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Social worker assistant salary

Quoted expert
Sarah Christa Butts MSW

Average social worker assistant salary

$37,542

$18.05 hourly rate

Entry-level social worker assistant salary
$27,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Average Social Worker Assistant Salary

The average salary for a Social Worker Assistant in the United States is approximately $37,542 per year or about $18 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific field of social work.

Salary by Experience Level

Entry-level positions typically start at around $30,000, while experienced professionals may earn upwards of $45,000 annually. Understanding these salary dynamics is essential for career planning.

Where Can Social Worker Assistants Earn More?

States such as California and New York offer higher salaries, reflecting a higher cost of living and demand for social services. In addition to geographic location, specialization in mental health or child welfare can also lead to increased earning potential.

Conclusion

For those considering a career as a Social Worker Assistant, staying informed about salary trends is crucial. By exploring opportunities in different states and sectors, you can enhance your career trajectory and financial stability.

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Where can a Social Worker Assistant earn more?

Compare salary by location
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39k
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Columbus, OH$44,042
Manchester, NH$28,545
Compare salary by company
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Minnesota State Fair$54,223
MJHS Health System$35,411

Social worker assistant salaries by experience level

Experience levelAvg. salaryHourly rate
Entry-level social worker assistant$26,100$12.52
Mid-level social worker assistant$37,000$17.78
Senior-level social worker assistant$42,500$20.41

Social worker assistant salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter and Comparably, the average salary for a social worker assistant typically falls between $37,542 and $71,500.
zippia
$37,542yearly
glassdoor[1]
$51,047yearly
comparably[2]
$53,202yearly
ZipRecruiter[3]
$71,500yearly

Average social worker assistant salary by state

The average social worker assistant salary in Hawaii, North Dakota, and Washington are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average social worker assistant salary states are New Hampshire, Louisiana, and Florida.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for social workers assistant

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Washington$43,981$21.14
2New York$42,240$20.31
3Hawaii$47,554$22.86
4Oregon$42,056$20.22
5Idaho$41,240$19.83
6California$42,151$20.26
7Colorado$39,919$19.19
8North Dakota$47,398$22.79
9District of Columbia$48,838$23.48
10Maine$39,900$19.18
11Nebraska$37,916$18.23
12Illinois$42,659$20.51
13Nevada$42,145$20.26
14Wyoming$36,660$17.63
15Alaska$42,009$20.20
16Utah$37,156$17.86
17Connecticut$38,035$18.29
18Minnesota$40,023$19.24
19Wisconsin$38,994$18.75
20Maryland$38,571$18.54
21Kansas$38,097$18.32
22Delaware$36,413$17.51
23Missouri$35,591$17.11
24Arkansas$35,442$17.04
25South Dakota$32,613$15.68
26Michigan$35,626$17.13
27New Mexico$32,538$15.64
28Vermont$32,077$15.42
29Texas$33,189$15.96
30Massachusetts$33,381$16.05
31West Virginia$30,107$14.47
32Ohio$35,490$17.06
33Arizona$33,898$16.30
34Oklahoma$32,124$15.44
35Montana$34,473$16.57
36Tennessee$30,798$14.81
37Iowa$34,630$16.65
38Mississippi$32,219$15.49
39Pennsylvania$32,760$15.75
40Louisiana$28,450$13.68
41Florida$27,400$13.17
42North Carolina$30,071$14.46
43New Jersey$32,533$15.64
44Rhode Island$29,632$14.25
45Indiana$30,567$14.70
46Virginia$29,495$14.18
47Kentucky$30,403$14.62
48New Hampshire$28,522$13.71
49Georgia$26,003$12.50
50South Carolina$27,142$13.05
51Alabama$25,922$12.46

Highest paying cities for social workers assistant

The highest-paying cities for social workers assistant are Seattle, WA, Santa Rosa, CA, and Buffalo, NY.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Seattle, WA$44,042$21.17
2Santa Rosa, CA$43,843$21.08
3Buffalo, NY$43,255$20.80
4Beaverton, OR$42,064$20.22
5Anchorage, AK$42,048$20.22
6Minneapolis, MN$40,091$19.27
7Denver, CO$39,966$19.21
8Baltimore, MD$38,666$18.59
9Grand Rapids, MI$35,861$17.24
10Akron, OH$35,851$17.24
11Davenport, IA$34,474$16.57
12Austin, TX$33,283$16.00
13Philadelphia, PA$32,661$15.70
14Kearny, NJ$32,556$15.65
15Lynchburg, VA$29,269$14.07
16Jeffersonville, IN$29,196$14.04
17Manchester, NH$28,545$13.72

Social worker assistant salary details

A social worker assistant's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $51,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average social worker assistant salary graph
Average social worker assistant salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a social worker assistant's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$51,000$4,250$25
75th Percentile$44,000$3,667$21
Average$37,542$3,129$18
25th Percentile$31,000$2,583$15
10th Percentile$27,000$2,250$13

Highest paying social worker assistant jobs

The highest paying types of social workers assistant are clinical social worker, psychiatric social worker, and medical social worker.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Family Support Worker$38,207$3,184$18.37159,875
Outreach Worker$37,639$3,137$18.1065,822
Case Worker$41,459$3,455$19.93107,329
Service Worker$30,045$2,504$14.44103,584
Family Worker$36,992$3,083$17.78101,552
Psychiatric Social Worker$59,144$4,929$28.4357,284

How would you rate the starting salaries for social worker assistants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Sarah Christa Butts MSW

Director of Public Policy, National Association of Social Workers

Social workers are required to have a high level of education. Usually, a Master's degree and starting salaries are often far too low. Still, social workers can increase their wages over time, and there are many opportunities and positions available. Increasing reimbursement and compensation for social workers and reducing student loan debt are advocacy priorities for NASW.

Which companies pay social workers assistant the most?

Social worker assistant salaries at Minnesota State Fair and Catholic Health East are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social worker assistant salary at companies like Pacific Medical Centers and New York State Restaurant Association are highly competitive.

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$41,000$40,400$39,800$39,200$38,600$38,000
MaleFemale

Social Worker Assistant salary by industry

The average social worker assistant salary varies across industries:

  • The average social worker assistant salary in the finance industry is $49,756, the highest of any industry.
  • The average social worker assistant salary in the finance industry is $38,152.
  • Social workers assistant in the hospitality industry earn an average salary of $33,922, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for social workers assistant

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Finance$49,756$23.92
2Education$38,152$18.34
3Government$36,947$17.76
4Health Care$36,071$17.34
5Hospitality$33,922$16.31

High paying social worker assistant jobs

Social worker assistant salary trends

The average social worker assistant salary has risen by $7,538 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social worker assistant earned $30,004 annually, but today, they earn $37,542 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for social workers assistant over the last decade.

Compare social worker assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average social worker assistant salary over time

Compare social worker assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Social worker assistant salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$37,500$18.05+2.5%
2024$36,600$17.60+3.7%
2023$35,200$16.94+1.9%
2022$34,600$16.62+4.0%
2021$33,200$15.97+3.1%

Recently added social worker assistant salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
State of MichiganAssistance Payments WorkerMichigan City, ND06/28/2025$48,526
Kaweah HealthPer Diem Social Work AssistantVisalia, CA06/27/2025$45,100
WelbehealthSocial Work AssistantSan Jose, CA06/26/2025$47,563
01 Kaweah Delta Health Care DistrictPer Diem Social Work AssistantVisalia, CA06/25/2025$45,100
MJHS Health SystemSocial Work Care Manager or Student Loan Assistance!New York, NY06/24/2025$77,099
Welbe HealthSocial Work AssistantSan Jose, CA06/24/2025$47,563
Seen HealthSocial Work AssistantAlhambra, CA06/22/2025$41,740
Syracuse City School DistrictSocial Work Assistant (Leap)-Student Support Services)Syracuse, NY06/21/2025$41,200
Commonspirit Health at HomeLicensed Social Worker/Medical Social Work Assistant Home HealthHouston, TX06/19/2025$45,351
State of New YorkSocial Work Assistant 1, (NY Helps), Manhattan Psychiatric Center, P26259New York, NY06/07/2025$53,764

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