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Licensed social worker salary
Average licensed social worker salary
$57,005
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Licensed Social Worker is $57,005 annually. This figure can fluctuate based on experience, geographic location, and the specific work environment. For instance, social workers in metropolitan areas often earn higher wages compared to those in rural settings. Additionally, various specializations within social work, such as clinical social work or school social work, can lead to different salary ranges.
In terms of experience, entry-level social workers typically start around $40,000, whereas those with over 10 years of experience can command upwards of $70,000 or more. States like California, New York, and Massachusetts consistently rank among the highest paying for licensed social workers due to higher living costs and demand for mental health services. This page offers a detailed breakdown of average salaries by state and experience level, helping prospective social workers make informed decisions about their career paths.
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Where can a Licensed Social Worker earn more?
Licensed social worker salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level licensed social worker | $41,600 | $19.98 |
| Mid-level licensed social worker | $63,100 | $30.35 |
| Senior-level licensed social worker | $84,000 | $40.39 |
Licensed social worker salary estimates from across the web
Average licensed social worker salary by state
The highest-paying states for licensed social workers are Alaska, California, and Oregon. The lowest average licensed social worker salary states are Maine, Florida, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for licensed social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $70,064 | $33.68 |
| 2 | California | $74,041 | $35.60 |
| 3 | Washington | $65,594 | $31.54 |
| 4 | Alaska | $75,532 | $36.31 |
| 5 | Idaho | $61,068 | $29.36 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $66,195 | $31.82 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $64,458 | $30.99 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $57,137 | $27.47 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,379 | $29.99 |
| 10 | Delaware | $56,784 | $27.30 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $72,108 | $34.67 |
| 12 | Nevada | $58,220 | $27.99 |
| 13 | Texas | $53,284 | $25.62 |
| 14 | Indiana | $58,733 | $28.24 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $53,716 | $25.82 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $56,726 | $27.27 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $57,369 | $27.58 |
| 18 | Utah | $52,610 | $25.29 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $52,309 | $25.15 |
| 20 | Wyoming | $54,321 | $26.12 |
| 21 | Vermont | $58,230 | $28.00 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $49,903 | $23.99 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $57,926 | $27.85 |
| 24 | Arizona | $52,545 | $25.26 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $51,002 | $24.52 |
| 26 | Colorado | $52,818 | $25.39 |
| 27 | Ohio | $53,456 | $25.70 |
| 28 | Montana | $50,421 | $24.24 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $51,766 | $24.89 |
| 30 | Michigan | $47,897 | $23.03 |
| 31 | New York | $55,481 | $26.67 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $48,722 | $23.42 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $50,817 | $24.43 |
| 34 | Iowa | $48,465 | $23.30 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $46,451 | $22.33 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $51,588 | $24.80 |
| 37 | Kansas | $47,998 | $23.08 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $51,432 | $24.73 |
| 39 | Missouri | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $49,096 | $23.60 |
| 41 | Maine | $45,577 | $21.91 |
| 42 | Alabama | $43,237 | $20.79 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $47,217 | $22.70 |
| 44 | Illinois | $47,304 | $22.74 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $43,332 | $20.83 |
| 46 | Maryland | $49,862 | $23.97 |
| 47 | Florida | $44,578 | $21.43 |
| 48 | Virginia | $47,109 | $22.65 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $46,497 | $22.35 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $40,031 | $19.25 |
| 51 | Georgia | $40,283 | $19.37 |
Highest paying cities for licensed social workers
The highest-paying cities for licensed social workers are Sacramento, CA, Albany, OR, and Worcester, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento, CA | $81,976 | $39.41 |
| 2 | Albany, OR | $70,125 | $33.71 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $62,667 | $30.13 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $58,523 | $28.14 |
| 5 | Camden, NJ | $58,016 | $27.89 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $57,049 | $27.43 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $56,837 | $27.33 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $55,671 | $26.76 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $54,156 | $26.04 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $53,342 | $25.65 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $52,885 | $25.43 |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $52,680 | $25.33 |
| 13 | Greenville, MS | $51,676 | $24.84 |
| 14 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $51,488 | $24.75 |
| 15 | New Orleans, LA | $50,594 | $24.32 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $49,960 | $24.02 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $49,906 | $23.99 |
| 18 | Greenville, NC | $49,585 | $23.84 |
| 19 | Greenville, SC | $49,415 | $23.76 |
| 20 | Ann Arbor, MI | $47,940 | $23.05 |
Licensed Social Workers are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Licensed social worker salary details
A licensed social worker's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $78,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a licensed social worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| Average | $57,005 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying licensed social worker jobs
The highest paying types of licensed social workers are clinical social worker, social work supervisor, and psychiatric social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Therapist | $50,774 | $4,231 | $24.41 | 106,982 |
| Mental Health Professional | $49,119 | $4,093 | $23.61 | 109,499 |
| Mental Health Counselor | $49,471 | $4,123 | $23.78 | 110,752 |
| Community Health Counselor | $43,304 | $3,609 | $20.82 | 131,804 |
| Substance Abuse Counselor | $43,069 | $3,589 | $20.71 | 78,643 |
| Family Counselor | $41,510 | $3,459 | $19.96 | 93,253 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for licensed social 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 licensed social workers now:
Which companies pay licensed social workers the most?
Licensed social worker salaries at Favorite Healthcare Staffing and Claxton Hepburn are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average licensed social worker salary at companies like Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers and Therapy Source are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | $79,907 | $38.42 |
| 2 | Claxton Hepburn | $78,894 | $37.93 |
| 3 | Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers | $77,701 | $37.36 |
| 4 | Therapy Source | $77,435 | $37.23 |
| 5 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $76,585 | $36.82 |
| 6 | Encompass Health | $76,252 | $36.66 |
| 7 | Fresenius Medical Care North America Holdings Limited Partnership | $73,760 | $35.46 |
| 8 | Owens Healthcare | $73,491 | $35.33 |
| 9 | CFG Health Systems | $73,241 | $35.21 |
| 10 | Yale University | $72,948 | $35.07 |
| 11 | Senior Living Properties | $71,562 | $34.40 |
| 12 | Methodist Health System | $71,461 | $34.36 |
| 13 | Sun River Health | $71,292 | $34.27 |
| 14 | Accountable Healthcare Holdings Corp. | $71,163 | $34.21 |
| 15 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $71,104 | $34.18 |
| 16 | Express Healthcare Professionals | $70,830 | $34.05 |
| 17 | Dignity Health | $70,633 | $33.96 |
| 18 | Queens- Long Island Renal Institute | $69,692 | $33.51 |
| 19 | UMass Lowell | $69,669 | $33.49 |
| 20 | Baptist Health Care | $69,373 | $33.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Licensed social worker salary trends
The average licensed social worker salary has risen by $8,912 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average licensed social worker earned $48,093 annually, but today, they earn $57,005 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for licensed social workers over the last decade.
Compare licensed social worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average licensed social worker salary over time
Compare licensed social worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Licensed social worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,000 | $27.41 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $56,100 | $26.99 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $55,600 | $26.73 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $54,300 | $26.09 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $53,200 | $25.57 | +2.6% |
Recently added licensed social worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thriveworks | Dependently Licensed Social Worker | Cleveland, OH | 06/30/2025 | $40,000 |
| Thriveworks | Licensed Master's Social Worker-Hybrid | Frederick, MD | 06/30/2025 | $45,000 |
| Thriveworks | Licensed Master's Social Worker | West Hartford, CT | 06/30/2025 | $45,000 |
| Compassus | Licensed Masters Social Worker Hospice | Olympia, WA | 06/30/2025 | $64,655 |
| Get It-Healthcare | Licensed Therapist, Counselor or Social Worker-Remote | WFH | Denver, CO | 06/29/2025 | $80,000 |
| Get It-Healthcare | Licensed Social Worker-Remote | WFH | Evansville, IN | 06/29/2025 | $100,176 |
| Humantold | Licensed Master Social Worker (Lmsw) | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $73,045 |
| Healthcare Recruitment Counselors | Licensed Certified Social Worker (Lcsw) | Brandon, FL | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| Lifestance Health | Licensed Social Worker-Outpatient-(MSW, LSW) | Columbus, OH | 06/29/2025 | $59,000 |
| Southcoast Health System | Social Worker-Counselor-Licensed | Fall River, MA | 06/28/2025 | $57,184 |
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