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Best states for a social work case manager
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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Are you thinking of becoming a social work case manager and really want to work at State of Delaware? Turns out, your chances to become a social work case manager are better in some states than others.We wanted to look at the best states for social work case managers -- where there are plenty of social work case manager jobs to go around and social work case managers get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for social work case managers. New Mexico is the best state for social work case managers, where the median salary is $56,202.We found that the South is best for social work case managers, and the West is the worst. San Leandro, CA is the best city in the country for social work case manager jobs, where as New Mexico is the best state in the country.
10 best states for social work case managers in 2026
1. New Mexico
Total social work case manager jobs: 326 Average annual salary: $56,202 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.23
2. Washington
Total social work case manager jobs: 1,206 Average annual salary: $57,700 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
3. California
Total social work case manager jobs: 4,504 Average annual salary: $61,090 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.14
4. Nevada
Total social work case manager jobs: 292 Average annual salary: $53,537 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.04
5. Hawaii
Total social work case manager jobs: 131 Average annual salary: $59,809 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
6. Alaska
Total social work case manager jobs: 184 Average annual salary: $54,079 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 1.63
7. Maine
Total social work case manager jobs: 328 Average annual salary: $48,306 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.83
8. North Dakota
Total social work case manager jobs: 99 Average annual salary: $58,925 Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location Quotient: 0.79
9. New Jersey
Total social work case manager jobs: 1,028 Average annual salary: $53,425 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
10. Iowa
Total social work case manager jobs: 441 Average annual salary: $49,843 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
Social work case manager jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a social work case manager
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a social work case manager
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $56,202 | $41,000 | 2,088,070 | 326 |
| 2 | Washington | $57,700 | $45,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,206 |
| 3 | California | $61,090 | $44,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,504 |
| 4 | Nevada | $53,537 | $38,000 | 2,998,039 | 292 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $59,809 | $50,000 | 1,427,538 | 131 |
| 6 | Alaska | $54,079 | $47,000 | 739,795 | 184 |
| 7 | Maine | $48,306 | $37,000 | 1,335,907 | 328 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $58,925 | $47,000 | 755,393 | 99 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $53,425 | $37,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,028 |
| 10 | Iowa | $49,843 | $37,000 | 3,145,711 | 441 |
| 11 | Oregon | $51,716 | $40,000 | 4,142,776 | 526 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $49,368 | $36,000 | 3,930,864 | 357 |
| 13 | New York | $49,283 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,444 |
| 14 | Utah | $49,700 | $37,000 | 3,101,833 | 326 |
| 15 | Arizona | $47,349 | $34,000 | 7,016,270 | 887 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $48,887 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 457 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $46,176 | $35,000 | 579,315 | 85 |
| 18 | Montana | $46,947 | $37,000 | 1,050,493 | 165 |
| 19 | Arkansas | $47,079 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 315 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $47,917 | $37,000 | 5,576,606 | 845 |
| 21 | Texas | $47,667 | $35,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,308 |
| 22 | Kansas | $47,152 | $35,000 | 2,913,123 | 317 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $51,112 | $35,000 | 693,972 | 211 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $45,129 | $33,000 | 2,984,100 | 292 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $47,939 | $35,000 | 1,342,795 | 199 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $47,075 | $35,000 | 5,795,483 | 543 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $43,808 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,552 |
| 28 | Colorado | $47,239 | $35,000 | 5,607,154 | 717 |
| 29 | Delaware | $46,820 | $32,000 | 961,939 | 143 |
| 30 | Maryland | $45,145 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 964 |
| 31 | Idaho | $42,432 | $32,000 | 1,716,943 | 262 |
| 32 | Ohio | $45,176 | $32,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,072 |
| 33 | Illinois | $45,234 | $33,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,524 |
| 34 | Indiana | $41,330 | $30,000 | 6,666,818 | 837 |
| 35 | Georgia | $41,345 | $30,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,312 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $40,580 | $31,000 | 869,666 | 126 |
| 37 | Florida | $39,201 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 2,363 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $37,468 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 192 |
| 39 | Michigan | $36,187 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,217 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $39,070 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 394 |
| 41 | Missouri | $41,311 | $30,000 | 6,113,532 | 590 |
| 42 | Virginia | $42,950 | $30,000 | 8,470,020 | 902 |
| 43 | Vermont | $39,499 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 94 |
| 44 | Massachusetts | $35,129 | $25,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,286 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $41,361 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 924 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $36,823 | $27,000 | 1,920,076 | 294 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $38,186 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 413 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $37,830 | $27,000 | 1,815,857 | 147 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $37,584 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 548 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $36,449 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 516 |
| 51 | Alabama | $36,339 | $26,000 | 4,874,747 | 329 |
Highest paying states for social work case managers
| Rank | State | Avg. Social Work Case Manager Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $56,202 |
| 2 | Washington | $57,700 |
| 3 | California | $61,090 |
| 4 | Nevada | $53,537 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $59,809 |
| 6 | Alaska | $54,079 |
| 7 | Maine | $48,306 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $58,925 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $53,425 |
| 10 | Iowa | $49,843 |
| 11 | Oregon | $51,716 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $49,368 |
| 13 | New York | $49,283 |
| 14 | Utah | $49,700 |
| 15 | Arizona | $47,349 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $48,887 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $46,176 |
| 18 | Montana | $46,947 |
| 19 | Arkansas | $47,079 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $47,917 |
| 21 | Texas | $47,667 |
| 22 | Kansas | $47,152 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $51,112 |
| 24 | Mississippi | $45,129 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $47,939 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $47,075 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $43,808 |
| 28 | Colorado | $47,239 |
| 29 | Delaware | $46,820 |
| 30 | Maryland | $45,145 |
| 31 | Idaho | $42,432 |
| 32 | Ohio | $45,176 |
| 33 | Illinois | $45,234 |
| 34 | Indiana | $41,330 |
| 35 | Georgia | $41,345 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $40,580 |
| 37 | Florida | $39,201 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $37,468 |
| 39 | Michigan | $36,187 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $39,070 |
| 41 | Missouri | $41,311 |
| 42 | Virginia | $42,950 |
| 43 | Vermont | $39,499 |
| 44 | Massachusetts | $35,129 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $41,361 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $36,823 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $38,186 |
| 48 | West Virginia | $37,830 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $37,584 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $36,449 |
| 51 | Alabama | $36,339 |
Expert opinions on the best states for social work case managers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for social work case managers 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