,125 | $19.77 |
| 19 | Kansas | $41,886 | $20.14 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $41,998 | $20.19 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $39,966 | $19.21 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $42,910 | $20.63 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $44,882 | $21.58 |
| 24 | Indiana | $39,808 | $19.14 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $38,912 | $18.71 |
| 26 | Nevada | $40,854 | $19.64 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $40,848 | $19.64 |
| 28 | Iowa | $39,773 | $19.12 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $37,404 | $17.98 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $36,652 | $17.62 |
| 31 | Maryland | $41,252 | $19.83 |
| 32 | Georgia | $37,706 | $18.13 |
| 33 | Virginia | $40,004 | $19.23 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $36,654 | $17.62 |
| 35 | Illinois | $38,833 | $18.67 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $38,592 | $18.55 |
| 37 | Utah | $36,197 | $17.40 |
| 38 | Vermont | $39,773 | $19.12 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $33,622 | $16.16 |
| 40 | Montana | $37,258 | $17.91 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $34,080 | $16.38 |
| 42 | Florida | $32,484 | $15.62 |
| 43 | Michigan | $35,990 | $17.30 |
| 44 | Alabama | $34,292 | $16.49 |
| 45 | Ohio | $36,957 | $17.77 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $33,170 | $15.95 |
| 47 | Missouri | $33,679 | $16.19 |
| 48 | Arizona | $34,006 | $16.35 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $30,559 | $14.69 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $32,529 | $15.64 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $28,555 | $13.73 |
The highest-paying cities for case workers are New York, NY, Denver, CO, and Los Angeles, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $51,521 | $24.77 |
| 2 | Denver, CO | $44,716 | $21.50 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $44,447 | $21.37 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $43,282 | $20.81 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $42,218 | $20.30 |
| 6 | Kansas City, KS | $41,953 | $20.17 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $41,629 | $20.01 |
| 8 | Greensboro, NC | $40,048 | $19.25 |
| 9 | Columbia, SC | $39,993 | $19.23 |
| 10 | Worcester, MA | $39,100 | $18.80 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $39,061 | $18.78 |
| 12 | Johnston, RI | $38,568 | $18.54 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $36,415 | $17.51 |
| 14 | Sterling Heights, MI | $36,269 | $17.44 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $36,090 | $17.35 |
| 16 | Birmingham, AL | $34,273 | $16.48 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $33,811 | $16.26 |
| 18 | Clearwater, FL | $32,673 | $15.71 |
A case worker's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $55,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| 75th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| Average | $41,459 | $3,455 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
The highest paying types of case workers are licensed social worker, school social worker, and social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate | $39,497 | $3,291 | $18.99 | 74,970 |
| Community Support Worker | $31,486 | $2,624 | $15.14 | 106,158 |
| Family Support Worker | $38,207 | $3,184 | $18.37 | 159,875 |
| School Social Worker | $54,856 | $4,571 | $26.37 | 122,376 |
| Licensed Social Worker | $57,005 | $4,750 | $27.41 | 66,130 |
| Support Worker | $37,039 | $3,087 | $17.81 | 112,754 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for case workers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah Christa Butts MSW
Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers
Top companies hiring case workers now:
Case worker salaries at Appalachian Regional Healthcare and UMiami Health System are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average case worker salary at companies like Miriam Hospital and Symmetry Financial Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Appalachian Regional Healthcare | $53,369 | $25.66 |
| 2 | UMiami Health System | $52,539 | $25.26 |
| 3 | Miriam Hospital | $51,866 | $24.94 |
| 4 | Symmetry Financial Group | $50,335 | $24.20 |
| 5 | Dairy Farmers of America | $48,376 | $23.26 |
| 6 | UMass Memorial Health | $47,842 | $23.00 |
| 7 | City and County of Denver Government | $43,884 | $21.10 |
| 8 | Medical Billing | $43,443 | $20.89 |
| 9 | Access International, Inc. | $43,385 | $20.86 |
| 10 | Baylor College of Medicine | $43,307 | $20.82 |
| 11 | CTG | $43,236 | $20.79 |
| 12 | Catholic Charities Health and Human Services | $43,056 | $20.70 |
| 13 | InterFaith Works of Central New York | $42,491 | $20.43 |
| 14 | International Rescue Committee | $42,434 | $20.40 |
| 15 | University of North Texas | $42,218 | $20.30 |
| 16 | Bleuler Psychotherapy Center, Inc. | $42,009 | $20.20 |
| 17 | Northside Hospital | $41,896 | $20.14 |
| 18 | Pathways LA | $41,635 | $20.02 |
| 19 | Urban League of Rochester | $41,000 | $19.71 |
| 20 | Lifespan | $40,976 | $19.70 |
The average case worker salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $40,730 | $19.58 |
| 2 | Professional | $40,252 | $19.35 |
| 3 | Finance | $39,577 | $19.03 |
| 4 | Health Care | $38,082 | $18.31 |
| 5 | Government | $37,797 | $18.17 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $36,605 | $17.60 |
The average case worker salary has risen by $6,635 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average case worker earned $34,824 annually, but today, they earn $41,459 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for case workers over the last decade.
Compare case worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare case worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,500 | $19.93 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $40,600 | $19.50 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $39,600 | $19.04 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $38,000 | $18.27 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $37,000 | $17.80 | +2.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities of Onondaga County | Case Worker-Permanent Supportive Housing) | Syracuse, NY | 06/29/2025 | $43,827 |
| Lutheran Social Services | Case Worker-Hybrid | Jamestown, NY | 06/29/2025 | $42,784 |
| Lifeskills Group | Crisis Case Worker | Hopkinsville, KY | 06/27/2025 | $33,121 |
| Liberty Healthcare Corporation | Protective Services Case Worker (Human Services-Field Based) | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/26/2025 | $48,000 |
| Transitional Services for New York Inc. | Case Worker-Adult Protective Services | New York, NY | 06/25/2025 | $48,000 |
| The Salvation Army | Case Worker | Abilene, TX | 06/23/2025 | $32,411 |
| Diocese of Camden | Case Worker 1-Floater | Camden, NJ | 06/21/2025 | $38,500 |
| Catholiccharitiesjoliet | Case Worker, Residential Homeless Services | Joliet, IL | 06/20/2025 | $44,683 |
| Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service | Case Workers-Leaving Violence Program (LVP) | Ione, WA | 06/19/2025 | $80,000 |
| Trinity Health | Case Worker-Crime Victim Services; Samaritan Hospital | Troy, NY | 06/18/2025 | $48,836 |
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