Best states for a social services case manager

Q: What is the best state for social services case managers?

The best state to be a social services case manager is California based on social services case manager salaries and job opportunities.

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

The highest paying state for social services case managers is Georgia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for social services case managers?

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

Quoted expert

Lorrie Greenhouse Gardella

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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and community and social services careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to social services case manager jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for social services case managers.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of social services case managers in America is $44,000.

We figured that the best places for social services case manager jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the South is best for social services case managers, and the Northeast is the worst. San Mateo, CA is the best city in the country for social services case manager jobs, where as California is the best state in the country.

10 best states for social services case managers in 2026

1. California
Total social services case manager jobs: 6,354
Average annual salary: $41,655
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Social services case manager jobs in California
2. District of Columbia
Total social services case manager jobs: 363
Average annual salary: $42,304
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.17
Social services case manager jobs in District of Columbia
3. Illinois
Total social services case manager jobs: 2,413
Average annual salary: $39,191
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Location Quotient:
1.09
Social services case manager jobs in Illinois
4. New Mexico
Total social services case manager jobs: 361
Average annual salary: $38,106
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Social services case manager jobs in New Mexico
5. Massachusetts
Total social services case manager jobs: 2,479
Average annual salary: $36,105
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
1.46
Social services case manager jobs in Massachusetts
6. Connecticut
Total social services case manager jobs: 651
Average annual salary: $38,308
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Social services case manager jobs in Connecticut
7. Hawaii
Total social services case manager jobs: 206
Average annual salary: $40,669
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $48,000
Location Quotient:
1.33
Social services case manager jobs in Hawaii
8. Minnesota
Total social services case manager jobs: 1,647
Average annual salary: $34,278
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Social services case manager jobs in Minnesota
9. Rhode Island
Total social services case manager jobs: 239
Average annual salary: $35,302
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
1.06
Social services case manager jobs in Rhode Island
10. New Hampshire
Total social services case manager jobs: 283
Average annual salary: $38,169
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
0.87
Social services case manager jobs in New Hampshire

Social services case manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a social services case manager

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

Detailed list of the best states for a social services case manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	California	$41,655	$27,000	39,536,653	6,354
2	District of Columbia	$42,304	$29,000	693,972	363
3	Illinois	$39,191	$28,000	12,802,023	2,413
4	New Mexico	$38,106	$26,000	2,088,070	361
5	Massachusetts	$36,105	$27,000	6,859,819	2,479
6	Connecticut	$38,308	$27,000	3,588,184	651
7	Hawaii	$40,669	$33,000	1,427,538	206
8	Minnesota	$34,278	$25,000	5,576,606	1,647
9	Rhode Island	$35,302	$26,000	1,059,639	239
10	New Hampshire	$38,169	$29,000	1,342,795	283
11	Florida	$34,433	$23,000	20,984,400	3,246
12	North Dakota	$37,119	$28,000	755,393	135
13	Nevada	$36,873	$25,000	2,998,039	334
14	New Jersey	$36,666	$25,000	9,005,644	1,384
15	Pennsylvania	$35,853	$25,000	12,805,537	1,901
16	Iowa	$31,653	$23,000	3,145,711	905
17	Wisconsin	$36,724	$26,000	5,795,483	487
18	Ohio	$35,567	$25,000	11,658,609	1,345
19	Idaho	$32,069	$22,000	1,716,943	362
20	Washington	$34,180	$24,000	7,405,743	1,553
21	Maine	$31,664	$24,000	1,335,907	373
22	Alaska	$32,900	$26,000	739,795	181
23	Delaware	$35,398	$24,000	961,939	192
24	Virginia	$35,732	$24,000	8,470,020	1,369
25	Mississippi	$31,537	$22,000	2,984,100	400
26	Arkansas	$30,290	$21,000	3,004,279	536
27	Oregon	$33,103	$23,000	4,142,776	700
28	New York	$32,512	$23,000	19,849,399	2,634
29	Colorado	$32,776	$23,000	5,607,154	1,056
30	Texas	$31,419	$21,000	28,304,596	3,492
31	Missouri	$32,101	$22,000	6,113,532	979
32	Maryland	$31,807	$22,000	6,052,177	1,301
33	Arizona	$30,351	$20,000	7,016,270	1,242
34	Wyoming	$29,760	$21,000	579,315	114
35	Kentucky	$29,399	$20,000	4,454,189	634
36	Vermont	$31,270	$24,000	623,657	126
37	Montana	$29,635	$22,000	1,050,493	235
38	Indiana	$29,254	$21,000	6,666,818	1,084
39	South Carolina	$30,541	$21,000	5,024,369	673
40	Michigan	$27,598	$19,000	9,962,311	1,690
41	Kansas	$29,057	$20,000	2,913,123	503
42	Nebraska	$28,671	$20,000	1,920,076	384
43	West Virginia	$27,828	$19,000	1,815,857	256
44	Utah	$28,489	$20,000	3,101,833	526
45	Louisiana	$27,330	$18,000	4,684,333	612
46	South Dakota	$27,104	$20,000	869,666	178
47	Tennessee	$27,223	$19,000	6,715,984	827
48	North Carolina	$27,550	$19,000	10,273,419	1,374
49	Oklahoma	$26,642	$18,000	3,930,864	512
50	Georgia	$24,671	$17,000	10,429,379	1,600
51	Alabama	$25,920	$18,000	4,874,747	497

Highest paying states for social services case managers

Rank	State	Avg. Social Services Case Manager Salary
1	California	$41,655
2	District of Columbia	$42,304
3	Illinois	$39,191
4	New Mexico	$38,106
5	Massachusetts	$36,105
6	Connecticut	$38,308
7	Hawaii	$40,669
8	Minnesota	$34,278
9	Rhode Island	$35,302
10	New Hampshire	$38,169
11	Florida	$34,433
12	North Dakota	$37,119
13	Nevada	$36,873
14	New Jersey	$36,666
15	Pennsylvania	$35,853
16	Iowa	$31,653
17	Wisconsin	$36,724
18	Ohio	$35,567
19	Idaho	$32,069
20	Washington	$34,180
21	Maine	$31,664
22	Alaska	$32,900
23	Delaware	$35,398
24	Virginia	$35,732
25	Mississippi	$31,537
26	Arkansas	$30,290
27	Oregon	$33,103
28	New York	$32,512
29	Colorado	$32,776
30	Texas	$31,419
31	Missouri	$32,101
32	Maryland	$31,807
33	Arizona	$30,351
34	Wyoming	$29,760
35	Kentucky	$29,399
36	Vermont	$31,270
37	Montana	$29,635
38	Indiana	$29,254
39	South Carolina	$30,541
40	Michigan	$27,598
41	Kansas	$29,057
42	Nebraska	$28,671
43	West Virginia	$27,828
44	Utah	$28,489
45	Louisiana	$27,330
46	South Dakota	$27,104
47	Tennessee	$27,223
48	North Carolina	$27,550
49	Oklahoma	$26,642
50	Georgia	$24,671
51	Alabama	$25,920

Expert opinions on the best states for social services case managers

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for social services case managers 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 case manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for social services case managers?

What is the highest paying state for social services case managers?

What is the worst state for social services case managers?

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Best states for Social Services Case Managers

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

Total social services case manager jobs:	6,354
Average annual salary:	$41,655
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$27,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$62,000
Location Quotient:	1.17

Best states for a social services case manager

10 best states for social services case managers in 2026

1. California

2. District of Columbia

3. Illinois

4. New Mexico

5. Massachusetts

6. Connecticut

7. Hawaii

8. Minnesota

9. Rhode Island

10. New Hampshire