How much does a social worker make?
a year · about $29 an hour
A typical social worker in the United States makes $59,550 a year, about $29 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They listen to children and families, then connect them with counseling, child care, or housing help. At school, they talk with teachers and parents about absences or bullying, visit families, and write case notes.
Did you know? In the US, a student without a stable home can enroll right away, even without usual records—and school social workers are among the staff named for training on this rule.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $42,280 and $95,530How do you become one?
In the US, a BSW with supervised fieldwork is the usual start for many nonclinical jobs; exact rules vary by state and employer. Clinical social workers need an MSW, supervised experience, and a state license after passing an exam.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like helping and teaching and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the US, experience and sought-after licenses or credentials can raise pay. Pay also differs by employer, location, job duties, and hours; evening or weekend shifts may add premium pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Connecticut ($78,970), lowest in Arkansas ($43,330).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $42,280 | $59,550 | $95,530 | about 393,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $78,970 | about 5,000 |
| Maryland | $76,390 | about 5,000 |
| New Jersey | $76,280 | about 7,000 |
| Massachusetts | $75,570 | about 11,000 |
| Washington | $74,480 | about 11,000 |
Official definition: Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/print/social-workers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/21-1021.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.aswb.org/licenses/how-to-get-a-license
- nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Enrolling_CYEH_In_School.pdf
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY