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Best states for a school social worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
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- 41 - 51
Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for school social workers? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for school social worker jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for school social workers. We found that Washington is the best state in the nation for school social workers, and people in Bellingham earn the most in the field.
The median salary for school social workers in Washington is $74,919. Compare that to the median salary in Mississippi of $38,333, which ranked worst for school social workers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.If you are currently seeking employment as a school social worker, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for school social workers in 2026
1. Washington
Total school social worker jobs: 1,919 Average annual salary: $74,919 Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.35
2. Alaska
Total school social worker jobs: 252 Average annual salary: $66,229 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.55
3. Oregon
Total school social worker jobs: 1,199 Average annual salary: $61,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.49
4. West Virginia
Total school social worker jobs: 339 Average annual salary: $59,607 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
5. Idaho
Total school social worker jobs: 429 Average annual salary: $58,242 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.34
6. New Hampshire
Total school social worker jobs: 472 Average annual salary: $58,054 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.39
7. New Jersey
Total school social worker jobs: 1,326 Average annual salary: $67,696 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
8. Illinois
Total school social worker jobs: 2,038 Average annual salary: $62,894 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
9. Nevada
Total school social worker jobs: 305 Average annual salary: $64,279 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 0.75
10. California
Total school social worker jobs: 6,846 Average annual salary: $63,057 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
School social worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a school social worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a school social worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $74,919 | $57,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,919 |
| 2 | Alaska | $66,229 | $56,000 | 739,795 | 252 |
| 3 | Oregon | $61,723 | $46,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,199 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $59,607 | $43,000 | 1,815,857 | 339 |
| 5 | Idaho | $58,242 | $43,000 | 1,716,943 | 429 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $58,054 | $44,000 | 1,342,795 | 472 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $67,696 | $50,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,326 |
| 8 | Illinois | $62,894 | $47,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,038 |
| 9 | Nevada | $64,279 | $46,000 | 2,998,039 | 305 |
| 10 | California | $63,057 | $45,000 | 39,536,653 | 6,846 |
| 11 | Maryland | $64,535 | $47,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,286 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $62,809 | $49,000 | 755,393 | 114 |
| 13 | Virginia | $62,621 | $45,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,788 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $70,615 | $51,000 | 693,972 | 246 |
| 15 | Texas | $55,682 | $39,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,000 |
| 16 | New York | $59,511 | $44,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,528 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $52,361 | $39,000 | 869,666 | 245 |
| 18 | Kansas | $58,187 | $42,000 | 2,913,123 | 352 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $54,425 | $41,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,349 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $53,537 | $38,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,002 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $55,113 | $40,000 | 3,004,279 | 343 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $52,831 | $39,000 | 3,588,184 | 961 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $53,376 | $39,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,949 |
| 24 | Colorado | $53,449 | $39,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,334 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $53,982 | $38,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,827 |
| 26 | Iowa | $54,266 | $40,000 | 3,145,711 | 428 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $50,784 | $36,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,307 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $50,602 | $36,000 | 2,088,070 | 513 |
| 29 | Maine | $49,654 | $39,000 | 1,335,907 | 375 |
| 30 | Indiana | $53,353 | $39,000 | 6,666,818 | 790 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $54,310 | $41,000 | 5,795,483 | 555 |
| 32 | Montana | $51,368 | $39,000 | 1,050,493 | 255 |
| 33 | Utah | $50,963 | $37,000 | 3,101,833 | 669 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $51,566 | $38,000 | 579,315 | 108 |
| 35 | Georgia | $50,531 | $36,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,041 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $55,037 | $47,000 | 1,427,538 | 142 |
| 37 | Michigan | $49,796 | $37,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,244 |
| 38 | Vermont | $51,071 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 120 |
| 39 | Delaware | $49,637 | $36,000 | 961,939 | 264 |
| 40 | Missouri | $46,656 | $34,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,378 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $46,471 | $34,000 | 1,920,076 | 510 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $50,654 | $38,000 | 5,576,606 | 960 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $44,706 | $31,000 | 4,684,333 | 766 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $48,139 | $36,000 | 1,059,639 | 238 |
| 45 | Arizona | $49,516 | $35,000 | 7,016,270 | 959 |
| 46 | Ohio | $47,909 | $35,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,107 |
| 47 | Alabama | $46,012 | $32,000 | 4,874,747 | 707 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $42,005 | $30,000 | 3,930,864 | 682 |
| 49 | Florida | $42,880 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,417 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $44,418 | $32,000 | 4,454,189 | 385 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $38,333 | $27,000 | 2,984,100 | 272 |
Highest paying states for school social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. School Social Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $74,919 |
| 2 | Alaska | $66,229 |
| 3 | Oregon | $61,723 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $59,607 |
| 5 | Idaho | $58,242 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $58,054 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $67,696 |
| 8 | Illinois | $62,894 |
| 9 | Nevada | $64,279 |
| 10 | California | $63,057 |
| 11 | Maryland | $64,535 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $62,809 |
| 13 | Virginia | $62,621 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $70,615 |
| 15 | Texas | $55,682 |
| 16 | New York | $59,511 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $52,361 |
| 18 | Kansas | $58,187 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $54,425 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $53,537 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $55,113 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $52,831 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $53,376 |
| 24 | Colorado | $53,449 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $53,982 |
| 26 | Iowa | $54,266 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $50,784 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $50,602 |
| 29 | Maine | $49,654 |
| 30 | Indiana | $53,353 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $54,310 |
| 32 | Montana | $51,368 |
| 33 | Utah | $50,963 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $51,566 |
| 35 | Georgia | $50,531 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $55,037 |
| 37 | Michigan | $49,796 |
| 38 | Vermont | $51,071 |
| 39 | Delaware | $49,637 |
| 40 | Missouri | $46,656 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $46,471 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $50,654 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $44,706 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $48,139 |
| 45 | Arizona | $49,516 |
| 46 | Ohio | $47,909 |
| 47 | Alabama | $46,012 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $42,005 |
| 49 | Florida | $42,880 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $44,418 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $38,333 |
Expert opinions on the best states for school social workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for school social workers to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
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Updated January 8, 2025