Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Social work internship salary
Average social work internship salary
$37,178
Average Social Work Internship Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a social work internship is $37,178 per year, translating to about $18 per hour. However, earnings can vary significantly based on location, experience, and the specific field of social work. In urban areas or high-demand regions, interns may earn more due to the higher cost of living and increased competition for positions.
Highest Paying States for Social Work Interns
States such as California, New York, and Massachusetts tend to offer the highest salaries for social work internships. This is often attributed to the concentration of social service agencies and the cost of living in these areas.
Industry Insights
Interns in specialized fields like clinical social work or community health may also see higher salaries. As the demand for mental health services increases, internships in these areas are becoming more competitive, leading to better compensation packages.
Understanding these salary dynamics can help candidates make informed decisions about their career paths in social work.
Let Zippia find your next social work internship job
Let Zippia find your next social work internship job
Where can a Social Work Internship earn more?
Social work internship salary estimates from across the web
Average social work internship salary by state
The average social work internship salary in Alaska, North Dakota, and Hawaii are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average social work internship salary states are South Carolina, Indiana, and Alabama.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for social work interns
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $65,442 | $31.46 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $53,664 | $25.80 |
| 3 | Idaho | $45,664 | $21.95 |
| 4 | Washington | $49,623 | $23.86 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $45,939 | $22.09 |
| 6 | Oregon | $49,410 | $23.75 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $43,819 | $21.07 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $49,797 | $23.94 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $43,231 | $20.78 |
| 10 | Vermont | $41,343 | $19.88 |
| 11 | Iowa | $42,757 | $20.56 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $41,908 | $20.15 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $39,045 | $18.77 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $45,362 | $21.81 |
| 15 | Maine | $38,808 | $18.66 |
| 16 | California | $43,782 | $21.05 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $43,140 | $20.74 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $42,936 | $20.64 |
| 19 | Illinois | $41,844 | $20.12 |
| 20 | New York | $40,254 | $19.35 |
| 21 | South Dakota | $36,598 | $17.60 |
| 22 | Nevada | $40,837 | $19.63 |
| 23 | Montana | $37,463 | $18.01 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $37,560 | $18.06 |
| 25 | Colorado | $38,593 | $18.55 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $38,850 | $18.68 |
| 27 | Michigan | $36,336 | $17.47 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $39,413 | $18.95 |
| 29 | Arizona | $35,780 | $17.20 |
| 30 | Ohio | $36,846 | $17.71 |
| 31 | Maryland | $36,200 | $17.40 |
| 32 | Kansas | $36,400 | $17.50 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $33,562 | $16.14 |
| 34 | Utah | $34,093 | $16.39 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $34,175 | $16.43 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $33,049 | $15.89 |
| 37 | Florida | $34,672 | $16.67 |
| 38 | Virginia | $35,633 | $17.13 |
| 39 | Delaware | $30,349 | $14.59 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $31,010 | $14.91 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $32,802 | $15.77 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $29,902 | $14.38 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $31,289 | $15.04 |
| 44 | Missouri | $32,036 | $15.40 |
| 45 | Georgia | $30,465 | $14.65 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $29,895 | $14.37 |
| 47 | Texas | $31,177 | $14.99 |
| 48 | Indiana | $30,268 | $14.55 |
| 49 | Alabama | $30,097 | $14.47 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $27,529 | $13.24 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $30,279 | $14.56 |
Highest paying cities for social work interns
The highest-paying cities for social work interns are Fargo, ND, Richmond, CA, and Bristol, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fargo, ND | $53,237 | $25.59 |
| 2 | Richmond, CA | $46,853 | $22.53 |
| 3 | Bristol, CT | $46,380 | $22.30 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $45,365 | $21.81 |
| 5 | Waukegan, IL | $43,267 | $20.80 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $42,927 | $20.64 |
| 7 | Glen Cove, NY | $40,340 | $19.39 |
| 8 | Jersey City, NJ | $39,788 | $19.13 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $38,685 | $18.60 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids, MI | $36,720 | $17.65 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,856 | $17.24 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $35,775 | $17.20 |
| 13 | Richmond, VA | $35,482 | $17.06 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, FL | $34,959 | $16.81 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $34,270 | $16.48 |
| 16 | High Point, NC | $32,884 | $15.81 |
| 17 | Charleston, WV | $32,265 | $15.51 |
| 18 | San Antonio, TX | $31,249 | $15.02 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $30,570 | $14.70 |
| 20 | Jackson, MS | $29,949 | $14.40 |
Social Work Interns are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Social work internship salary details
A social work internship's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $51,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a social work internship's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $37,178 | $3,098 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying social work internship jobs
The highest paying types of social work interns are clinical social worker, psychiatric social worker, and medical social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Professional | $49,119 | $4,093 | $23.61 | 109,499 |
| Family Counselor | $41,510 | $3,459 | $19.96 | 93,253 |
| Substance Abuse Counselor | $43,069 | $3,589 | $20.71 | 78,643 |
| Mental Health Counselor | $49,471 | $4,123 | $23.78 | 110,752 |
| Intensive In-Home Counselor | $51,428 | $4,286 | $24.73 | 122,300 |
| Community Health Counselor | $43,304 | $3,609 | $20.82 | 131,804 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for social work internships, 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 work interns now:
Which companies pay social work interns the most?
Social work internship salaries at DTCC and VMware are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social work internship salary at companies like Oracle and Children's Hospital Colorado are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DTCC | $51,672 | $24.84 |
| 2 | VMware | $51,389 | $24.71 |
| 3 | Oracle | $49,990 | $24.03 |
| 4 | Children's Hospital Colorado | $46,406 | $22.31 |
| 5 | American Care | $44,403 | $21.35 |
| 6 | Protective Insurance | $44,376 | $21.33 |
| 7 | LG&E and KU | $44,354 | $21.32 |
| 8 | International Rescue Committee | $43,539 | $20.93 |
| 9 | Addison Trail High School | $42,467 | $20.42 |
| 10 | County Of Los Angeles Public Library | $41,988 | $20.19 |
| 11 | Novelis | $41,794 | $20.09 |
| 12 | Community Medical Center | $41,376 | $19.89 |
| 13 | Meridian Health Services | $40,996 | $19.71 |
| 14 | Moreno Valley Unified School District | $40,990 | $19.71 |
| 15 | Brave Care | $40,674 | $19.55 |
| 16 | Henry Ford Health System | $40,301 | $19.38 |
| 17 | Southern Healthcare | $40,060 | $19.26 |
| 18 | Universal Health Services | $39,239 | $18.86 |
| 19 | Waukegan High School | $38,074 | $18.30 |
| 20 | American Public Media Group | $37,846 | $18.20 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Social Work Internship salary by industry
The average social work internship salary varies across industries:
- The average social work internship salary in the government industry is $40,948, the highest of any industry.
- The average social work internship salary in the finance industry is $39,233.
- Social work interns in the professional industry earn an average salary of $36,921, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for social work interns
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $40,948 | $19.69 |
| 2 | Education | $39,233 | $18.86 |
| 3 | Health Care | $39,078 | $18.79 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $37,454 | $18.01 |
| 5 | Professional | $36,921 | $17.75 |
High paying social work internship jobs
Social work internship salary trends
The average social work internship salary has risen by $7,464 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social work internship earned $29,714 annually, but today, they earn $37,178 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for social work interns over the last decade.
Compare social work internship salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average social work internship salary over time
Compare social work internship salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Social work internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $37,200 | $17.87 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $36,200 | $17.43 | +3.7% |
| 2024 | $34,900 | $16.78 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $34,200 | $16.46 | +4.0% |
| 2022 | $32,900 | $15.81 | +3.1% |
Recently added social work internship salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thriveworks | Registered Clinical Social Work Intern | Tampa, FL | 06/30/2025 | $45,000 |
| Adams County, Co | Social Caseworker Intern | Brighton, CO | 06/26/2025 | $45,282 |
| Child Guidance & Family Solutions | Master's Internship, Cmhc or Social Work | Akron, OH | 06/19/2025 | $41,740 |
| Dauphin County | Social Casework Intern | Harrisburg, PA | 06/14/2025 | $33,392 |
| Triad Community Schools Unit District #2 | Social Worker Intern | Troy, IL | 06/14/2025 | $18,000 |
| Goodwill San Antonio | Social Work Intern-Workforce Development | San Antonio, TX | 06/12/2025 | $31,305 |
| Improve Your Tomorrow | Social Entrepreneurship Intern | Sacramento, CA | 06/05/2025 | $34,436 |
| Dauphin County, Pa | Social Casework Intern | Harrisburg, PA | 05/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| University of Arkansas | Child and Adolescent Social Work Intern | Little Rock, AR | 05/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Adventist Healthcare | CWR-Social Work Intern, Day Shift, Palliative Care | Rockville, MD | 05/26/2025 | $35,792 |
Social work internship salary FAQs
Search for social work internship jobs