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Senior social worker salary
Average senior social worker salary
$55,254
Understanding Senior Social Worker Salaries
The role of a Senior Social Worker plays a pivotal part in the well-being of individuals and families. As of October 2025, the national average salary for this position is $55,254 per year, translating to around $27 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and specialization.
Salary Variations by State
For instance, Senior Social Workers in states like California and New York often command higher salaries, reflecting the cost of living and demand for services in these areas. With increasing emphasis on mental health and community support, opportunities in this field are expanding.
Career Opportunities and Growth
In addition to competitive salaries, Senior Social Workers can find roles in various sectors including healthcare, government, and non-profit organizations. These positions not only offer financial rewards but also provide a chance to make a meaningful impact in communities.
Conclusion
Those considering a career as a Senior Social Worker can expect a fulfilling journey with numerous opportunities for advancement and specialization, making it a rewarding career choice.
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Where can a Senior Social Worker earn more?
Senior social worker salary estimates from across the web
Average senior social worker salary by state
The average senior social worker salary in New Jersey, Maryland, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average senior social worker salary states are Arkansas, Indiana, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $72,148 | $34.69 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $62,160 | $29.88 |
| 3 | Idaho | $60,296 | $28.99 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $89,645 | $43.10 |
| 5 | Maryland | $73,747 | $35.46 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $59,553 | $28.63 |
| 7 | New Mexico | $57,751 | $27.76 |
| 8 | Washington | $60,253 | $28.97 |
| 9 | Maine | $56,906 | $27.36 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $59,915 | $28.81 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $61,997 | $29.81 |
| 12 | Alaska | $61,678 | $29.65 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $72,631 | $34.92 |
| 14 | California | $63,849 | $30.70 |
| 15 | Oregon | $59,180 | $28.45 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $63,657 | $30.60 |
| 17 | Virginia | $62,844 | $30.21 |
| 18 | Nevada | $61,850 | $29.74 |
| 19 | Texas | $57,460 | $27.63 |
| 20 | Colorado | $59,083 | $28.41 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $53,006 | $25.48 |
| 22 | New York | $59,459 | $28.59 |
| 23 | Kansas | $58,194 | $27.98 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $64,797 | $31.15 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $50,812 | $24.43 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $52,074 | $25.04 |
| 27 | Ohio | $56,072 | $26.96 |
| 28 | Illinois | $56,542 | $27.18 |
| 29 | Utah | $52,433 | $25.21 |
| 30 | Iowa | $54,033 | $25.98 |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | $52,439 | $25.21 |
| 32 | Arizona | $53,916 | $25.92 |
| 33 | Vermont | $54,601 | $26.25 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $52,330 | $25.16 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $48,932 | $23.52 |
| 36 | Montana | $52,574 | $25.28 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | $51,511 | $24.76 |
| 38 | Delaware | $51,857 | $24.93 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $53,357 | $25.65 |
| 40 | Missouri | $48,145 | $23.15 |
| 41 | Georgia | $47,224 | $22.70 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $44,819 | $21.55 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $51,113 | $24.57 |
| 44 | Alabama | $45,443 | $21.85 |
| 45 | Michigan | $47,835 | $23.00 |
| 46 | Florida | $38,750 | $18.63 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $41,465 | $19.94 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $43,889 | $21.10 |
| 49 | Indiana | $43,864 | $21.09 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $43,538 | $20.93 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $38,138 | $18.34 |
Highest paying cities for senior social workers
The highest-paying cities for senior social workers are Newark, NJ, San Francisco, CA, and Reno, NV.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newark, NJ | $89,577 | $43.07 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $66,591 | $32.01 |
| 3 | Reno, NV | $63,960 | $30.75 |
| 4 | Winston-Salem, NC | $62,157 | $29.88 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $60,608 | $29.14 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $59,851 | $28.77 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $59,728 | $28.72 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $59,362 | $28.54 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $57,736 | $27.76 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $54,072 | $26.00 |
| 11 | Wilmington, DE | $51,989 | $24.99 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $51,091 | $24.56 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | $49,661 | $23.88 |
| 14 | Hinesville, GA | $46,806 | $22.50 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $43,780 | $21.05 |
| 16 | Oklahoma City, OK | $41,520 | $19.96 |
| 17 | Gainesville, FL | $39,118 | $18.81 |
| 18 | Jackson, MS | $38,146 | $18.34 |
Senior social worker salary details
A senior social worker's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $75,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior social worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| Average | $55,254 | $4,605 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying senior social worker jobs
The highest paying types of senior social workers are clinical social worker, social work supervisor, and psychiatric social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Manager | $43,118 | $3,593 | $20.73 | 84,959 |
| Social Services Case Manager | $31,854 | $2,655 | $15.31 | 148,868 |
| Social Service Coordinator | $40,946 | $3,412 | $19.69 | 109,487 |
| Family Support Worker | $38,207 | $3,184 | $18.37 | 159,875 |
| Youth Worker | $32,242 | $2,687 | $15.50 | 87,360 |
| Case Worker | $41,459 | $3,455 | $19.93 | 107,329 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for senior 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 senior social workers now:
Which companies pay senior social workers the most?
Senior social worker salaries at University of California, Berkeley and City of Louisville are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior social worker salary at companies like Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and University of Washington are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $76,230 | $36.65 |
| 2 | City of Louisville | $67,235 | $32.32 |
| 3 | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $65,583 | $31.53 |
| 4 | University of Washington | $65,559 | $31.52 |
| 5 | Washington County | $63,770 | $30.66 |
| 6 | One Brooklyn Health | $63,623 | $30.59 |
| 7 | CalOptima | $62,744 | $30.17 |
| 8 | Northwell Health | $62,664 | $30.13 |
| 9 | Forsyth County | $62,540 | $30.07 |
| 10 | University of Michigan | $61,849 | $29.74 |
| 11 | Orange County | $61,667 | $29.65 |
| 12 | Community Healthcare Network | $61,356 | $29.50 |
| 13 | University of Kentucky | $60,860 | $29.26 |
| 14 | SHASTA COUNTY | $59,726 | $28.71 |
| 15 | University of Rochester | $59,612 | $28.66 |
| 16 | Wake County | $59,018 | $28.37 |
| 17 | Astor Services | $58,522 | $28.14 |
| 18 | Christiana Care Health Services, Inc. | $58,462 | $28.11 |
| 19 | Lee County | $58,399 | $28.08 |
| 20 | LifePoint Health | $58,042 | $27.90 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior social worker salary trends
The average senior social worker salary has risen by $8,842 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior social worker earned $46,412 annually, but today, they earn $55,254 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for senior social workers over the last decade.
Compare senior social worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior social worker salary over time
Compare senior social worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior social worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,300 | $26.56 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $54,100 | $25.99 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $52,800 | $25.38 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $50,600 | $24.34 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $49,300 | $23.72 | +2.1% |
Recently added senior social worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker | Chillicothe, OH | 06/28/2025 | $92,475 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker-HUD Vash SUD | Seattle, WA | 06/28/2025 | $103,853 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker | Washington, VA | 06/28/2025 | $90,847 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker (Vmet) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/28/2025 | $113,559 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker | Columbia, MO | 06/28/2025 | $96,767 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker (Urgent Care Clinic) | Garner, NC | 06/26/2025 | $105,670 |
| Genesis Healthcare LLC | Senior Regional Social Worker | Sunbury, PA | 06/21/2025 | $73,045 |
| State of Wisconsin | Social Worker-Senior | Madison, WI | 06/20/2025 | $70,000 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker | Albuquerque, NM | 06/18/2025 | $98,418 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Senior Social Worker | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/18/2025 | $95,685 |
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