Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for school social workers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- 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 age of an employed school social worker 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 2021, women 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.
School Social Worker Statistics By Gender
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 Workers By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 82.5% |
| Male | 17.5% |
Gender Pay Gap For School Social Worker
Women Earn $1.01 For Every $1 Earned By Men
School Social Worker Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the school social worker position over time.
School Social Worker Gender 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 Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest difference in gender.
| 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% |
School Social Worker Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among school social workers is White, which makes up 63.1% of all school social workers. Comparatively, there are 15.1% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 13.4% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- 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
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among school social workers.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
School Social Worker Race 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
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $51,766 |
| White | $49,727 |
| Black or African American | $48,870 |
| Asian | $53,717 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,813 |
Average Age of a School Social Worker
We determined the average age of school social workers based on ethnicity and gender.
School Social Worker Age By Race
| 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
This chart breaks down the ages of school social worker employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of school social workers is 40+ years old, which represents 57% of the population.
School Social Worker Age
| School Social Worker Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 57% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Types of School Social Worker Degree Levels
The most common degree for school social workers is master's degree 51% of school social workers earn that degree. A close second is bachelor's degree with 44% and rounding it off is associate degree with 3%.
- Masters, 51%
- Bachelors, 44%
- Associate, 3%
- Doctorate, 1%
- Other Degrees, 1%
School Social Workers By Education
| School Social Worker Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Masters | 51% |
| Bachelors | 44% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Doctorate | 1% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
School Social Worker Jobs You Might Like
School Social Worker Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $64,291 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $53,248 |
School Social Worker Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where school social workers work. We found most school social workers work for a education company. In addition, the industry that employs the most school social workers is the education industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire school social workers.
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% |
The Types Of Companies School Social Worker Work In
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% |
Top Industries Hiring School Social Workers
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ school social workers. Those industries include 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 Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of school social workers changed.
- 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% |
The Average Number of Years That School Social Worker Stay in a Job
By looking over 5,829 school social workers resumes, we figured out that the average school social worker enjoys staying at their job for 1-2 years for a percentage of 27%.
School Social Worker Tenure
| Number or 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% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of School Social Workers with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to school social workers.
| 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 |
School Social Worker 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% |
