Salaries › Social Worker
Social Worker Salary by State (2026)
Social Workers (Child, Family, and School Social Workers) hold 392,580 jobs across the US. Typical pay is $60,257 per year, but the median ranges from $43,330 in Arkansas to $78,970 in Connecticut. Pick your state for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Social Worker salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Connecticut | $78,970 | 5,230 |
| Maryland | $76,390 | 4,710 |
| New Jersey | $76,280 | 7,360 |
| Massachusetts | $75,570 | 10,900 |
| Washington | $74,480 | 10,720 |
| District of Columbia | $73,550 | 2,430 |
| New Hampshire | $71,010 | 1,700 |
| Rhode Island | $69,870 | 2,450 |
| Hawaii | $68,270 | 1,170 |
| Minnesota | $67,450 | 6,540 |
| Vermont | $67,340 | 640 |
| California | $65,200 | 60,310 |
| New York | $65,100 | 30,170 |
| North Dakota | $64,560 | 870 |
| Oregon | $64,130 | 6,630 |
| Colorado | $63,720 | 8,200 |
| Maine | $63,290 | 2,000 |
| Illinois | $63,220 | 19,860 |
| Alaska | $62,630 | 1,260 |
| Virginia | $61,330 | 9,410 |
| Nevada | $61,080 | 4,030 |
| Idaho | $59,840 | 810 |
| North Carolina | $59,610 | 13,010 |
| Wisconsin | $59,280 | 5,710 |
| Michigan | $59,270 | 15,760 |
| Kentucky | $59,100 | 8,470 |
| Louisiana | $56,800 | 1,110 |
| Montana | $56,780 | 1,250 |
| Florida | $56,550 | 14,000 |
| Wyoming | $56,420 | 710 |
| Tennessee | $56,310 | 7,870 |
| New Mexico | $56,160 | 2,990 |
| Texas | $55,680 | 21,670 |
| Kansas | $54,300 | 3,190 |
| Iowa | $52,250 | 3,410 |
| West Virginia | $52,220 | 2,380 |
| Utah | $52,000 | 1,930 |
| South Carolina | $51,800 | 5,520 |
| Ohio | $51,520 | 16,050 |
| South Dakota | $51,100 | 2,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,820 | 16,200 |
| Indiana | $50,470 | 6,690 |
| Arizona | $50,150 | 7,560 |
| Delaware | $48,520 | 910 |
| Missouri | $48,520 | 9,620 |
| Nebraska | $47,770 | 4,830 |
| Georgia | $47,510 | 7,110 |
| Alabama | $46,660 | 4,220 |
| Mississippi | $46,530 | 3,310 |
| Oklahoma | $43,950 | 6,500 |
| Arkansas | $43,330 | 1,150 |
Frequently asked questions
- What is the average Social Worker salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Social Worker salary in the US is about $60,257 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 392,580 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Social Workers the most?
- Connecticut has the highest median Social Worker salary at $78,970 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Social Workers the least?
- Arkansas has the lowest median at $43,330 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Child, Family, and School Social Workers, code 21-1021). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.