How much does a social work case manager make?

The average social work case manager salary in the United States is $45,321. Social work case manager salaries typically range between $33,000 and $61,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for social work case managers is $21.79 per hour. Social work case manager salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Social work case managers earn the highest average salary in California.

Social work case manager salary

Q: What state pays Social Work Case Managers the most?

California pays Social Work Case Managers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $61,090 per year, or $29.37 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a social work case manager?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a social work case manager if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Hawaii you should be paid close to $59,809 per year.

Quoted expert

Sarah Christa Butts MSW

Average social work case manager salary

$45,321

$21.79 hourly rate

Entry-level social work case manager salary

$33,000 yearly salary

Updated December 15, 2025

Average Salary Insights for Social Work Case Managers

The average salary for a Social Work Case Manager in the United States is about $45,321 per year, translating to approximately $22 per hour. However, this figure can fluctuate based on several key factors:

Experience Level: Entry-level case managers often earn less than their more experienced counterparts. As professionals gain experience, their earning potential increases significantly.
Geographic Location: Salaries can vary greatly by state; for instance, case managers in urban areas typically earn higher wages than those in rural regions.
Work Setting: Different sectors, such as healthcare, government, or non-profit organizations, can offer varying salary scales.

Additionally, case managers can enhance their income by pursuing advanced certifications or specializations within social work. For those looking to maximize their earning potential, exploring job opportunities in states with higher average salaries is a strategic move. Understanding these dynamics allows aspiring social work case managers to make informed decisions regarding their career paths.

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Social work case manager salary by:

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Where can a Social Work Case Manager earn more?

Compare salary by location

92k

72k

52k

32k

12k

Columbus, OH$62,505

Raleigh, NC$41,510

Compare salary by company

92k

72k

52k

32k

Tenet Healthcare$75,811

Children's Hospital Los Angeles$61,608

Social work case manager salaries by experience level

Experience level	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
Entry-level social work case manager	$31,400	$15.12
Mid-level social work case manager	$44,600	$21.46
Senior-level social work case manager	$51,300	$24.64

Social work case manager salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Indeed, Glassdoor, SalaryExpert and Comparably, the average salary for a social work case manager typically falls between $45,321 and $85,393.

zippia

$45,321yearly

glassdoor[1]

$67,870yearly

indeed[2]

$48,567yearly

comparably[3]

$76,237yearly

SalaryExpert[4]

$85,393yearly

Average social work case manager salary by state

The average social work case manager salary in California, Hawaii, and North Dakota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average social work case manager salary states are Rhode Island, Nebraska, and South Carolina.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for social work case managers

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	New Mexico	$56,202	$27.02
2	Washington	$57,700	$27.74
3	California	$61,090	$29.37
4	Nevada	$53,537	$25.74
5	Hawaii	$59,809	$28.75
6	Alaska	$54,079	$26.00
7	Maine	$48,306	$23.22
8	North Dakota	$58,925	$28.33
9	New Jersey	$53,425	$25.69
10	Iowa	$49,843	$23.96
11	Oregon	$51,716	$24.86
12	Oklahoma	$49,368	$23.73
13	New York	$49,283	$23.69
14	Utah	$49,700	$23.89
15	Arizona	$47,349	$22.76
16	Connecticut	$48,887	$23.50
17	Wyoming	$46,176	$22.20
18	Montana	$46,947	$22.57
19	Arkansas	$47,079	$22.63
20	Minnesota	$47,917	$23.04
21	Texas	$47,667	$22.92
22	Kansas	$47,152	$22.67
23	District of Columbia	$51,112	$24.57
24	Mississippi	$45,129	$21.70
25	New Hampshire	$47,939	$23.05
26	Wisconsin	$47,075	$22.63
27	Pennsylvania	$43,808	$21.06
28	Colorado	$47,239	$22.71
29	Delaware	$46,820	$22.51
30	Maryland	$45,145	$21.70
31	Idaho	$42,432	$20.40
32	Ohio	$45,176	$21.72
33	Illinois	$45,234	$21.75
34	Indiana	$41,330	$19.87
35	Georgia	$41,345	$19.88
36	South Dakota	$40,580	$19.51
37	Florida	$39,201	$18.85
38	Rhode Island	$37,468	$18.01
39	Michigan	$36,187	$17.40
40	Louisiana	$39,070	$18.78
41	Missouri	$41,311	$19.86
42	Virginia	$42,950	$20.65
43	Vermont	$39,499	$18.99
44	Massachusetts	$35,129	$16.89
45	North Carolina	$41,361	$19.89
46	Nebraska	$36,823	$17.70
47	Kentucky	$38,186	$18.36
48	West Virginia	$37,830	$18.19
49	Tennessee	$37,584	$18.07
50	South Carolina	$36,449	$17.52
51	Alabama	$36,339	$17.47

Top social work case manager jobs near you

Highest paying cities for social work case managers

The highest-paying cities for social work case managers are San Leandro, CA, Edmonds, WA, and Las Cruces, NM.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	San Leandro, CA	$62,505	$30.05
2	Edmonds, WA	$57,962	$27.87
3	Las Cruces, NM	$56,417	$27.12
4	Juneau, AK	$54,041	$25.98
5	Livingston, NJ	$53,406	$25.68
6	Las Vegas, NV	$53,388	$25.67
7	Portland, OR	$51,879	$24.94
8	Washington, DC	$51,132	$24.58
9	Saint George, UT	$50,233	$24.15
10	New York, NY	$49,304	$23.70
11	Portland, ME	$48,736	$23.43
12	Manchester, NH	$48,002	$23.08
13	Minneapolis, MN	$47,941	$23.05
14	Houston, TX	$47,495	$22.83
15	Westminster, CO	$47,358	$22.77
16	Kansas City, KS	$47,120	$22.65
17	Chicago, IL	$45,405	$21.83
18	Columbus, OH	$44,673	$21.48
19	Kansas City, MO	$41,662	$20.03
20	Raleigh, NC	$41,510	$19.96

Social work case manager salary details

A social work case manager's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average social work case manager salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a social work case manager's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$61,000	$5,083	$29
75th Percentile	$53,000	$4,417	$25
Average	$45,321	$3,777	$22
25th Percentile	$38,000	$3,167	$18
10th Percentile	$33,000	$2,750	$16

Highest paying social work case manager jobs

The highest paying types of social work case managers are clinical social worker, social work supervisor, and clinical case manager.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Case Manager For Children	$35,613	$2,968	$17.12	77,002
Clinical Social Worker	$63,056	$5,255	$30.32	124,816
Case Manager Lead	$41,072	$3,423	$19.75	77,848
Intensive Case Manager	$40,015	$3,335	$19.24	83,851
Social Work Supervisor	$62,939	$5,245	$30.26	93,867
Mental Health Case Manager	$42,574	$3,548	$20.47	128,509

How would you rate the starting salaries for social work case managers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Sarah Christa Butts MSW

Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers

Social workers are required to have a high level of education. Usually, a Master's degree and starting salaries are often far too low. Still, social workers can increase their wages over time, and there are many opportunities and positions available. Increasing reimbursement and compensation for social workers and reducing student loan debt are advocacy priorities for NASW.

Top companies hiring social work case managers now:

Which companies pay social work case managers the most?

Social work case manager salaries at Tenet Healthcare and WakeMed are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social work case manager salary at companies like Baptist Health and HonorHealth are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Tenet Healthcare	$75,811	$36.45
2	WakeMed	$70,714	$34.00
3	Baptist Health	$68,514	$32.94
4	HonorHealth	$68,291	$32.83
5	Dignity Health	$67,073	$32.25
6	Enloe Medical Center	$65,972	$31.72
7	University of Maryland Medical System	$65,907	$31.69
8	Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company	$65,111	$31.30
9	Baptist Health Home Care	$64,814	$31.16
10	Mission Regional Medical Center	$64,695	$31.10
11	Swedish Hospital	$64,038	$30.79
12	Parkland Hospital	$64,030	$30.78
13	Health Alliance	$63,912	$30.73
14	Mount Sinai Health System	$63,122	$30.35
15	Novant Health	$62,531	$30.06
16	Bartlett Regional Hospital	$62,472	$30.03
17	Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital	$62,299	$29.95
18	Emory Healthcare	$62,011	$29.81
19	Garnet Health	$61,963	$29.79
20	Children's Hospital Los Angeles	$61,608	$29.62

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$49,000$48,400$47,800$47,200$46,600$46,000

MaleFemale

Social Work Case Manager salary by industry

The average social work case manager salary varies across industries:

The average social work case manager salary in the health care industry is $54,462, the highest of any industry.
The average social work case manager salary in the finance industry is $52,595.
Social work case managers in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $40,350, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for social work case managers

Rank	Industry	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Health Care	$54,462	$26.18
2	Non Profits	$52,595	$25.29
3	Government	$49,882	$23.98
4	Professional	$45,247	$21.75
5	Manufacturing	$40,350	$19.40

High paying social work case manager jobs

Social work case manager salary trends

The average social work case manager salary has risen by $9,099 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social work case manager earned $36,222 annually, but today, they earn $45,321 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for social work case managers over the last decade.

Compare social work case manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average social work case manager salary over time

Compare social work case manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Social work case manager salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2026	$45,300	$21.79	+2.5%
2025	$44,200	$21.24	+3.7%
2024	$42,500	$20.45	+1.9%
2023	$41,700	$20.07	+4.0%
2022	$40,100	$19.27	+3.1%

Recently added social work case manager salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Essentia Health	Social Worker-Case Manager	Duluth, MN	06/28/2025	$44,046
University of Maryland Medical Center Baltimore Washington	Case Manager-Social Work	Baltimore, MD	06/27/2025	$69,268
Unitedhealth Group Inc.	Social Worker Case Manager MSW Seattle WA	Seattle, WA	06/21/2025	$59,500
St. Mary's Medical Center	Social Worker-Case Manager	Duluth, MN	06/21/2025	$44,046
Lifeway Network, Inc.	Social Work Case Manager	Tarrytown, NY	06/20/2025	$83,480
Hamilton Families	Case Manager, Social Work	San Francisco, CA	06/19/2025	$85,296
Home & Health Care Management	Social Work Case Manager	Sacramento, CA	06/19/2025	$45,914
Inova Health	Social Worker Case Manager-Saturday and Sunday Hybrid	Leesburg, VA	06/18/2025	$68,579
Emory Healthcare/Emory University	Social Work Care Manager	Atlanta, GA	06/17/2025	$69,101
City of Amarillo, Tx	Case Manager-Social Worker	Amarillo, TX	06/14/2025	$41,135

Social work case manager salary FAQs

What state pays Social Work Case Managers the most?

How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a social work case manager?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

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Updated December 15, 2025

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