Post job

Domestic violence advocate salary

Average domestic violence advocate salary

$47,440

$22.81 hourly rate

Entry-level domestic violence advocate salary
$29,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding the Domestic Violence Advocate Salary

The role of a domestic violence advocate is crucial in helping individuals navigate the complexities of abuse and trauma. As of October 2025, the average domestic violence advocate salary is approximately $47,440 annually. Factors influencing this figure include geographic location, level of experience, and specific job responsibilities.

Average Salary by Experience Level

Entry-level advocates typically earn less, while those with several years of experience can command higher salaries. For instance, a seasoned advocate may earn upwards of $60,000 depending on their role and location.

Where to Find Higher Salaries

Advocates seeking higher salaries may consider positions in urban areas or states with a higher cost of living, such as California or New York. Additionally, specialized roles within non-profits or government organizations often offer competitive compensation packages.

Job Opportunities and Growth

As awareness of domestic violence issues increases, the demand for advocates continues to grow. Job seekers can find a variety of opportunities across non-profit organizations, government agencies, and community outreach programs. Exploring these avenues can lead to fulfilling careers dedicated to making a difference.

On this page
Domestic violence advocate salary by: 

Let Zippia find your next domestic violence advocate job

Floating question marks illustration

Let Zippia find your next domestic violence advocate job

Floating question marks illustration

Where can a Domestic Violence Advocate earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
89k
69k
49k
29k
9k
Columbus, OH$67,167
Phoenix, AZ$39,494
Compare salary by company
Vs
86k
66k
46k
26k
6k
Sinai Chicago$59,458
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany$35,883

Domestic violence advocate salaries by experience level

Experience levelAvg. salaryHourly rate
Entry-level domestic violence advocate$32,900$15.83
Mid-level domestic violence advocate$46,700$22.47
Senior-level domestic violence advocate$53,600$25.79

Average domestic violence advocate salary by state

The average domestic violence advocate salary in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average domestic violence advocate salary states are Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for domestic violence advocates

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Pennsylvania$64,910$31.21
2Connecticut$69,097$33.22
3Massachusetts$63,414$30.49
4New Jersey$67,054$32.24
5Rhode Island$63,201$30.39
6New York$59,311$28.51
7New Hampshire$65,254$31.37
8Maryland$57,984$27.88
9Florida$56,873$27.34
10Virginia$66,094$31.78
11District of Columbia$77,433$37.23
12Maine$50,249$24.16
13Illinois$55,939$26.89
14Ohio$58,246$28.00
15California$54,756$26.32
16Delaware$64,945$31.22
17New Mexico$49,743$23.91
18Nevada$48,860$23.49
19Wisconsin$51,917$24.96
20South Carolina$49,419$23.76
21Mississippi$45,440$21.85
22Michigan$43,949$21.13
23West Virginia$47,861$23.01
24Minnesota$44,302$21.30
25Vermont$49,766$23.93
26Hawaii$44,495$21.39
27Texas$44,115$21.21
28Indiana$43,486$20.91
29Washington$40,672$19.55
30North Carolina$47,374$22.78
31North Dakota$44,201$21.25
32Alaska$38,370$18.45
33Arkansas$41,420$19.91
34Arizona$39,449$18.97
35Kentucky$43,944$21.13
36Iowa$41,081$19.75
37Oregon$40,423$19.43
38Louisiana$40,221$19.34
39Colorado$39,860$19.16
40Idaho$37,787$18.17
41Missouri$39,605$19.04
42Tennessee$39,161$18.83
43Montana$33,572$16.14
44Nebraska$35,480$17.06
45Oklahoma$35,103$16.88
46Alabama$37,759$18.15
47Georgia$36,675$17.63
48Kansas$37,526$18.04
49Utah$34,134$16.41
50Wyoming$34,905$16.78
51South Dakota$32,379$15.57

Highest paying cities for domestic violence advocates

The highest-paying cities for domestic violence advocates are Jersey City, NJ, Richmond, VA, and Worcester, MA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Jersey City, NJ$67,167$32.29
2Richmond, VA$65,728$31.60
3Worcester, MA$63,695$30.62
4New York, NY$59,745$28.72
5Baltimore, MD$58,274$28.02
6Toledo, OH$58,232$28.00
7Oakland, CA$56,698$27.26
8Chicago, IL$56,554$27.19
9Charleston, SC$49,966$24.02
10Reno, NV$48,297$23.22
11Austin, TX$44,596$21.44
12Seattle, WA$40,997$19.71
13New Orleans, LA$40,974$19.70
14Saint Charles, MO$40,613$19.53
15Phoenix, AZ$39,494$18.99

Domestic violence advocate salary details

A domestic violence advocate's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $77,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average domestic violence advocate salary graph
Average domestic violence advocate salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a domestic violence advocate's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$77,000$6,417$37
75th Percentile$61,000$5,083$29
Average$47,440$3,953$23
25th Percentile$36,000$3,000$17
10th Percentile$29,000$2,417$14

Highest paying domestic violence advocate jobs

The highest paying types of domestic violence advocates are licensed social worker, crisis counselor, and child welfare specialist.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Family Support Worker$38,207$3,184$18.37159,875
Outreach Worker$37,639$3,137$18.1065,822
Family Worker$36,992$3,083$17.78101,552
Crisis Counselor$51,142$4,262$24.5976,255
Social Worker$50,102$4,175$24.0977,340
Case Worker$41,459$3,455$19.93107,329

Top companies hiring domestic violence advocates now:

  1. UMOM New Day Centers jobs (7)
  2. Magellan Federal jobs (8)
  3. Children International jobs (7)
  4. Freedom House jobs (7)
  5. Listening Ear Crisis Center jobs (7)

Which companies pay domestic violence advocates the most?

Domestic violence advocate salaries at Sinai Chicago and City Of Toledo are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average domestic violence advocate salary at companies like Medical University of South Carolina and United International Holdings Inc are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Sinai Chicago$59,458$28.59
2City Of Toledo$49,673$23.88
3Medical University of South Carolina$45,934$22.08
4United International Holdings Inc$42,369$20.37
5WomenRising$42,364$20.37
6Americorps$41,474$19.94
7Child and Family Services of NH$41,390$19.90
8Safe Horizon$41,186$19.80
9Premier Inc.$41,132$19.77
10CHI Mercy Health$40,162$19.31
11INTER-TRIBAL COUNCIL OF MICHIGAN$40,094$19.28
12Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program$40,071$19.26
13Virginia Commonwealth University$39,843$19.16
14Good Shepherd Services$39,769$19.12
15Sheltering Arms$39,146$18.82
16CONSEJO COUNSELING & REFERRAL SERVICE$38,607$18.56
17GBMC Healthcare$38,334$18.43
18ywcacentralmass$38,073$18.30
19Preferred Family Healthcare$35,970$17.29
20Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany$35,883$17.25

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$54,000$53,000$52,000$51,000$50,000$49,000
MaleFemale

Domestic Violence Advocate salary by industry

The average domestic violence advocate salary varies across industries:

  • The average domestic violence advocate salary in the government industry is $43,373, the highest of any industry.
  • The average domestic violence advocate salary in the finance industry is $40,722.
  • Domestic violence advocates in the retail industry earn an average salary of $37,494, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for domestic violence advocates

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Government$43,373$20.85
2Health Care$40,722$19.58
3Professional$40,462$19.45
4Non Profits$38,592$18.55
5Retail$37,494$18.03

High paying domestic violence advocate jobs

Domestic violence advocate salary trends

The average domestic violence advocate salary has risen by $9,525 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average domestic violence advocate earned $37,915 annually, but today, they earn $47,440 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for domestic violence advocates over the last decade.

Compare domestic violence advocate salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average domestic violence advocate salary over time

Compare domestic violence advocate salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Domestic violence advocate salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$47,400$22.81+2.5%
2025$46,300$22.24+3.7%
2024$44,500$21.41+1.9%
2023$43,700$21.01+4.0%
2022$42,000$20.18+3.1%

Recently added domestic violence advocate salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
Catholic CharitiesDvsa Program Domestic Abuse AdvocateCouncil Bluffs, IA06/30/2025$41,740
Family PathwaysDomestic Violence Community Advocate ~ Cloquet OfficeCloquet, MN06/27/2025$37,566
City of Seattle, WaDomestic Violence Felony Victim AdvocateSeattle, WA06/25/2025$82,750
Crisis ServicesCampus Advocate-Sexual Assault and Domestic ViolenceBuffalo, NY06/21/2025$45,100
Metropolitan Family ServicesSenior Domestic Violence Advocate (Shelter & Hotline)Wheaton, IL06/20/2025$44,000
Health Care of S.E. Mass., Inc.Domestic Violence Shelter AdvocateRowe, MA06/19/2025$38,776
Westchester Jewish Community ServicesDomestic Violence Victim AdvocateMount Vernon, NY06/16/2025$53,000
County of LancasterDomestic Violence Victim Advocate (Bilingual-Spanish)Lancaster, PA06/13/2025$44,090
Family ResourcesAdvocate-Illinois Domestic Abuse Criminal LegalMoline, IL06/13/2025$58,165
Good ShepherdViolence Interrupter: Brag NorthwestNew York, NY06/11/2025$41,600

Domestic violence advocate salary FAQs

Search for domestic violence advocate jobs

Browse community and social services jobs