School Social Worker demographics and statistics in the US
School social worker demographics research summary. Zippia estimates school social worker demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our school social worker estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about school social workers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 142,288 school social workers currently employed in the United States.
- 82.5% of all school social workers are women, while 17.5% are men.
- The average school social worker age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of school social workers is White (63.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (15.1%), Black or African American (13.4%) and Unknown (4.2%).
- School social workers are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The education industry is the highest-paying for school social workers.
- Washington, DC pays an annual average wage of $70,622, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women school social workers earned 101% of what men earned.
- 10% of all school social workers are LGBT.
- Washington is the best state for school social workers to live.
- School social workers are 82% more likely to work at education companies in comparison to private companies.
On This Page
School Social Worker demographics by:
School Social Worker gender statistics
82.5% of school social workers are women and 17.5% of school social workers are men.
- Female, 82.5%
- Male, 17.5%
School Social Worker gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 82.5% |
| Male | 17.5% |
School Social Worker gender pay gap
Women earn $1.01 for every $1 earned by men
Male Income
$51,539
Female Income
$51,915
School Social Worker gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in school social worker positions over time. Currently, 82.5% of school social workers are female.
School Social Worker gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 22.22% | 77.78% |
| 2011 | 21.35% | 78.65% |
| 2012 | 21.30% | 78.70% |
| 2013 | 20.54% | 79.46% |
| 2014 | 21.56% | 78.44% |
| 2015 | 21.31% | 78.69% |
| 2016 | 21.61% | 78.39% |
| 2017 | 21.16% | 78.84% |
| 2018 | 20.41% | 79.59% |
| 2019 | 20.06% | 79.94% |
| 2020 | 18.03% | 81.97% |
| 2021 | 17.49% | 82.51% |
School Social Worker related jobs gender ratio
We compared school social workers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding Educator | 2% | 98% |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 3% | 97% |
| Lactation Specialist | 5% | 95% |
| School Social Worker | 17% | 83% |
| Donation Worker | 70% | 30% |
| Rehabilitation Engineer | 70% | 30% |
| Public Health Worker | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
School Social Worker demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among school social workers is White, which makes up 63.1% of all school social workers. Comparatively, 15.1% of school social workers are Hispanic or Latino and 13.4% of school social workers are Black or African American.
- White, 63.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 15.1%
- Black or African American, 13.4%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- Asian, 2.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
School Social Worker Race
| School Social Worker Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 15.1% |
| Black or African American | 13.4% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| Asian | 2.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.5% |
School Social Worker race and ethnicity over time
See how school social worker racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
School Social Worker race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.83% | 17.57% | 2.59% | 10.00% |
| 2011 | 65.42% | 18.60% | 3.01% | 10.04% |
| 2012 | 65.75% | 17.96% | 2.81% | 10.36% |
| 2013 | 65.67% | 17.74% | 2.90% | 10.11% |
| 2014 | 65.32% | 17.27% | 3.07% | 11.30% |
| 2015 | 65.17% | 17.67% | 2.89% | 11.38% |
| 2016 | 64.92% | 17.21% | 3.27% | 11.88% |
| 2017 | 65.28% | 15.66% | 3.37% | 12.35% |
| 2018 | 64.71% | 18.85% | 2.11% | 11.31% |
| 2019 | 65.91% | 17.78% | 2.01% | 9.63% |
| 2020 | 61.48% | 15.43% | 2.92% | 14.22% |
| 2021 | 63.14% | 13.37% | 2.67% | 15.12% |
School Social Worker wage gap by race
According to our data, hispanic or latino school social workers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american school social workers have the lowest average salary at $48,870.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $51,766 |
| White | $49,727 |
| Black or African American | $48,870 |
| Asian | $53,717 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,813 |
Average school social worker age
See how the average age of school social workers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
School Social Worker age by race and gender
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40 | |
| White | 39.5 | 41 |
| Black or African American | 48 | |
| Asian | 41 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 |
School Social Worker age breakdown
The average age of school social workers is 40+ years years old, representing 57% of the school social worker population.
School Social Worker age breakdown
| School Social Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
School Social Worker educational attainment
The most common degree for school social workers is master's degree, with 51% of school social workers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 44% and bachelor's degree degree at 3%.
- Master's, 51%
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Associate, 3%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
School Social Workers by degree level
| School Social Worker Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Master's | 51% |
| Bachelor's | 44% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Doctorate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
School Social Worker Jobs You Might Like
School Social Worker wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $64,291 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,248 |
School Social Worker employment statistics
Most school social workers work for a education in the education industry.
Company size where school social workers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where school social workers work.
School Social Worker jobs by employer size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 28% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 32% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
School Social Worker jobs by company type
Employees with the school social worker job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most school social workers prefer to work at education companies over private companies.
School Social Worker jobs by sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 82% |
| Public | 0% |
| Private | 12% |
| Government | 6% |
School Social Worker jobs by industry
The most common industries for school social workers are education, health care and government.
School Social Worker industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 77% |
| Government | 6% |
| Health Care | 6% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Professional | 2% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
School Social Worker turnover and employment statistics
School Social Worker unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for school social workers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Unemployment rate
School Social Worker unemployment rate by year
| Year | School Social Worker Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 3.89% |
| 2011 | 4.68% |
| 2012 | 4.85% |
| 2013 | 3.77% |
| 2014 | 2.89% |
| 2015 | 2.27% |
| 2016 | 2.28% |
| 2017 | 1.90% |
| 2018 | 2.12% |
| 2019 | 1.07% |
| 2020 | 1.73% |
| 2021 | 1.89% |
Average school social worker tenure
The average school social worker stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 5,829 school social workers resumes in Zippia's database.
School Social Worker tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
School Social Worker LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of school social workers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault Counselor | 8.96% | 75,374 |
| Adult Parole Officer | 9.50% | 56,898 |
| School Social Worker | 10.37% | - |
| Ecclesiastical Worker | 11.25% | 20,239 |
| Educational Technician Lead | 11.48% | 8,700 |
| Intake Counselor | 15.06% | 77,050 |
| Substance Abuse Services Director | 15.06% | 57,827 |
Similar school social worker jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual Assault Counselor | 8.96% | 75,374 |
| Adult Parole Officer | 9.50% | 56,898 |
| Ecclesiastical Worker | 11.25% | 20,239 |
| Educational Technician Lead | 11.48% | 8,700 |
| Intake Counselor | 15.06% | 77,050 |
| Substance Abuse Services Director | 15.06% | 57,827 |
Foreign languages spoken by school social workers
The most common foreign language among school social workers is Spanish at 75.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 7.3% and German is the third-most popular at 2.7%.
- Spanish, 75.3%
- French, 7.3%
- German, 2.7%
- Portuguese, 2.3%
- Arabic, 1.8%
- Other, 10.6%
School Social Worker languages spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.3% |
| French | 7.3% |
| German | 2.7% |
| Portuguese | 2.3% |
| Arabic | 1.8% |
| Other | 10.6% |
