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Social work associate salary
Average social work associate salary
$43,497
Average Social Work Associate Salary
A Social Work Associate typically earns about $43,497 per year, which translates to approximately $21 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on factors such as location and experience. For instance, entry-level positions may start lower, while those with several years in the field can earn much more.
Salary by State
Some states offer higher salaries for social work associates. For example:
- California: $50,000
- New York: $48,000
- Texas: $42,000
Furthermore, specialized roles in clinical settings may yield higher compensation compared to community-focused positions. Understanding these dynamics helps job seekers navigate their career paths effectively.
Experience Level Impact
Experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Social work associates with 1-3 years of experience may earn closer to the average, while those with over 5 years can command salaries significantly above it. This knowledge aids in setting realistic salary expectations during job searches.
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Where can a Social Work Associate earn more?
Social work associate salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level social work associate | $30,200 | $14.51 |
| Mid-level social work associate | $42,800 | $20.60 |
| Senior-level social work associate | $49,200 | $23.65 |
Social work associate salary estimates from across the web
Average social work associate salary by state
The average social work associate salary in California, Nevada, and New Mexico are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average social work associate salary states are West Virginia, Montana, and Rhode Island.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for social work associates
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $52,411 | $25.20 |
| 2 | California | $57,056 | $27.43 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $52,443 | $25.21 |
| 4 | New York | $51,502 | $24.76 |
| 5 | Nevada | $54,078 | $26.00 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $48,664 | $23.40 |
| 7 | Illinois | $48,893 | $23.51 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $47,448 | $22.81 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $57,322 | $27.56 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $46,399 | $22.31 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $50,414 | $24.24 |
| 12 | Arkansas | $45,098 | $21.68 |
| 13 | Texas | $49,335 | $23.72 |
| 14 | Oregon | $45,633 | $21.94 |
| 15 | Maine | $42,327 | $20.35 |
| 16 | Idaho | $42,371 | $20.37 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $46,017 | $22.12 |
| 18 | Mississippi | $43,642 | $20.98 |
| 19 | Iowa | $44,042 | $21.17 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $41,975 | $20.18 |
| 21 | Maryland | $43,028 | $20.69 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $40,743 | $19.59 |
| 23 | Kansas | $44,699 | $21.49 |
| 24 | Michigan | $40,472 | $19.46 |
| 25 | Virginia | $46,480 | $22.35 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $43,223 | $20.78 |
| 27 | Arizona | $42,055 | $20.22 |
| 28 | Delaware | $43,005 | $20.68 |
| 29 | Indiana | $41,451 | $19.93 |
| 30 | Alaska | $40,104 | $19.28 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $41,608 | $20.00 |
| 32 | Colorado | $42,042 | $20.21 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $40,295 | $19.37 |
| 34 | New Jersey | $40,460 | $19.45 |
| 35 | Ohio | $40,005 | $19.23 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $38,022 | $18.28 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $39,653 | $19.06 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $39,621 | $19.05 |
| 39 | Montana | $36,498 | $17.55 |
| 40 | Vermont | $37,856 | $18.20 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $37,431 | $18.00 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $36,219 | $17.41 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $38,626 | $18.57 |
| 44 | Florida | $37,433 | $18.00 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $36,891 | $17.74 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $36,893 | $17.74 |
| 47 | South Dakota | $35,726 | $17.18 |
| 48 | Alabama | $37,185 | $17.88 |
| 49 | Missouri | $37,569 | $18.06 |
| 50 | Georgia | $35,566 | $17.10 |
| 51 | Utah | $34,067 | $16.38 |
Highest paying cities for social work associates
The highest-paying cities for social work associates are Oakland, CA, New York, NY, and Charlotte, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $57,657 | $27.72 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $51,638 | $24.83 |
| 3 | Charlotte, NC | $50,173 | $24.12 |
| 4 | Cleburne, TX | $49,536 | $23.82 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $48,954 | $23.54 |
| 6 | La Crosse, WI | $45,845 | $22.04 |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $43,261 | $20.80 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $42,087 | $20.23 |
| 9 | Mankato, MN | $41,575 | $19.99 |
| 10 | Haverhill, MA | $41,565 | $19.98 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $40,917 | $19.67 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $40,561 | $19.50 |
| 13 | Dayton, OH | $39,826 | $19.15 |
| 14 | Tampa, FL | $37,762 | $18.15 |
| 15 | Huntsville, AL | $37,316 | $17.94 |
Social work associate salary details
A social work associate's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $57,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a social work associate's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $43,497 | $3,625 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying social work associate jobs
The highest paying types of social work associates are social work supervisor, psychiatric social worker, and licensed social worker.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volunteer | $31,227 | $2,602 | $15.01 | 9,583 |
| Liaison | $53,737 | $4,478 | $25.84 | 34,074 |
| Case Aide | $32,927 | $2,744 | $15.83 | 106,823 |
| Advocate | $39,497 | $3,291 | $18.99 | 74,970 |
| Service Coordinator | $40,792 | $3,399 | $19.61 | 55,922 |
| Coordinator | $41,599 | $3,467 | $20.00 | 151,508 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for social work associates, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Sarah Christa Butts MSW
Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers
Top companies hiring social work associates now:
Which companies pay social work associates the most?
Social work associate salaries at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and RS&H; are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social work associate salary at companies like Morgan Stanley and Dignity Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $61,698 | $29.66 |
| 2 | RS&H | $56,987 | $27.40 |
| 3 | Morgan Stanley | $53,861 | $25.89 |
| 4 | Dignity Health | $53,860 | $25.89 |
| 5 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $53,249 | $25.60 |
| 6 | Queens Health Systems | $53,152 | $25.55 |
| 7 | Wpp Us Holdings Inc | $51,212 | $24.62 |
| 8 | GroupM | $47,862 | $23.01 |
| 9 | Danaher | $47,134 | $22.66 |
| 10 | Mount Sinai Health System | $46,483 | $22.35 |
| 11 | Americorps | $44,420 | $21.36 |
| 12 | Dentsu Communications | $44,014 | $21.16 |
| 13 | Seer Interactive | $43,956 | $21.13 |
| 14 | Viterbo University | $43,508 | $20.92 |
| 15 | Genvid Technologies | $43,370 | $20.85 |
| 16 | Partners Healthcare Solutions Inc | $43,370 | $20.85 |
| 17 | Millennium Group | $43,370 | $20.85 |
| 18 | U.S. News | $43,370 | $20.85 |
| 19 | J.P. Morgan | $42,479 | $20.42 |
| 20 | Sedgwick LLP | $42,428 | $20.40 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Social Work Associate salary by industry
The average social work associate salary varies across industries:
- The average social work associate salary in the health care industry is $45,535, the highest of any industry.
- The average social work associate salary in the finance industry is $43,233.
- Social work associates in the government industry earn an average salary of $40,373, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for social work associates
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $45,535 | $21.89 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $43,233 | $20.79 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $42,669 | $20.51 |
| 4 | Hospitality | $42,564 | $20.46 |
| 5 | Education | $42,541 | $20.45 |
| 6 | Government | $40,373 | $19.41 |
High paying social work associate jobs
Social work associate salary trends
The average social work associate salary has risen by $8,733 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social work associate earned $34,764 annually, but today, they earn $43,497 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for social work associates over the last decade.
Compare social work associate salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average social work associate salary over time
Compare social work associate salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Social work associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,500 | $20.91 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $42,400 | $20.39 | +3.7% |
| 2023 | $40,800 | $19.63 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $40,100 | $19.26 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $38,500 | $18.50 | +3.1% |
Recently added social work associate salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California San Francisco | Social Work Associate | San Francisco, CA | 06/22/2025 | $62,172 |
| San Diego Rescue Mission | Associate Social Worker | San Diego, CA | 06/21/2025 | $75,000 |
| Centrl Office | Community Associate, Co-Working Industry | El Segundo, CA | 06/20/2025 | $48,001 |
| Austin Community College | ACC Grow Associate I, Work-Study | Austin, TX | 06/13/2025 | $48,001 |
| Trinity Health | Registration Associate-4 Day Work Week! | Albany, NY | 06/07/2025 | $36,523 |
| Universal Health Services | Social Work Associate | Auburn Hills, MI | 06/06/2025 | $57,632 |
| Centrl Office | Community Associate, -Co-Working Industry | Seattle, WA | 05/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Austin Community College | ACC Grow Associate I, Work-Study | Austin, TX | 05/28/2025 | $48,001 |
| Qualified Staffing | Wood Working Associate | Two Rivers, WI | 05/27/2025 | $39,653 |
| Dentsu | Associate, Paid Social | Fine, NY | 05/23/2025 | $39,000 |
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