Child, Family, and School Social Workers salary in the U.S.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers in the U.S. earn a median of $59,550 a year ($28.63 an hour), based on BLS data for 392,550 workers.
Pay ranges from $42,280 for the lowest-paid 10% to $95,530 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $64,000, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for child, family, and school social workers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,280 | $20.33 |
| 25th percentile | $48,270 | $23.21 |
| Median | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| 75th percentile | $76,070 | $36.57 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $95,530 | $45.93 |
| Average (mean) | $64,000 | $30.77 |
Half of child, family, and school social workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,962.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,481.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,290.38 |
| Weekly | $1,145.19 |
| Hourly | $28.63 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $59,550 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Guam | $54,910 | 80 |
| 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 |
| Virgin Islands | $50,810 | 30 |
| 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 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,620 | 3,370 |
| Arkansas | $43,330 | 1,150 |
Best-paying metro areas for child, family, and school social workers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $87,600 | 2,120 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $81,830 | 450 |
| Salisbury, MD | $81,520 | 120 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $80,450 | 130 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $80,430 | 580 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $79,920 | 2,200 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $78,970 | 1,140 |
| New Haven, CT | $78,970 | 810 |
| Greeley, CO | $78,530 | 280 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $78,270 | 130 |
| Springfield, MA | $78,250 | 1,190 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $77,710 | 430 |
| Vallejo, CA | $77,490 | 280 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $77,420 | 7,070 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $77,300 | 240 |
Metro areas with the most child, family, and school social workers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 26,220 | $71,250 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 24,350 | $66,540 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 13,550 | $64,790 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 7,070 | $77,420 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 6,850 | $55,930 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 6,540 | $59,270 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 6,490 | $75,550 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 5,840 | $72,020 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 5,810 | $63,230 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 5,540 | $75,280 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 5,060 | $50,150 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,480 | $57,080 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 4,460 | $59,710 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 4,330 | $66,910 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 4,240 | $67,560 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a child, family, and school social workers make in the U.S.?
The median salary for child, family, and school social workers in the U.S. is $59,550 a year, or $28.63 an hour. Pay ranges from $42,280 for the lowest-paid 10% to $95,530 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid child, family, and school social workers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of child, family, and school social workers in the U.S. earn at least $95,530 a year. The top 25% earn $76,070 or more.
What is the starting pay for child, family, and school social workers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $42,280 a year, and a quarter of child, family, and school social workers earn $48,270 or less.
How many child, family, and school social workers work in the U.S.?
About 392,550 child, family, and school social workers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.