Best states for a social services aide

Q: What is the best state for social services aides?

The best state to be a social services aide is Iowa based on social services aide salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for social services aides?

The highest paying state for social services aides is Louisiana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for social services aides?

The worst state for social services aides is Virginia, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella

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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for social services aides? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for social services aide 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.In fact, our research shows that Iowa is the best state for social services aides in America. The best city in America for social services aides with the highest pay is Oxnard, CA.

Iowa is the best state for jobs for social services aides, and Virginia is the worst. The most common pay in Iowa is $36,377, while the median pay in Virginia is $24,295.We found that the South is best for social services aides, and the Northeast is the worst. Oxnard, CA is the best city in the country for social services aide jobs, where as Iowa is the best state in the country.

10 best states for social services aides in 2025

1. Iowa
Total social services aide jobs: 1,109
Average annual salary: $36,377
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Social services aide jobs in Iowa
2. New Jersey
Total social services aide jobs: 2,132
Average annual salary: $36,481
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Social services aide jobs in New Jersey
3. New York
Total social services aide jobs: 4,078
Average annual salary: $36,238
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Social services aide jobs in New York
4. New Mexico
Total social services aide jobs: 496
Average annual salary: $35,178
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Social services aide jobs in New Mexico
5. Maine
Total social services aide jobs: 510
Average annual salary: $32,981
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Location Quotient:
1.62
Social services aide jobs in Maine
6. North Dakota
Total social services aide jobs: 211
Average annual salary: $35,990
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
Social services aide jobs in North Dakota
7. Minnesota
Total social services aide jobs: 2,122
Average annual salary: $33,248
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Social services aide jobs in Minnesota
8. Connecticut
Total social services aide jobs: 804
Average annual salary: $35,303
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.02
Social services aide jobs in Connecticut
9. California
Total social services aide jobs: 6,518
Average annual salary: $38,142
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Social services aide jobs in California
10. Washington
Total social services aide jobs: 1,847
Average annual salary: $34,554
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Social services aide jobs in Washington

Social services aide jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a social services aide

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a social services aide

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Iowa	$36,377	$28,000	3,145,711	1,109
2	New Jersey	$36,481	$28,000	9,005,644	2,132
3	New York	$36,238	$28,000	19,849,399	4,078
4	New Mexico	$35,178	$26,000	2,088,070	496
5	Maine	$32,981	$27,000	1,335,907	510
6	North Dakota	$35,990	$29,000	755,393	211
7	Minnesota	$33,248	$26,000	5,576,606	2,122
8	Connecticut	$35,303	$28,000	3,588,184	804
9	California	$38,142	$28,000	39,536,653	6,518
10	Washington	$34,554	$27,000	7,405,743	1,847
11	New Hampshire	$35,051	$28,000	1,342,795	363
12	Idaho	$31,672	$25,000	1,716,943	427
13	Wisconsin	$35,763	$28,000	5,795,483	852
14	North Carolina	$33,743	$25,000	10,273,419	2,101
15	Kansas	$31,836	$24,000	2,913,123	731
16	Hawaii	$33,976	$24,000	1,427,538	265
17	Indiana	$29,878	$23,000	6,666,818	1,773
18	Massachusetts	$31,238	$25,000	6,859,819	3,224
19	Colorado	$33,137	$25,000	5,607,154	1,338
20	Illinois	$31,673	$24,000	12,802,023	3,014
21	Nevada	$32,172	$24,000	2,998,039	429
22	Oregon	$30,927	$24,000	4,142,776	1,078
23	Alaska	$30,482	$25,000	739,795	277
24	Pennsylvania	$30,004	$23,000	12,805,537	2,986
25	Texas	$31,475	$22,000	28,304,596	4,167
26	District of Columbia	$34,850	$26,000	693,972	330
27	Michigan	$27,775	$22,000	9,962,311	2,181
28	Arkansas	$29,434	$21,000	3,004,279	562
29	Montana	$27,682	$22,000	1,050,493	397
30	Wyoming	$28,498	$22,000	579,315	142
31	Nebraska	$27,801	$21,000	1,920,076	594
32	Vermont	$28,982	$24,000	623,657	186
33	Ohio	$28,945	$22,000	11,658,609	2,116
34	South Dakota	$27,799	$22,000	869,666	244
35	Arizona	$29,142	$21,000	7,016,270	1,295
36	Tennessee	$28,330	$21,000	6,715,984	1,290
37	Delaware	$30,672	$23,000	961,939	254
38	Mississippi	$28,378	$20,000	2,984,100	443
39	Kentucky	$27,826	$21,000	4,454,189	827
40	West Virginia	$26,227	$20,000	1,815,857	347
41	Rhode Island	$26,539	$21,000	1,059,639	309
42	Maryland	$26,461	$20,000	6,052,177	1,646
43	Oklahoma	$25,341	$18,000	3,930,864	692
44	Missouri	$27,082	$20,000	6,113,532	1,195
45	South Carolina	$26,893	$19,000	5,024,369	831
46	Georgia	$25,747	$18,000	10,429,379	2,065
47	Utah	$24,096	$18,000	3,101,833	707
48	Florida	$24,147	$16,000	20,984,400	3,261
49	Louisiana	$23,459	$16,000	4,684,333	653
50	Alabama	$24,555	$17,000	4,874,747	623
51	Virginia	$24,295	$18,000	8,470,020	1,811

Highest paying states for social services aides

Rank	State	Avg. Social Services Aide Salary
1	Iowa	$36,377
2	New Jersey	$36,481
3	New York	$36,238
4	New Mexico	$35,178
5	Maine	$32,981
6	North Dakota	$35,990
7	Minnesota	$33,248
8	Connecticut	$35,303
9	California	$38,142
10	Washington	$34,554
11	New Hampshire	$35,051
12	Idaho	$31,672
13	Wisconsin	$35,763
14	North Carolina	$33,743
15	Kansas	$31,836
16	Hawaii	$33,976
17	Indiana	$29,878
18	Massachusetts	$31,238
19	Colorado	$33,137
20	Illinois	$31,673
21	Nevada	$32,172
22	Oregon	$30,927
23	Alaska	$30,482
24	Pennsylvania	$30,004
25	Texas	$31,475
26	District of Columbia	$34,850
27	Michigan	$27,775
28	Arkansas	$29,434
29	Montana	$27,682
30	Wyoming	$28,498
31	Nebraska	$27,801
32	Vermont	$28,982
33	Ohio	$28,945
34	South Dakota	$27,799
35	Arizona	$29,142
36	Tennessee	$28,330
37	Delaware	$30,672
38	Mississippi	$28,378
39	Kentucky	$27,826
40	West Virginia	$26,227
41	Rhode Island	$26,539
42	Maryland	$26,461
43	Oklahoma	$25,341
44	Missouri	$27,082
45	South Carolina	$26,893
46	Georgia	$25,747
47	Utah	$24,096
48	Florida	$24,147
49	Louisiana	$23,459
50	Alabama	$24,555
51	Virginia	$24,295

Expert opinions on the best states for social services aides

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for social services aides to find work opportunities?
Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella
Professor, MSW Program Coordinator, Southern Connecticut State University
Social workers are needed everywhere -- from rural settings to small towns, to large cities. Social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the U.S.

Social services aide best states FAQs

What is the best state for social services aides?

What is the highest paying state for social services aides?

What is the worst state for social services aides?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

Search for social services aide jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

Total social services aide jobs:	1,109
Average annual salary:	$36,377
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$28,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Location Quotient:	1.29

Best states for a social services aide

10 best states for social services aides in 2025

1. Iowa

2. New Jersey

3. New York

4. New Mexico

5. Maine

6. North Dakota

7. Minnesota

8. Connecticut

9. California

10. Washington