21 Series · SOC 21-1021

Child, Family, and School Social Workers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$59,550
Median / year
+1.7%
2024→2025
$95,530
Top 10% earn
+3.4%
Growth '24–'34
392,550
Estimated US jobs

Child, Family, and School Social Workers earn a median of $59,550 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $59,550, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $42,280 (10th percentile) to $95,530 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 392,550 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Connecticut ($78,970).

21 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Child, Family, and School Social Workers earn a median of $59,550, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 47% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Community and Social Service, it ranks #9 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.4% by 2034.

$59,550
Median annual wage
Top 53%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#9 of 17
in Community and Social Service
2.3×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Connecticut at $78,970. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Child, Family, and School Social Workers moved from $47,390 in May 2019 to $59,550 in May 2025 (+25.7%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Child, Family, and School Social Workers sits +1.2 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021) has a national median of $59,550 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $42,280 to $95,530, and the published mean is $64,000. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 392,550 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 521 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $58,570 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $59,550 in May 2025, a rise of $980 (+1.7%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 35,100 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Community and Social Service Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Connecticut pays the highest state median at $78,970, which is +33% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $87,600. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 392,550 jobs Median $59,550/yr

Median Salary

$59,550

per year

Median Hourly

$28.63/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$64,000

average

Employment

392,550

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Child, Family, and School Social Workers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$59,550 Bottom 47% higher than 47% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$59,550 · 47th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 21-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Child, Family, and School Social Workers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 17 21-series occupations with growth data, Child, Family, and School Social Workers sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $59,550 median pay. Scatter plot of 17 data points. $40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Substance Abuse, Beh… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.8% · Median annual wage: $59350Social and Human Ser… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45930Child, Family, and S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $59550Educational, Guidanc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $64330Healthcare Social Wo… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.7% · Median annual wage: $67880Mental Health and Su… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.7% · Median annual wage: $60280Community and Social… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $56730Rehabilitation Couns… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.4% · Median annual wage: $46850Probation Officers a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $66270Marriage and Family … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.6% · Median annual wage: $66940Health Education Spe… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64070Social Workers, All … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.9% · Median annual wage: $71900Community Health Wor… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.3% · Median annual wage: $51850Clergy - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $60810Counselors, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.6% · Median annual wage: $50860Directors, Religious… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.1% · Median annual wage: $52100Religious Workers, A… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $45280
Among 17 21-series occupations with growth data, Child, Family, and School Social Workers sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $59,550 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Substance Abuse, Beh…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.8%, Median annual wage $59350
  • Social and Human Ser…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45930
  • Child, Family, and S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $59550
  • Educational, Guidanc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $64330
  • Healthcare Social Wo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.7%, Median annual wage $67880
  • Mental Health and Su…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.7%, Median annual wage $60280
  • Community and Social…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $56730
  • Rehabilitation Couns…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.4%, Median annual wage $46850
  • Probation Officers a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $66270
  • Marriage and Family …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $66940
  • Health Education Spe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64070
  • Social Workers, All …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $71900
  • Community Health Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.3%, Median annual wage $51850
  • Clergy: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $60810
  • Counselors, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $50860
  • Directors, Religious…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $52100
  • Religious Workers, A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $45280

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.4%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

35,100

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+13,400

399,900 (2024) → 413,300 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Community and Social Service Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.5/100

Danger Index

2.2/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Child, Family, and School Social Workers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 4.9
Speaking 4.5
Critical Thinking 4.1
Social Perceptiveness 4.1
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Service Orientation 4.0
Judgment and Decision Making 4.0
Monitoring 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.9
Writing 3.8

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.3
Psychology 4.1
Therapy and Counseling 4.1
English Language 3.8
Administrative 3.6
Sociology and Anthropology 3.4
Education and Training 3.3
Law and Government 3.1
Administration and Management 3.0
Computers and Electronics 2.8

Key Tasks

  • Place children in foster or adoptive homes, institutions, or medical treatment centers.
  • Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
  • Recommend temporary foster care and advise foster or adoptive parents.
  • Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
  • Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
  • Counsel students whose behavior, school progress, or mental or physical impairment indicate a need for assistance, diagnosing students' problems and arranging for needed services.
  • Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
  • Address legal issues, such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and providing testimony to inform custody arrangements.
  • Counsel parents with child rearing problems, interviewing the child and family to determine whether further action is required.
  • Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems, such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$42,280
25th$48,270
Median$59,550
75th$76,070
90th$95,530

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$20.33
25th$23.21
Median$28.63
75th$36.57
90th$45.93

Child, Family, and School Social Workers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $42,350National median - 2016: $43,250National median - 2017: $44,380National median - 2018: $46,270National median - 2019: $47,390National median - 2020: $48,430National median - 2021: $49,150National median - 2022: $50,820National median - 2023: $53,940National median - 2024: $58,570National median - 2025: $59,550$59,550
National median annual wage for Child, Family, and School Social Workers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $42,350
2016 $43,250
2017 $44,380
2018 $46,270
2019 $47,390
2020 $48,430
2021 $49,150
2022 $50,820
2023 $53,940
2024 $58,570
2025 $59,550

2015 median

$42,350

2025 median

$59,550

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$12,160 (+25.7%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.9%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Child, Family, and School Social Workers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $42,350 First banked release 294,080
May 2016 $43,250 +2.1% 298,840
May 2017 $44,380 +2.6% 306,370
May 2018 $46,270 +4.3% 320,170
May 2019 $47,390 Classification break 327,710
May 2020 $48,430 +2.2% 328,120
May 2021 $49,150 +1.5% 340,050
May 2022 $50,820 +3.4% 344,770
May 2023 $53,940 +6.1% 352,160
May 2024 $58,570 +8.6% 382,960
May 2025 $59,550 +1.7% 392,550

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $42,350 in May 2015 to $59,550 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.9% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 327,710 in May 2019 to 392,550 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 54 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Connecticut $78,970 +33% above national
2 Maryland $76,390 +28% above national
3 New Jersey $76,280 +28% above national
4 Massachusetts $75,570 +27% above national
5 Washington $74,480 +25% above national
6 District of Columbia $73,550 +24% above national
7 New Hampshire $71,010 +19% above national
8 Rhode Island $69,870 +17% above national
9 Hawaii $68,270 +15% above national
10 Minnesota $67,450 +13% above national
11 Vermont $67,340 +13% above national
12 California $65,200 +9% above national
13 New York $65,100 +9% above national
14 North Dakota $64,560 +8% above national
15 Oregon $64,130 +8% above national
16 Colorado $63,720 +7% above national
17 Maine $63,290 +6% above national
18 Illinois $63,220 +6% above national
19 Alaska $62,630 +5% above national
20 Virginia $61,330 +3% above national
21 Nevada $61,080 +3% above national
22 Idaho $59,840 same as national
23 North Carolina $59,610 same as national
24 Wisconsin $59,280 same as national
25 Michigan $59,270 same as national
26 Kentucky $59,100 1% below national
27 Louisiana $56,800 5% below national
28 Montana $56,780 5% below national
29 Florida $56,550 5% below national
30 Wyoming $56,420 5% below national
31 Tennessee $56,310 5% below national
32 New Mexico $56,160 6% below national
33 Texas $55,680 6% below national
34 Guam $54,910 8% below national
35 Kansas $54,300 9% below national
36 Iowa $52,250 12% below national
37 West Virginia $52,220 12% below national
38 Utah $52,000 13% below national
39 South Carolina $51,800 13% below national
40 Ohio $51,520 13% below national
41 South Dakota $51,100 14% below national
42 Pennsylvania $50,820 15% below national
43 Virgin Islands $50,810 15% below national
44 Indiana $50,470 15% below national
45 Arizona $50,150 16% below national
46 Delaware $48,520 19% below national
47 Missouri $48,520 19% below national
48 Nebraska $47,770 20% below national
49 Georgia $47,510 20% below national
50 Alabama $46,660 22% below national
51 Mississippi $46,530 22% below national
52 Oklahoma $43,950 26% below national
53 Puerto Rico $43,620 27% below national
54 Arkansas $43,330 27% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 390 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $87,600 +47% above national
2 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $81,830 +37% above national
3 Salisbury, MD $81,520 +37% above national
4 Longview-Kelso, WA $80,450 +35% above national
5 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $80,430 +35% above national
6 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $79,920 +34% above national
7 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $78,970 +33% above national
8 New Haven, CT $78,970 +33% above national
9 Greeley, CO $78,530 +32% above national
10 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $78,270 +31% above national
11 Springfield, MA $78,250 +31% above national
12 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $77,710 +30% above national
13 Vallejo, CA $77,490 +30% above national
14 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $77,420 +30% above national
15 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $77,300 +30% above national
16 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $77,260 +30% above national
17 Pittsfield, MA $76,440 +28% above national
18 Springfield, IL $76,330 +28% above national
19 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $76,270 +28% above national
20 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $75,580 +27% above national
21 Barnstable Town, MA $75,570 +27% above national
22 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $75,550 +27% above national
23 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $75,280 +26% above national
24 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $74,960 +26% above national
25 Walla Walla, WA $72,910 +22% above national
26 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $72,730 +22% above national
27 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $72,020 +21% above national
28 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $71,250 +20% above national
29 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $71,140 +19% above national
30 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $70,900 +19% above national
31 Worcester, MA $70,900 +19% above national
32 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $70,530 +18% above national
33 Jackson, MI $70,350 +18% above national
34 Kennewick-Richland, WA $69,960 +17% above national
35 Lexington Park, MD $69,700 +17% above national
36 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $69,570 +17% above national
37 Bismarck, ND $69,400 +17% above national
38 Grants Pass, OR $68,960 +16% above national
39 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $68,560 +15% above national
40 Vineland, NJ $68,530 +15% above national
41 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $68,280 +15% above national
42 Urban Honolulu, HI $68,270 +15% above national
43 Fairbanks-College, AK $68,180 +14% above national
44 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $67,910 +14% above national
45 Kingston, NY $67,670 +14% above national
46 Yakima, WA $67,650 +14% above national
47 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $67,560 +13% above national
48 Medford, OR $67,170 +13% above national
49 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $66,910 +12% above national
50 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $66,620 +12% above national
51 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $66,540 +12% above national
52 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $66,540 +12% above national
53 Jacksonville, NC $66,520 +12% above national
54 Twin Falls, ID $65,980 +11% above national
55 Homosassa Springs, FL $65,810 +11% above national
56 Carson City, NV $65,250 +10% above national
57 Minot, ND $65,180 +9% above national
58 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $64,790 +9% above national
59 Salem, OR $64,700 +9% above national
60 Boulder, CO $64,660 +9% above national
61 Anchorage, AK $64,640 +9% above national
62 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $64,230 +8% above national
63 Bowling Green, KY $64,050 +8% above national
64 Yuba City, CA $64,040 +8% above national
65 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $64,020 +8% above national
66 Eau Claire, WI $63,930 +7% above national
67 Lexington-Fayette, KY $63,780 +7% above national
68 Portland-South Portland, ME $63,700 +7% above national
69 Eugene-Springfield, OR $63,520 +7% above national
70 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $63,480 +7% above national
71 Fayetteville, NC $63,320 +6% above national
72 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $63,270 +6% above national
73 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $63,230 +6% above national
74 Bellingham, WA $63,130 +6% above national
75 Syracuse, NY $63,120 +6% above national
76 Grand Forks, ND-MN $63,100 +6% above national
77 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $63,070 +6% above national
78 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $62,810 +5% above national
79 Bend, OR $62,760 +5% above national
80 Napa, CA $62,760 +5% above national
81 Manchester-Nashua, NH $62,720 +5% above national
82 Wilmington, NC $62,710 +5% above national
83 Raleigh-Cary, NC $62,700 +5% above national
84 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $62,640 +5% above national
85 Stockton-Lodi, CA $62,610 +5% above national
86 Salinas, CA $62,520 +5% above national
87 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $62,370 +5% above national
88 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $62,360 +5% above national
89 Duluth, MN-WI $62,240 +5% above national
90 Binghamton, NY $62,160 +4% above national
91 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $62,140 +4% above national
92 Elizabethtown, KY $62,130 +4% above national
93 Rochester, MN $62,090 +4% above national
94 Fresno, CA $62,080 +4% above national
95 Rochester, NY $62,030 +4% above national
96 Madison, WI $62,020 +4% above national
97 Bangor, ME $61,980 +4% above national
98 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $61,980 +4% above national
99 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $61,960 +4% above national
100 Rockford, IL $61,940 +4% above national
101 Chico, CA $61,720 +4% above national
102 Mankato, MN $61,500 +3% above national
103 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $61,480 +3% above national
104 Idaho Falls, ID $61,400 +3% above national
105 Visalia, CA $61,040 +3% above national
106 Albany, OR $61,020 +2% above national
107 Lawrence, KS $60,980 +2% above national
108 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $60,950 +2% above national
109 Ann Arbor, MI $60,940 +2% above national
110 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $60,900 +2% above national
111 Modesto, CA $60,900 +2% above national
112 Farmington, NM $60,890 +2% above national
113 Winchester, VA-WV $60,820 +2% above national
114 St. Cloud, MN $60,790 +2% above national
115 El Centro, CA $60,690 +2% above national
116 Reno, NV $60,600 +2% above national
117 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $60,590 +2% above national
118 Richmond, VA $60,520 +2% above national
119 Baton Rouge, LA $60,440 +1% above national
120 Champaign-Urbana, IL $60,360 +1% above national
121 Colorado Springs, CO $60,320 +1% above national
122 Helena, MT $60,280 +1% above national
123 Merced, CA $60,200 +1% above national
124 San Angelo, TX $60,180 +1% above national
125 Flint, MI $60,160 +1% above national
126 Ithaca, NY $60,120 +1% above national
127 Grand Junction, CO $60,050 +1% above national
128 Harrisonburg, VA $60,000 +1% above national
129 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $59,940 +1% above national
130 Victoria, TX $59,900 +1% above national
131 Fargo, ND-MN $59,860 +1% above national
132 Appleton, WI $59,840 same as national
133 Boise City, ID $59,840 same as national
134 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $59,840 same as national
135 Niles, MI $59,790 same as national
136 Greensboro-High Point, NC $59,780 same as national
137 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $59,770 same as national
138 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $59,710 same as national
139 Asheville, NC $59,680 same as national
140 Traverse City, MI $59,550 same as national
141 Redding, CA $59,520 same as national
142 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $59,330 same as national
143 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $59,270 same as national
144 Clarksville, TN-KY $59,230 1% below national
145 Charlottesville, VA $59,190 1% below national
146 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $59,180 1% below national
147 Greenville, NC $59,110 1% below national
148 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $59,100 1% below national
149 Pocatello, ID $59,100 1% below national
150 Utica-Rome, NY $59,090 1% below national
151 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $58,970 1% below national
152 Sherman-Denison, TX $58,950 1% below national
153 Winston-Salem, NC $58,930 1% below national
154 Owensboro, KY $58,920 1% below national
155 Great Falls, MT $58,810 1% below national
156 Bozeman, MT $58,720 1% below national
157 Monroe, MI $58,710 1% below national
158 Saginaw, MI $58,700 1% below national
159 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $58,640 2% below national
160 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $58,640 2% below national
161 Lewiston, ID-WA $58,550 2% below national
162 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $58,540 2% below national
163 Columbus, OH $58,460 2% below national
164 Glens Falls, NY $58,460 2% below national
165 Bloomington, IL $58,440 2% below national
166 Elmira, NY $58,400 2% below national
167 Kankakee, IL $58,180 2% below national
168 Morristown, TN $58,090 2% below national
169 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $58,040 3% below national
170 Cleveland, TN $58,020 3% below national
171 Toledo, OH $57,990 3% below national
172 Cleveland, OH $57,860 3% below national
173 Wausau, WI $57,720 3% below national
174 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $57,710 3% below national
175 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $57,550 3% below national
176 Casper, WY $57,510 3% below national
177 Corpus Christi, TX $57,490 3% below national
178 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $57,410 4% below national
179 Paducah, KY-IL $57,280 4% below national
180 Decatur, IL $57,270 4% below national
181 Green Bay, WI $57,140 4% below national
182 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $57,080 4% below national
183 Battle Creek, MI $57,000 4% below national
184 Fond du Lac, WI $56,980 4% below national
185 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $56,940 4% below national
186 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $56,930 4% below national
187 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $56,860 5% below national
188 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $56,810 5% below national
189 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $56,810 5% below national
190 Peoria, IL $56,740 5% below national
191 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $56,670 5% below national
192 Killeen-Temple, TX $56,670 5% below national
193 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $56,670 5% below national
194 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $56,660 5% below national
195 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $56,530 5% below national
196 Burlington, NC $56,480 5% below national
197 Coeur d'Alene, ID $56,470 5% below national
198 Pueblo, CO $56,440 5% below national
199 Cheyenne, WY $56,420 5% below national
200 Knoxville, TN $56,310 5% below national
201 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $56,280 5% below national
202 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $56,090 6% below national
203 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $56,070 6% below national
204 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $55,930 6% below national
205 Bay City, MI $55,810 6% below national
206 Corvallis, OR $55,810 6% below national
207 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $55,710 6% below national
208 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $55,650 7% below national
209 Jacksonville, FL $55,630 7% below national
210 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $55,630 7% below national
211 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $55,620 7% below national
212 Punta Gorda, FL $55,600 7% below national
213 Kenosha, WI $55,590 7% below national
214 St. George, UT $55,530 7% below national
215 Albuquerque, NM $55,420 7% below national
216 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $55,090 7% below national
217 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $55,080 8% below national
218 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $55,030 8% below national
219 Wichita Falls, TX $54,950 8% below national
220 Janesville-Beloit, WI $54,820 8% below national
221 Goldsboro, NC $54,780 8% below national
222 Odessa, TX $54,510 8% below national
223 El Paso, TX $54,340 9% below national
224 Topeka, KS $54,310 9% below national
225 Wichita, KS $54,310 9% below national
226 Naples-Marco Island, FL $54,060 9% below national
227 Johnson City, TN $53,980 9% below national
228 Jackson, TN $53,960 9% below national
229 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $53,830 10% below national
230 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $53,800 10% below national
231 Aguadilla, PR $53,750 10% below national
232 Waco, TX $53,670 10% below national
233 Ponce, PR $53,440 10% below national
234 Arecibo, PR $53,280 11% below national
235 Manhattan, KS $53,130 11% below national
236 Lynchburg, VA $53,110 11% below national
237 Guayama, PR $53,100 11% below national
238 Charleston, WV $53,070 11% below national
239 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $53,040 11% below national
240 Lebanon, PA $52,890 11% below national
241 York-Hanover, PA $52,850 11% below national
242 Williamsport, PA $52,790 11% below national
243 Santa Fe, NM $52,740 11% below national
244 Chattanooga, TN-GA $52,330 12% below national
245 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $52,310 12% below national
246 Tyler, TX $52,290 12% below national
247 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $52,280 12% below national
248 Beckley, WV $52,220 12% below national
249 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $52,220 12% below national
250 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $52,220 12% below national
251 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $52,220 12% below national
252 Dubuque, IA $51,980 13% below national
253 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $51,960 13% below national
254 Florence, SC $51,800 13% below national
255 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $51,800 13% below national
256 Spartanburg, SC $51,800 13% below national
257 Midland, TX $51,790 13% below national
258 Jefferson City, MO $51,710 13% below national
259 Dover, DE $51,690 13% below national
260 Chambersburg, PA $51,490 14% below national
261 Gadsden, AL $51,490 14% below national
262 Port St. Lucie, FL $51,490 14% below national
263 College Station-Bryan, TX $51,410 14% below national
264 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $51,400 14% below national
265 Mayaguez, PR $51,170 14% below national
266 Lancaster, PA $51,130 14% below national
267 St. Louis, MO-IL $51,080 14% below national
268 Reading, PA $51,050 14% below national
269 Ogden, UT $50,990 14% below national
270 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $50,910 15% below national
271 Midland, MI $50,890 15% below national
272 Dalton, GA $50,760 15% below national
273 Sheboygan, WI $50,750 15% below national
274 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $50,710 15% below national
275 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $50,710 15% below national
276 Columbia, SC $50,610 15% below national
277 Canton-Massillon, OH $50,590 15% below national
278 Springfield, OH $50,500 15% below national
279 Fort Wayne, IN $50,490 15% below national
280 Rapid City, SD $50,490 15% below national
281 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $50,470 15% below national
282 Muncie, IN $50,470 15% below national
283 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $50,470 15% below national
284 Wheeling, WV-OH $50,450 15% below national
285 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $50,440 15% below national
286 Billings, MT $50,310 16% below national
287 Montgomery, AL $50,240 16% below national
288 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $50,240 16% below national
289 Sumter, SC $50,230 16% below national
290 Missoula, MT $50,200 16% below national
291 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $50,150 16% below national
292 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $50,150 16% below national
293 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $50,150 16% below national
294 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $50,150 16% below national
295 Flagstaff, AZ $50,060 16% below national
296 Lima, OH $50,020 16% below national
297 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $49,970 16% below national
298 Rocky Mount, NC $49,940 16% below national
299 Laredo, TX $49,900 16% below national
300 Kansas City, MO-KS $49,880 16% below national
301 Grand Island, NE $49,810 16% below national
302 Pittsburgh, PA $49,800 16% below national
303 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $49,720 17% below national
304 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $49,630 17% below national
305 Omaha, NE-IA $49,490 17% below national
306 Gainesville, FL $49,280 17% below national
307 Cedar Rapids, IA $49,250 17% below national
308 Roanoke, VA $49,230 17% below national
309 Columbus, IN $49,150 17% below national
310 St. Joseph, MO-KS $49,060 18% below national
311 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $49,000 18% below national
312 Decatur, AL $48,980 18% below national
313 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $48,940 18% below national
314 Tallahassee, FL $48,880 18% below national
315 Akron, OH $48,800 18% below national
316 Abilene, TX $48,790 18% below national
317 Amarillo, TX $48,790 18% below national
318 Iowa City, IA $48,790 18% below national
319 Bloomington, IN $48,730 18% below national
320 Evansville, IN $48,730 18% below national
321 Kokomo, IN $48,730 18% below national
322 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $48,730 18% below national
323 Terre Haute, IN $48,730 18% below national
324 Joplin, MO-KS $48,600 18% below national
325 Lubbock, TX $48,490 19% below national
326 Albany, GA $48,460 19% below national
327 Mobile, AL $48,460 19% below national
328 Savannah, GA $48,340 19% below national
329 Gettysburg, PA $48,050 19% below national
330 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $48,040 19% below national
331 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $47,990 19% below national
332 Springfield, MO $47,980 19% below national
333 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $47,980 19% below national
334 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $47,940 19% below national
335 Ocala, FL $47,900 20% below national
336 Yuma, AZ $47,820 20% below national
337 Morgantown, WV $47,740 20% below national
338 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $47,670 20% below national
339 Youngstown-Warren, OH $47,570 20% below national
340 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $47,550 20% below national
341 Lake Charles, LA $47,490 20% below national
342 Mansfield, OH $47,310 21% below national
343 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $47,190 21% below national
344 Logan, UT-ID $47,180 21% below national
345 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $47,080 21% below national
346 Columbus, GA-AL $47,080 21% below national
347 Gainesville, GA $47,080 21% below national
348 Hinesville, GA $47,080 21% below national
349 Macon-Bibb County, GA $47,080 21% below national
350 Rome, GA $47,080 21% below national
351 Warner Robins, GA $47,080 21% below national
352 Athens-Clarke County, GA $47,010 21% below national
353 Tucson, AZ $47,010 21% below national
354 Sandusky, OH $46,990 21% below national
355 Las Cruces, NM $46,960 21% below national
356 Texarkana, TX-AR $46,900 21% below national
357 Huntsville, AL $46,860 21% below national
358 Jackson, MS $46,610 22% below national
359 Birmingham, AL $46,540 22% below national
360 Hattiesburg, MS $46,530 22% below national
361 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $46,430 22% below national
362 Ames, IA $46,370 22% below national
363 Lincoln, NE $46,230 22% below national
364 Anniston-Oxford, AL $45,920 23% below national
365 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $45,820 23% below national
366 Dothan, AL $45,530 24% below national
367 Columbia, MO $45,460 24% below national
368 State College, PA $45,460 24% below national
369 Longview, TX $45,400 24% below national
370 Valdosta, GA $45,230 24% below national
371 Johnstown, PA $45,010 24% below national
372 Erie, PA $44,810 25% below national
373 Tuscaloosa, AL $44,640 25% below national
374 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $44,610 25% below national
375 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $44,400 25% below national
376 Enid, OK $43,950 26% below national
377 Lawton, OK $43,950 26% below national
378 Oklahoma City, OK $43,950 26% below national
379 Tulsa, OK $43,950 26% below national
380 Auburn-Opelika, AL $43,790 26% below national
381 Jonesboro, AR $43,740 27% below national
382 Fort Smith, AR-OK $42,990 28% below national
383 Altoona, PA $42,590 28% below national
384 Hot Springs, AR $42,310 29% below national
385 Monroe, LA $42,290 29% below national
386 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $42,160 29% below national
387 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $40,580 32% below national
388 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $40,580 32% below national
389 Lafayette, LA $36,340 39% below national
390 Alexandria, LA $35,260 41% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 21 (Community and Social Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Community and Social Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($59,550 here) and reported employment (392,550 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Child, Family, and School Social Workers make?
The median annual salary for Child, Family, and School Social Workers is $59,550 ($28.63/hour). The salary range spans from $42,280 at the 10th percentile to $95,530 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Child, Family, and School Social Workers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $59,550, Child, Family, and School Social Workers pay is higher than 47% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Child, Family, and School Social Workers the most?
Connecticut pays the highest median salary for Child, Family, and School Social Workers at $78,970/year, which is +33% above the national median.
What education do Child, Family, and School Social Workers need?
BLS assigns Child, Family, and School Social Workers to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Child, Family, and School Social Workers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Child, Family, and School Social Workers in this release. WageDex shows the Community and Social Service Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Child, Family, and School Social Workers a good career?
Employment for Child, Family, and School Social Workers is projected to grow 3.4% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 35,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Child, Family, and School Social Workers pay vary by state?
Child, Family, and School Social Workers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Connecticut at $78,970/year, while Arkansas pays the least at $43,330/year. BLS data covers 54 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Child, Family, and School Social Workers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $87,600/year. BLS reports a median for 390 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Child, Family, and School Social Workers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $76,070/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Connecticut leads at $78,970/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.