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Best states for a social work associate
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for social work associates? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for social work associate jobs.We wanted to look at the best states for social work associates -- where there are plenty of social work associate jobs to go around and social work associates get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
The median salary for social work associates in Washington is $52,411. Compare that to the median salary in Utah of $34,067, which ranked worst for social work associates, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that Washington is the best state for social work associate jobs, whereas Utah is the worst.
10 best states for social work associates in 2025
1. Washington
Total social work associate jobs: 1,074 Average annual salary: $52,411 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.25
2. California
Total social work associate jobs: 3,693 Average annual salary: $57,056 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
3. New Mexico
Total social work associate jobs: 246 Average annual salary: $52,443 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.06
4. New York
Total social work associate jobs: 2,157 Average annual salary: $51,502 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Location Quotient: 1.43
5. Nevada
Total social work associate jobs: 212 Average annual salary: $54,078 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
6. Connecticut
Total social work associate jobs: 453 Average annual salary: $48,664 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
7. Illinois
Total social work associate jobs: 1,325 Average annual salary: $48,893 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
8. North Dakota
Total social work associate jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $47,448 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.88
9. District of Columbia
Total social work associate jobs: 150 Average annual salary: $57,322 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
10. New Hampshire
Total social work associate jobs: 201 Average annual salary: $46,399 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 0.97
Social work associate jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a social work associate
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a social work associate
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $52,411 | $40,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,074 |
| 2 | California | $57,056 | $40,000 | 39,536,653 | 3,693 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $52,443 | $37,000 | 2,088,070 | 246 |
| 4 | New York | $51,502 | $38,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,157 |
| 5 | Nevada | $54,078 | $38,000 | 2,998,039 | 212 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $48,664 | $36,000 | 3,588,184 | 453 |
| 7 | Illinois | $48,893 | $37,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,325 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $47,448 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 97 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $57,322 | $41,000 | 693,972 | 150 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $46,399 | $36,000 | 1,342,795 | 201 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $50,414 | $36,000 | 10,273,419 | 812 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $45,098 | $32,000 | 3,004,279 | 287 |
| 13 | Texas | $49,335 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,650 |
| 14 | Oregon | $45,633 | $34,000 | 4,142,776 | 500 |
| 15 | Maine | $42,327 | $33,000 | 1,335,907 | 347 |
| 16 | Idaho | $42,371 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 208 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $46,017 | $35,000 | 5,795,483 | 448 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $43,642 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 225 |
| 19 | Iowa | $44,042 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 349 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $41,975 | $32,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,769 |
| 21 | Maryland | $43,028 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,043 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $40,743 | $29,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,491 |
| 23 | Kansas | $44,699 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 244 |
| 24 | Michigan | $40,472 | $30,000 | 9,962,311 | 997 |
| 25 | Virginia | $46,480 | $33,000 | 8,470,020 | 828 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $43,223 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 134 |
| 27 | Arizona | $42,055 | $29,000 | 7,016,270 | 684 |
| 28 | Delaware | $43,005 | $31,000 | 961,939 | 138 |
| 29 | Indiana | $41,451 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 655 |
| 30 | Alaska | $40,104 | $35,000 | 739,795 | 167 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $41,608 | $32,000 | 5,576,606 | 772 |
| 32 | Colorado | $42,042 | $31,000 | 5,607,154 | 712 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $40,295 | $30,000 | 579,315 | 74 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $40,460 | $29,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,059 |
| 35 | Ohio | $40,005 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 891 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $38,022 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 275 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $39,653 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 401 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $39,621 | $28,000 | 4,454,189 | 332 |
| 39 | Montana | $36,498 | $28,000 | 1,050,493 | 191 |
| 40 | Vermont | $37,856 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 94 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $37,431 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 356 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $36,219 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 163 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $38,626 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 443 |
| 44 | Florida | $37,433 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,686 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $36,891 | $26,000 | 1,815,857 | 140 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $36,893 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 298 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $35,726 | $27,000 | 869,666 | 104 |
| 48 | Alabama | $37,185 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 277 |
| 49 | Missouri | $37,569 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 502 |
| 50 | Georgia | $35,566 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,011 |
| 51 | Utah | $34,067 | $25,000 | 3,101,833 | 334 |
Highest paying states for social work associates
| Rank | State | Avg. Social Work Associate Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $52,411 |
| 2 | California | $57,056 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $52,443 |
| 4 | New York | $51,502 |
| 5 | Nevada | $54,078 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $48,664 |
| 7 | Illinois | $48,893 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $47,448 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $57,322 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $46,399 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $50,414 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $45,098 |
| 13 | Texas | $49,335 |
| 14 | Oregon | $45,633 |
| 15 | Maine | $42,327 |
| 16 | Idaho | $42,371 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $46,017 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $43,642 |
| 19 | Iowa | $44,042 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $41,975 |
| 21 | Maryland | $43,028 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $40,743 |
| 23 | Kansas | $44,699 |
| 24 | Michigan | $40,472 |
| 25 | Virginia | $46,480 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $43,223 |
| 27 | Arizona | $42,055 |
| 28 | Delaware | $43,005 |
| 29 | Indiana | $41,451 |
| 30 | Alaska | $40,104 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $41,608 |
| 32 | Colorado | $42,042 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $40,295 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $40,460 |
| 35 | Ohio | $40,005 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $38,022 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $39,653 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $39,621 |
| 39 | Montana | $36,498 |
| 40 | Vermont | $37,856 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $37,431 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $36,219 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $38,626 |
| 44 | Florida | $37,433 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $36,891 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $36,893 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $35,726 |
| 48 | Alabama | $37,185 |
| 49 | Missouri | $37,569 |
| 50 | Georgia | $35,566 |
| 51 | Utah | $34,067 |
Expert opinions on the best states for social work associates
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for social work associates to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
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Updated January 8, 2025