The median annual wage for social workers was $45,900 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,530, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $76,820.
Median annual wages for social workers in May 2015 were as follows:
Social workers, all other
$58,560
Healthcare social workers
52,380
Child, family, and school social workers
42,350
Mental health and substance abuse social workers
42,170
In May 2015, the median annual wages for social workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Hospitals; state, local, and private
$56,650
State and local government, excluding education and hospitals
46,940
Ambulatory healthcare services
46,050
Nursing and residential care facilities
40,440
Individual and family services
38,760
Social workers generally work full time. They sometimes work evenings, weekends, and holidays to see clients or attend meetings.
Social Workers
Median annual wages, May 2015
Social workers
$45,900
Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists
$42,030
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics