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Psychiatric social worker salary
Average psychiatric social worker salary
$59,144
Understanding Psychiatric Social Worker Salaries
The average salary for a psychiatric social worker stands at approximately $59,144 per year. Factors influencing this figure include years of experience, educational background, and the specific work setting. For example, social workers in hospitals often earn higher salaries compared to those working in private practice or community settings.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level psychiatric social workers typically earn less than their experienced counterparts. With increased experience, salaries can rise significantly, reflecting the value of expertise in this critical field.
Geographical Impact
Location plays a crucial role in salary variations. States like California and New York offer higher average salaries due to the cost of living and demand for mental health services. Understanding these dynamics can help job seekers make informed decisions regarding their career paths.
Job Opportunities
Job seekers interested in becoming psychiatric social workers can explore various roles, from clinical positions to educational settings. The demand for mental health professionals continues to grow, providing ample opportunities for those seeking meaningful work.
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Where can a Psychiatric Social Worker earn more?
Psychiatric social worker salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level psychiatric social worker | $43,100 | $20.73 |
| Mid-level psychiatric social worker | $65,500 | $31.49 |
| Senior-level psychiatric social worker | $87,200 | $41.90 |
Psychiatric social worker salary estimates from across the web
Average psychiatric social worker salary by state
The average psychiatric social worker salary in California, Alaska, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average psychiatric social worker salary states are North Carolina, Maine, and Minnesota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for psychiatric social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $86,511 | $41.59 |
| 2 | Alaska | $76,673 | $36.86 |
| 3 | Oregon | $72,933 | $35.06 |
| 4 | Washington | $68,258 | $32.82 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $67,611 | $32.51 |
| 6 | Idaho | $63,581 | $30.57 |
| 7 | Vermont | $61,575 | $29.60 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $70,011 | $33.66 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $68,789 | $33.07 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $63,399 | $30.48 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $59,962 | $28.83 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $74,463 | $35.80 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $57,351 | $27.57 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $56,019 | $26.93 |
| 15 | Nevada | $62,581 | $30.09 |
| 16 | Indiana | $61,998 | $29.81 |
| 17 | Ohio | $61,820 | $29.72 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $60,529 | $29.10 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $64,469 | $30.99 |
| 20 | Delaware | $58,862 | $28.30 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $55,745 | $26.80 |
| 22 | Michigan | $57,679 | $27.73 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $53,494 | $25.72 |
| 24 | Utah | $55,105 | $26.49 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $53,618 | $25.78 |
| 26 | Arizona | $56,402 | $27.12 |
| 27 | New York | $53,324 | $25.64 |
| 28 | Maryland | $57,305 | $27.55 |
| 29 | Colorado | $53,062 | $25.51 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $53,417 | $25.68 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $54,199 | $26.06 |
| 32 | Maine | $48,383 | $23.26 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $50,303 | $24.18 |
| 34 | Montana | $52,274 | $25.13 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $49,755 | $23.92 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $50,921 | $24.48 |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $49,794 | $23.94 |
| 38 | Texas | $49,652 | $23.87 |
| 39 | Alabama | $48,613 | $23.37 |
| 40 | Illinois | $52,986 | $25.47 |
| 41 | Iowa | $51,368 | $24.70 |
| 42 | Florida | $46,738 | $22.47 |
| 43 | Kansas | $52,005 | $25.00 |
| 44 | Missouri | $49,207 | $23.66 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $48,493 | $23.31 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $42,221 | $20.30 |
| 47 | Virginia | $48,644 | $23.39 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $49,343 | $23.72 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $49,131 | $23.62 |
| 50 | Minnesota | $48,155 | $23.15 |
| 51 | Georgia | $41,406 | $19.91 |
Highest paying cities for psychiatric social workers
The highest-paying cities for psychiatric social workers are San Mateo, CA, Salem, OR, and Long Branch, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo, CA | $93,575 | $44.99 |
| 2 | Salem, OR | $72,980 | $35.09 |
| 3 | Long Branch, NJ | $69,091 | $33.22 |
| 4 | Lakewood, WA | $68,959 | $33.15 |
| 5 | New London, CT | $67,712 | $32.55 |
| 6 | Indianapolis, IN | $62,146 | $29.88 |
| 7 | Erie, PA | $61,599 | $29.61 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $57,821 | $27.80 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $57,477 | $27.63 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $56,626 | $27.22 |
| 11 | Brockton, MA | $55,970 | $26.91 |
| 12 | Babylon, NY | $53,655 | $25.80 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $49,203 | $23.66 |
Psychiatric social worker salary details
A psychiatric social worker's salary ranges from $43,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a psychiatric social worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $69,000 | $5,750 | $33 |
| Average | $59,144 | $4,929 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
Highest paying psychiatric social worker jobs
The highest paying types of psychiatric social workers are clinical social worker, clinician, and medical social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Therapist | $50,774 | $4,231 | $24.41 | 106,982 |
| Family Counselor | $41,510 | $3,459 | $19.96 | 93,253 |
| Mental Health Professional | $49,119 | $4,093 | $23.61 | 109,499 |
| Mental Health Counselor | $49,471 | $4,123 | $23.78 | 110,752 |
| Mental Health Clinician | $54,359 | $4,530 | $26.13 | 91,347 |
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | $45,758 | $3,813 | $22.00 | 77,461 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for psychiatric 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 psychiatric social workers now:
Which companies pay psychiatric social workers the most?
Psychiatric social worker salaries at Highmark and Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average psychiatric social worker salary at companies like Community Health Systems and Hunt Regional Healthcare are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highmark | $81,303 | $39.09 |
| 2 | Maine Health/maine Mental Health Partners | $71,698 | $34.47 |
| 3 | Community Health Systems | $70,090 | $33.70 |
| 4 | Hunt Regional Healthcare | $69,427 | $33.38 |
| 5 | Boston Medical Center | $67,967 | $32.68 |
| 6 | Medcom | $66,672 | $32.05 |
| 7 | Tenet Healthcare | $66,156 | $31.81 |
| 8 | Acacia Network | $65,094 | $31.30 |
| 9 | Ellis Medicine | $65,055 | $31.28 |
| 10 | Dignity Health | $63,806 | $30.68 |
| 11 | Washington State University | $63,656 | $30.60 |
| 12 | Washington County | $62,491 | $30.04 |
| 13 | University of Maryland Medical System | $62,450 | $30.02 |
| 14 | University of Massachusetts Boston | $62,335 | $29.97 |
| 15 | RWJBarnabas Health | $62,259 | $29.93 |
| 16 | St. Luke's Health System | $61,481 | $29.56 |
| 17 | Chime | $61,448 | $29.54 |
| 18 | Yale New Haven Health | $60,478 | $29.08 |
| 19 | Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center | $60,110 | $28.90 |
| 20 | Milwaukee County | $60,034 | $28.86 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Psychiatric social worker salary trends
The average psychiatric social worker salary has risen by $9,247 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average psychiatric social worker earned $49,897 annually, but today, they earn $59,144 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for psychiatric social workers over the last decade.
Compare psychiatric social worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average psychiatric social worker salary over time
Compare psychiatric social worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Psychiatric social worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $59,100 | $28.43 | +1.5% |
| 2025 | $58,200 | $28.00 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $57,700 | $27.73 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $56,300 | $27.07 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $55,200 | $26.53 | +2.6% |
Recently added psychiatric social worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get It-Professional Services | Psychiatric Social Worker (NEW Hamps)-Remote | Concord, NH | 06/29/2025 | $73,045 |
| Get It Recruit-Transportation | Psychiatric Social Worker (NEW Hamps)-Remote | WFH | Concord, NH | 06/29/2025 | $73,045 |
| Suffolkcountyny | Psychiatric Social Worker | Farmingville, NY | 06/28/2025 | $54,392 |
| VNS Health | Psychiatric Social Worker-Children Mobile Crisis Team, Per-Diem | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $68,871 |
| State of Washington | Psychiatric Social Worker 3-Sccc | Aberdeen, WA | 06/27/2025 | $83,088 |
| Ellis Medicine | Psychiatric Social Worker I Pros | Schenectady, NY | 06/26/2025 | $46,498 |
| Aurora San Diego | Inpatient Psychiatric Social Worker | San Diego, CA | 06/24/2025 | $62,610 |
| Medix™ | Psychiatric Social Worker (Acsw/Amft/Apcc) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/19/2025 | $62,610 |
| State of New York | Social Worker (NY Helps), ST. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, Children and Youth-Plattsburgh ICM, P26 | Plattsburgh, NY | 06/18/2025 | $66,951 |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | Psychiatric Social Worker Eating Disorder Lab | Lincoln Park, MI | 06/14/2025 | $65,520 |
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