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Social services specialist salary
Average social services specialist salary
$48,359
Understanding the Salary of Social Services Specialists
The average salary for a Social Services Specialist in the United States is $48,359 annually. Salaries can vary based on factors such as location, experience level, and specific field within social services. For example, specialists with more years of experience typically earn higher salaries. Entry-level positions may start below the average, while seasoned professionals can earn significantly more.
Salary by State
Geographic location greatly impacts salaries. States like California and New York often offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for social services. Understanding regional salary differences can help you negotiate better compensation.
Career Opportunities
Consider exploring various roles within this field, such as clinical social worker or case manager, which may offer more competitive salaries. By leveraging your skills and experience, you can find positions that not only pay well but also align with your passion for helping others.
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Where can a Social Services Specialist earn more?
Social services specialist salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level social services specialist | $33,600 | $16.13 |
| Mid-level social services specialist | $47,600 | $22.90 |
| Senior-level social services specialist | $54,700 | $26.29 |
Social services specialist salary estimates from across the web
Average social services specialist salary by state
The average social services specialist salary in New Mexico, Nevada, and North Carolina are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average social services specialist salary states are Alabama, Missouri, and Maine.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for social services specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $57,432 | $27.61 |
| 2 | Nevada | $54,840 | $26.37 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $59,909 | $28.80 |
| 4 | North Carolina | $54,320 | $26.12 |
| 5 | New York | $51,809 | $24.91 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $53,773 | $25.85 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $52,872 | $25.42 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $50,643 | $24.35 |
| 9 | Arizona | $49,409 | $23.75 |
| 10 | Washington | $50,131 | $24.10 |
| 11 | Oregon | $49,852 | $23.97 |
| 12 | Iowa | $46,620 | $22.41 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $48,125 | $23.14 |
| 14 | Michigan | $47,397 | $22.79 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $49,708 | $23.90 |
| 16 | Florida | $49,221 | $23.66 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $46,863 | $22.53 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $50,487 | $24.27 |
| 19 | California | $53,147 | $25.55 |
| 20 | Ohio | $49,010 | $23.56 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $45,212 | $21.74 |
| 22 | Virginia | $51,000 | $24.52 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $48,128 | $23.14 |
| 24 | Delaware | $49,796 | $23.94 |
| 25 | Colorado | $49,268 | $23.69 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $45,423 | $21.84 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $47,367 | $22.77 |
| 28 | Idaho | $44,418 | $21.35 |
| 29 | Alaska | $44,643 | $21.46 |
| 30 | Maryland | $46,082 | $22.15 |
| 31 | Wyoming | $43,280 | $20.81 |
| 32 | Texas | $46,315 | $22.27 |
| 33 | Illinois | $45,977 | $22.10 |
| 34 | Montana | $41,886 | $20.14 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $42,254 | $20.31 |
| 36 | Utah | $42,747 | $20.55 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $43,444 | $20.89 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $41,297 | $19.85 |
| 39 | Maine | $38,437 | $18.48 |
| 40 | Indiana | $41,404 | $19.91 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $39,801 | $19.14 |
| 42 | Kansas | $43,057 | $20.70 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $40,474 | $19.46 |
| 44 | Massachusetts | $37,227 | $17.90 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $37,898 | $18.22 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $39,668 | $19.07 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $39,243 | $18.87 |
| 48 | Vermont | $39,202 | $18.85 |
| 49 | Missouri | $38,508 | $18.51 |
| 50 | Alabama | $38,809 | $18.66 |
| 51 | Georgia | $36,692 | $17.64 |
Highest paying cities for social services specialists
The highest-paying cities for social services specialists are Washington, DC, Carson City, NV, and Edison, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $59,927 | $28.81 |
| 2 | Carson City, NV | $55,032 | $26.46 |
| 3 | Edison, NJ | $53,719 | $25.83 |
| 4 | New Haven, CT | $53,014 | $25.49 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $53,004 | $25.48 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $52,046 | $25.02 |
| 7 | Olympia, WA | $50,497 | $24.28 |
| 8 | Bismarck, ND | $50,446 | $24.25 |
| 9 | Bend, OR | $49,784 | $23.93 |
| 10 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $49,489 | $23.79 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $49,252 | $23.68 |
| 12 | Cincinnati, OH | $47,728 | $22.95 |
| 13 | Brooklyn Center, MN | $46,915 | $22.56 |
| 14 | Iowa City, IA | $46,755 | $22.48 |
| 15 | Austin, TX | $46,665 | $22.44 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $46,229 | $22.23 |
| 17 | Columbus, IN | $41,189 | $19.80 |
| 18 | Oklahoma City, OK | $39,744 | $19.11 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,599 | $18.56 |
| 20 | Boston, MA | $37,107 | $17.84 |
Social services specialist salary details
A social services specialist's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $65,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a social services specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $65,000 | $5,417 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| Average | $48,359 | $4,030 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying social services specialist jobs
The highest paying types of social services specialists are specialist, licensed social worker, and child life specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case Worker | $41,459 | $3,455 | $19.93 | 107,329 |
| Advocate | $39,497 | $3,291 | $18.99 | 74,970 |
| Licensed Social Worker | $57,005 | $4,750 | $27.41 | 66,130 |
| Social Worker | $50,102 | $4,175 | $24.09 | 77,340 |
| Social Services Case Manager | $31,854 | $2,655 | $15.31 | 148,868 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for social services specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah Christa Butts MSW
Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers
Top companies hiring social services specialists now:
Which companies pay social services specialists the most?
Social services specialist salaries at McKinsey & Company Inc and City of Jacksonville are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social services specialist salary at companies like Edelman Financial Engines and Mission Regional Medical Center are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $70,401 | $33.85 |
| 2 | City of Jacksonville | $65,569 | $31.52 |
| 3 | Edelman Financial Engines | $64,644 | $31.08 |
| 4 | Mission Regional Medical Center | $62,257 | $29.93 |
| 5 | Wayne County, Michigan | $61,206 | $29.43 |
| 6 | King County | $60,777 | $29.22 |
| 7 | Catchafire | $60,397 | $29.04 |
| 8 | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | $59,351 | $28.53 |
| 9 | Wellpath | $56,757 | $27.29 |
| 10 | Travis County | $55,658 | $26.76 |
| 11 | Prime Healthcare | $55,492 | $26.68 |
| 12 | St. Charles Health System | $55,272 | $26.57 |
| 13 | Washington State University | $54,783 | $26.34 |
| 14 | BayCare Health System | $54,429 | $26.17 |
| 15 | Delaware State Government | $52,505 | $25.24 |
| 16 | Lighthouse | $51,764 | $24.89 |
| 17 | Archdiocese Of San Antonio | $51,332 | $24.68 |
| 18 | Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center, Inc. | $51,061 | $24.55 |
| 19 | City of Baltimore | $50,724 | $24.39 |
| 20 | East Central Georgia Regional Library | $49,929 | $24.00 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Social Services Specialist salary by industry
The average social services specialist salary varies across industries:
- The average social services specialist salary in the insurance industry is $64,884, the highest of any industry.
- The average social services specialist salary in the finance industry is $51,557.
- Social services specialists in the health care industry earn an average salary of $46,283, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for social services specialists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insurance | $64,884 | $31.19 |
| 2 | Government | $51,557 | $24.79 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $46,750 | $22.48 |
| 4 | Professional | $46,560 | $22.38 |
| 5 | Health Care | $46,283 | $22.25 |
High paying social services specialist jobs
Social services specialist salary trends
The average social services specialist salary has risen by $9,709 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social services specialist earned $38,650 annually, but today, they earn $48,359 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for social services specialists over the last decade.
Compare social services specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average social services specialist salary over time
Compare social services specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Social services specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $48,400 | $23.25 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $47,100 | $22.67 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $45,400 | $21.82 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $44,500 | $21.41 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $42,800 | $20.57 | +3.1% |
Recently added social services specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services | Social Services Specialist | Leakesville, MS | 06/28/2025 | $100,000 |
| Toms River | Temporary Bilingual (English/Spanish) Social Service Specialist Women and Children's Health Advocate | Trenton, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Known | Specialist, Social | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $65,000 |
| Genesis Healthcare | Social Services Specialist | Phillipsburg, NJ | 06/21/2025 | $62,610 |
| Genesis Healthcare LLC | Social Services Specialist | Lanham, MD | 06/21/2025 | $54,262 |
| York South Nursing & Rehab | Social Services Specialist | York, PA | 06/21/2025 | $48,001 |
| Genesis Healthcare LLC | Social Services Specialist | Warwick, RI | 06/17/2025 | $58,436 |
| Mecklenburg County, Nc | Social Services Specialist-/Temp DV Services | Boone, NC | 06/17/2025 | $38,526 |
| Viemed Healthcare Staffing | Child Safety Investigations-Social Services Specialist-Jackson County | Jackson, MS | 06/17/2025 | $63,132 |
| The Children's Home Society of New Jersey | Bilingual Social Service Specialist II/Community Based Doula--Amar/Pcim | Trenton, NJ | 06/10/2025 | $49,295 |
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