What is a Social Worker’s Salary?
OK, so you think you may have found your passion in life – becoming a social worker.
However, the million-dollar question is…
How much will I earn per year as a social worker?
We will share more information on social worker salaries with you, but there are some other things to consider first:
Is being a social worker a growing or a dying career?
How are the employment prospects for a social worker?
And where is the best place to live and get paid as a social worker?
Keep reading and, hopefully, we can answer some of these questions for you.
What kind of salary can I expect?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for social workers was $47,980 in May 2017. By the term “median wage,” we mean that half the workers in the occupation earned more than this. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,560, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $79,740.
What are the highest paying states for social workers?
The salary trends can differ for social workers depending on the area of specialization (health care; child, family, and school; etc.)
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 highest paying states for the category of all other social workers. Numbers are based on the mean.
- Rhode Island – $36.40 per hour / $75,710 per year
- Hawaii – $35.72 per hour / $74,290 per year
- Massachusetts – $35.55 per hour / $73,940 per year
- New Hampshire – $34.65 per hour / $72,070 per year
- District of Columbia – $34.36 per hour / $71,470 per year
What are the lowest paying states for social workers?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 lowest paying states/territories for the category of all other social workers. Numbers are based on the mean.
- Puerto Rico – $16.00 per hour / $33,280 per year
- Montana – $20.36 per hour / $42,340 per year
- South Carolina – $21.73 per hour / $45,190 per year
- Arkansas – $22.91 per hour / $47,660 per year
- Guam – $22.97 per hour / $47,780 per year
What is the Career Ranking for this job?
Well, according to usnews.com, becoming a social worker is exceptionally fulfilling. They analyze a boatload of data about salary, unemployment rate, and stress to select the top jobs for each year.
Clinical social workers are ranked:
- #5 in Best Social Service Jobs
- #63 in The 100 Best Jobs
Child and family social workers are ranked:
- #6 in Best Social Service Jobs
- #71 in The 100 Best Jobs
What is the growth potential as a social worker?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical job growth in a sector is 7%. Social worker job growth between 2016 and 2026 is expected to be 16%, adding 109,700 new jobs. That is much faster than the market average!
What are the unemployment figures like for social workers?
When looking at a career to get into, it is a good idea to factor in data on how long you can stay employed. Social workers have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the US. According to usnews.com, the unemployment rate for social workers is only 2.1%.
The bottom line: Becoming a social worker is not just a rewarding career; it is a growing and lucrative one, too.