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School social worker salary
Average school social worker salary
$54,856
Understanding School Social Worker Salaries
The average salary for a School Social Worker in the United States is $54,856 per year or about $26 per hour. Salaries vary significantly depending on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific school district or institution. For example, states with a high demand for social workers often offer higher wages.
In terms of experience, entry-level positions typically start lower, while those with several years in the field can earn substantially more. Additionally, specialized roles, such as those dealing with crisis intervention or mental health programs, may command higher salaries.
Top Paying States
States like California and New York lead in offering competitive salaries for school social workers. Understanding the local job market can help you negotiate better pay and find opportunities that match your skills and aspirations.
With the increasing focus on mental health in schools, the demand for school social workers is expected to grow. This presents a promising outlook for job stability and career advancement in this vital profession.
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Where can a School Social Worker earn more?
School social worker salaries by experience level
School social worker salary estimates from across the web
Average school social worker salary by state
The highest-paying states for school social workers are Washington, New Jersey, and Alaska. The lowest average school social worker salary states are Alabama, Louisiana, and Kentucky.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for school social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $74,919 | $36.02 |
| 2 | Alaska | $66,229 | $31.84 |
| 3 | Oregon | $61,723 | $29.67 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $59,607 | $28.66 |
| 5 | Idaho | $58,242 | $28.00 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $58,054 | $27.91 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $67,696 | $32.55 |
| 8 | Illinois | $62,894 | $30.24 |
| 9 | Nevada | $64,279 | $30.90 |
| 10 | California | $63,057 | $30.32 |
| 11 | Maryland | $64,535 | $31.03 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $62,809 | $30.20 |
| 13 | Virginia | $62,621 | $30.11 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $70,615 | $33.95 |
| 15 | Texas | $55,682 | $26.77 |
| 16 | New York | $59,511 | $28.61 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $52,361 | $25.17 |
| 18 | Kansas | $58,187 | $27.97 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $54,425 | $26.17 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $53,537 | $25.74 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $55,113 | $26.50 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $52,831 | $25.40 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $53,376 | $25.66 |
| 24 | Colorado | $53,449 | $25.70 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $53,982 | $25.95 |
| 26 | Iowa | $54,266 | $26.09 |
| 27 | Tennessee | $50,784 | $24.42 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $50,602 | $24.33 |
| 29 | Maine | $49,654 | $23.87 |
| 30 | Indiana | $53,353 | $25.65 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $54,310 | $26.11 |
| 32 | Montana | $51,368 | $24.70 |
| 33 | Utah | $50,963 | $24.50 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $51,566 | $24.79 |
| 35 | Georgia | $50,531 | $24.29 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $55,037 | $26.46 |
| 37 | Michigan | $49,796 | $23.94 |
| 38 | Vermont | $51,071 | $24.55 |
| 39 | Delaware | $49,637 | $23.86 |
| 40 | Missouri | $46,656 | $22.43 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $46,471 | $22.34 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $50,654 | $24.35 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $44,706 | $21.49 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $48,139 | $23.14 |
| 45 | Arizona | $49,516 | $23.81 |
| 46 | Ohio | $47,909 | $23.03 |
| 47 | Alabama | $46,012 | $22.12 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $42,005 | $20.19 |
| 49 | Florida | $42,880 | $20.62 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $44,418 | $21.35 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $38,333 | $18.43 |
Highest paying cities for school social workers
The highest-paying cities for school social workers are Washington, DC, Plainfield, NJ, and Santa Rosa, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $70,622 | $33.95 |
| 2 | Plainfield, NJ | $67,663 | $32.53 |
| 3 | Santa Rosa, CA | $66,078 | $31.77 |
| 4 | Baltimore, MD | $64,728 | $31.12 |
| 5 | Chicago Heights, IL | $62,988 | $30.28 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $59,756 | $28.73 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $54,336 | $26.12 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $53,918 | $25.92 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $53,439 | $25.69 |
| 10 | Wallingford, CT | $52,820 | $25.39 |
| 11 | Plymouth, MN | $50,647 | $24.35 |
| 12 | Santa Fe, NM | $50,526 | $24.29 |
| 13 | Madison Heights, MI | $49,891 | $23.99 |
| 14 | Dover, DE | $49,777 | $23.93 |
| 15 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,605 | $23.85 |
School social worker salary details
A school social worker's salary ranges from $40,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a school social worker's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $54,856 | $4,571 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
Highest paying school social worker jobs
The highest paying types of school social workers are clinical social worker, clinician, and psychiatric social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Therapist | $50,774 | $4,231 | $24.41 | 106,982 |
| Mental Health Consultant | $51,006 | $4,251 | $24.52 | 127,233 |
| Therapeutic Support Staff | $34,086 | $2,841 | $16.39 | 192,172 |
| Mental Health Clinician | $54,359 | $4,530 | $26.13 | 91,347 |
| Mental Health Therapist | $50,259 | $4,188 | $24.16 | 114,386 |
| Clinician | $60,150 | $5,012 | $28.92 | 105,023 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for school social workers, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah Christa Butts MSW
Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers
Top companies hiring school social workers now:
Which companies pay school social workers the most?
School social worker salaries at Boston Public Schools and Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average school social worker salary at companies like Maxim Healthcare Group and Club Staffing are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston Public Schools | $79,395 | $38.17 |
| 2 | Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company | $72,660 | $34.93 |
| 3 | Maxim Healthcare Group | $68,983 | $33.16 |
| 4 | Club Staffing | $67,413 | $32.41 |
| 5 | Soliant | $66,436 | $31.94 |
| 6 | Therapy Source | $64,032 | $30.78 |
| 7 | Campbell Union High School District | $63,099 | $30.34 |
| 8 | ProCare Therapy | $61,554 | $29.59 |
| 9 | Madera High School | $59,699 | $28.70 |
| 10 | East Whittier City School District | $59,372 | $28.54 |
| 11 | Neighborhood Charter Schools | $59,360 | $28.54 |
| 12 | Greenfield Union School District | $59,208 | $28.47 |
| 13 | Omni Health Inc | $58,777 | $28.26 |
| 14 | H.P. Associates | $58,659 | $28.20 |
| 15 | Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation | $58,493 | $28.12 |
| 16 | Akron Children's Hospital | $58,278 | $28.02 |
| 17 | North Country Family Health Center | $58,277 | $28.02 |
| 18 | Great Hearts Academies | $58,149 | $27.96 |
| 19 | Buena Vista University | $57,834 | $27.80 |
| 20 | PEDIATRIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER | $57,828 | $27.80 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
School social worker salary trends
The average school social worker salary has risen by $8,778 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average school social worker earned $46,078 annually, but today, they earn $54,856 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for school social workers over the last decade.
Compare school social worker salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average school social worker salary over time
Compare school social worker salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
School social worker salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,900 | $26.37 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $53,700 | $25.81 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $52,400 | $25.20 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $50,300 | $24.17 | +2.5% |
| 2021 | $49,000 | $23.55 | +2.1% |
Recently added school social worker salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 287 | School Social Worker-Fall 2025 (WEC) | Minnetonka, MN | 06/30/2025 | $48,819 |
| Ulster Boces | Anticipated-School Social Workers | New Paltz, NY | 06/29/2025 | $63,112 |
| Pediastaff | School Social Worker-JO | McHenry, IL | 06/29/2025 | $104,350 |
| Stamford Public Schools | Anchor: Long-Term Substitute School Social Worker | Stamford, CT | 06/28/2025 | $58,697 |
| The Hyde Park Day School | School Social Worker | Lemont, IL | 06/28/2025 | $35,000 |
| Alexandria School District 206 | VES School Social Worker | Alexandria, MN | 06/28/2025 | $50,000 |
| Amergis | Social Worker-Schools | Largo, MD | 06/28/2025 | $73,045 |
| Eagle County School District | School Social Worker | Eagle, CO | 06/27/2025 | $59,740 |
| DSST Public Schools | School Social Worker School Year) | Denver, CO | 06/27/2025 | $65,000 |
| Amergis | School Social Worker | Grand Rapids, MI | 06/27/2025 | $83,480 |
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