Social Worker Salary
Median annual salary: $58,380 · Median hourly: $28.07 · Latest · 2026
About Social Worker pay
Social workers support vulnerable people across schools, hospitals, agencies and private practice, with clinical licensure opening therapy work. The pay reflects public funding more than the difficulty of the job, which is why burnout runs high and turnover constant. Loan forgiveness programs for public service partly offset modest salaries. People enter for mission rather than money, and the need never shrinks.
In weekly terms that is roughly $1,123 per week before taxes (annual ÷ 52).
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Frequently asked questions
What data does this page show?
Average and median salary for Social Worker in the United States by state. Official BLS Occupational Employment Statistics.
What does a Social Worker earn?
State-by-state pay bands, hourly and annual, are listed on this page.
How to raise pay in this field?
Compare top-paying states here, then weigh them against living costs.
How current are the figures?
All figures reflect 2026 and update automatically from official sources.
Where do the numbers come from?
All figures are compiled from official U.S. government public data and refreshed automatically. LifeIndexData is 100% free to use and fully independent: we are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or compensated by any bank, lender or financial institution, and advertising never influences our data or rankings.
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LifeIndexData. "Social Worker Salary in the United States (2026)" (2026). https://lifeindexdata.com/usa/salary/social-worker/
Is this financial advice?
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