Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021) earn a median $59,550 a year ($28.63 an hour) in the United States, with 392,550 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Connecticut.
What child, family, and school social workers do
Child, family, and school social workers provide services that improve the well-being of children and families and help children function better in school. Typical tasks include interviewing clients individually, in families, or in groups to assess their situations and capabilities, developing and reviewing service plans with clients and following up to see how they are progressing, and serving as liaisons among students, homes, schools, family service agencies, and child guidance clinics. They keep case history records and prepare reports. Depending on the setting, they may help parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children, and in schools they address problems such as truancy and misbehavior. The occupation differs from healthcare social workers, who work with people coping with illness, from mental health and substance abuse social workers, who focus on treatment, and from school counselors, who advise on academic and career planning. They also address legal issues such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and giving testimony, and they counsel parents who are having trouble with child rearing.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Adoption Social Worker, Adolescent Counselor, Adoption Agent, Adoption Coordinator, Adoption Counselor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.33 | $23.21 | $28.63 | $36.57 | $45.93 | $30.77 | 392,550 |
| Annual | $42,280 | $48,270 | $59,550 | $76,070 | $95,530 | $64,000 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where child, family, and school social workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $23.40 | $29.82 | $37.97 | $48.32 | $52.88 | $38.55 | 5,230 | 3.08 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $48,660 | $62,030 | $78,970 | $100,510 | $109,980 | $80,180 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $19.83 | $27.36 | $36.73 | $45.16 | $50.75 | $36.25 | 4,710 | 1.70 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $41,240 | $56,920 | $76,390 | $93,940 | $105,570 | $75,400 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $23.00 | $28.62 | $36.67 | $46.87 | $52.61 | $37.77 | 7,360 | 1.72 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $47,830 | $59,530 | $76,280 | $97,500 | $109,420 | $78,560 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $23.15 | $29.40 | $36.33 | $45.51 | $50.03 | $37.05 | 10,900 | 3.00 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $48,140 | $61,150 | $75,570 | $94,650 | $104,060 | $77,060 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $23.44 | $28.33 | $35.81 | $41.68 | $47.16 | $35.63 | 10,720 | 3.02 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $48,750 | $58,920 | $74,480 | $86,700 | $98,100 | $74,100 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.81 | $25.13 | $31.35 | $39.46 | $49.54 | $34.59 | 60,310 | 3.31 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $45,360 | $52,270 | $65,200 | $82,080 | $103,050 | $71,940 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.27 | $27.04 | $31.30 | $38.23 | $48.12 | $34.69 | 30,170 | 3.11 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $48,400 | $56,230 | $65,100 | $79,510 | $100,100 | $72,150 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.90 | $22.27 | $26.77 | $30.71 | $35.42 | $26.78 | 21,670 | 1.54 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $37,230 | $46,330 | $55,680 | $63,870 | $73,670 | $55,700 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $22.65 | $25.15 | $30.39 | $39.26 | $50.80 | $33.98 | 19,860 | 3.26 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $47,120 | $52,320 | $63,220 | $81,650 | $105,660 | $70,670 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.48 | $21.49 | $24.43 | $30.52 | $37.73 | $26.60 | 16,200 | 2.67 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $38,430 | $44,700 | $50,820 | $63,480 | $78,470 | $55,330 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $27.61 | $30.44 | $42.12 | $50.96 | $62.60 | $43.18 | 2,120 | 1.87 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $57,430 | $63,310 | $87,600 | $106,000 | $130,210 | $89,820 | ||||
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | Hourly | $24.58 | $30.71 | $39.34 | $48.31 | $52.18 | $38.94 | 450 | 3.52 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $51,130 | $63,880 | $81,830 | $100,480 | $108,530 | $80,980 | ||||
| Salisbury, MD | Hourly | $24.72 | $29.75 | $39.19 | $43.12 | $49.76 | $38.18 | 120 | 2.21 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $51,420 | $61,890 | $81,520 | $89,690 | $103,500 | $79,420 | ||||
| Longview-Kelso, WA | Hourly | $25.14 | $31.97 | $38.68 | $44.69 | $48.16 | $37.52 | 130 | 3.06 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $52,300 | $66,500 | $80,450 | $92,960 | $100,160 | $78,050 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $23.47 | $28.45 | $38.67 | $44.69 | $48.16 | $36.99 | 580 | 4.42 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $48,820 | $59,170 | $80,430 | $92,960 | $100,160 | $76,950 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.27 | $24.24 | $34.26 | $47.00 | $49.54 | $35.57 | 26,220 | 4.18 | 1.66 |
| Annual | $44,230 | $50,430 | $71,250 | $97,760 | $103,050 | $73,990 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $23.95 | $28.27 | $31.99 | $43.00 | $52.27 | $36.72 | 24,350 | 2.57 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $49,820 | $58,790 | $66,540 | $89,450 | $108,720 | $76,390 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $23.30 | $25.94 | $31.15 | $39.73 | $53.07 | $34.63 | 13,550 | 3.00 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $48,460 | $53,950 | $64,790 | $82,640 | $110,390 | $72,040 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $24.02 | $29.88 | $37.22 | $47.05 | $52.31 | $37.96 | 7,070 | 2.61 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $49,970 | $62,150 | $77,420 | $97,860 | $108,810 | $78,950 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $20.18 | $22.72 | $26.89 | $35.34 | $42.73 | $29.04 | 6,850 | 2.37 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $41,980 | $47,250 | $55,930 | $73,500 | $88,870 | $60,400 | ||||
Top industries employing child, family, and school social workers
Individual and Family Services employ 23.0% of child, family, and school social workers nationally (90,230 jobs) at a median $50,430 a year ($24.25 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (20.4%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (18.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 90,230 | 23.0% | $50,430 | $24.25 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 80,220 | 20.4% | $66,500 | $31.97 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 74,370 | 18.9% | $62,310 | $29.96 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 64,500 | 16.4% | $69,620 | $33.47 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services NAICS 624200 | 13,940 | 3.6% | $50,190 | $24.13 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (392,550). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,150 for child, family, and school social workers in May 2021 and $59,550 in May 2025, with employment of 340,050 and 392,550.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,150 | $23.63 | 340,050 |
| May 2022 | $50,820 | $24.43 | 344,770 |
| May 2023 | $53,940 | $25.93 | 352,160 |
| May 2024 | $58,570 | $28.16 | 382,960 |
| May 2025 | $59,550 | $28.63 | 392,550 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut profile | $37.97 | $78,970 | $48,660 | $109,980 | 5,230 | 3.08 | 1.22 |
| 2 | Maryland profile | $36.73 | $76,390 | $41,240 | $105,570 | 4,710 | 1.70 | 0.67 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $36.67 | $76,280 | $47,830 | $109,420 | 7,360 | 1.72 | 0.68 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $36.33 | $75,570 | $48,140 | $104,060 | 10,900 | 3.00 | 1.19 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $35.81 | $74,480 | $48,750 | $98,100 | 10,720 | 3.02 | 1.20 |
| 6 | District of Columbia profile | $35.36 | $73,550 | $53,020 | $113,440 | 2,430 | 3.46 | 1.37 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $34.14 | $71,010 | $41,150 | $101,570 | 1,700 | 2.49 | 0.99 |
| 8 | Rhode Island profile | $33.59 | $69,870 | $42,560 | $97,730 | 2,450 | 4.88 | 1.93 |
| 9 | Hawaii profile | $32.82 | $68,270 | $46,840 | $93,430 | 1,170 | 1.87 | 0.74 |
| 10 | Minnesota profile | $32.43 | $67,450 | $47,890 | $99,320 | 6,540 | 2.22 | 0.88 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $32.38 | $67,340 | $47,270 | $84,140 | 640 | 2.12 | 0.84 |
| 12 | California profile | $31.35 | $65,200 | $45,360 | $103,050 | 60,310 | 3.31 | 1.31 |
| 13 | New York profile | $31.30 | $65,100 | $48,400 | $100,100 | 30,170 | 3.11 | 1.23 |
| 14 | North Dakota profile | $31.04 | $64,560 | $47,130 | $81,160 | 870 | 2.02 | 0.80 |
| 15 | Oregon profile | $30.83 | $64,130 | $47,760 | $89,220 | 6,630 | 3.37 | 1.33 |
| 16 | Colorado profile | $30.64 | $63,720 | $45,980 | $102,990 | 8,200 | 2.85 | 1.13 |
| 17 | Maine profile | $30.43 | $63,290 | $50,110 | $84,090 | 2,000 | 3.12 | 1.24 |
| 18 | Illinois profile | $30.39 | $63,220 | $47,120 | $105,660 | 19,860 | 3.26 | 1.29 |
| 19 | Alaska profile | $30.11 | $62,630 | $45,330 | $91,240 | 1,260 | 3.87 | 1.53 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | $29.49 | $61,330 | $45,060 | $95,360 | 9,410 | 2.29 | 0.91 |
| 21 | Nevada profile | $29.36 | $61,080 | $45,960 | $98,010 | 4,030 | 2.60 | 1.03 |
| 22 | Idaho profile | $28.77 | $59,840 | $37,990 | $81,650 | 810 | 0.95 | 0.38 |
| 23 | North Carolina profile | $28.66 | $59,610 | $42,870 | $76,950 | 13,010 | 2.63 | 1.04 |
| 24 | Wisconsin profile | $28.50 | $59,280 | $44,400 | $80,900 | 5,710 | 1.94 | 0.77 |
| 25 | Michigan profile | $28.49 | $59,270 | $41,260 | $81,100 | 15,760 | 3.58 | 1.42 |
| 26 | Kentucky profile | $28.42 | $59,100 | $39,210 | $78,660 | 8,470 | 4.23 | 1.68 |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $27.31 | $56,800 | $35,260 | $75,110 | 1,110 | 0.58 | 0.23 |
| 28 | Montana profile | $27.30 | $56,780 | $39,250 | $72,000 | 1,250 | 2.44 | 0.96 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $27.19 | $56,550 | $39,760 | $79,580 | 14,000 | 1.41 | 0.56 |
| 30 | Wyoming profile | $27.13 | $56,420 | $34,280 | $74,870 | 710 | 2.53 | 1.00 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | $27.07 | $56,310 | $39,650 | $77,230 | 7,870 | 2.40 | 0.95 |
| 32 | New Mexico profile | $27.00 | $56,160 | $36,920 | $101,600 | 2,990 | 3.43 | 1.36 |
| 33 | Texas profile | $26.77 | $55,680 | $37,230 | $73,670 | 21,670 | 1.54 | 0.61 |
| 34 | Kansas profile | $26.11 | $54,300 | $43,690 | $69,970 | 3,190 | 2.22 | 0.88 |
| 35 | Iowa profile | $25.12 | $52,250 | $39,240 | $81,170 | 3,410 | 2.19 | 0.87 |
| 36 | West Virginia profile | $25.11 | $52,220 | $38,410 | $66,980 | 2,380 | 3.39 | 1.34 |
| 37 | Utah profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $36,040 | $98,800 | 1,930 | 1.11 | 0.44 |
| 38 | South Carolina profile | $24.90 | $51,800 | $38,530 | $77,390 | 5,520 | 2.40 | 0.95 |
| 39 | Ohio profile | $24.77 | $51,520 | $39,810 | $75,850 | 16,050 | 2.89 | 1.15 |
| 40 | South Dakota profile | $24.57 | $51,100 | $39,150 | $67,310 | 2,050 | 4.48 | 1.77 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.43 | $50,820 | $38,430 | $78,470 | 16,200 | 2.67 | 1.06 |
| 42 | Indiana profile | $24.27 | $50,470 | $38,270 | $72,140 | 6,690 | 2.09 | 0.83 |
| 43 | Arizona profile | $24.11 | $50,150 | $40,420 | $65,900 | 7,560 | 2.33 | 0.92 |
| 44 | Delaware profile | $23.33 | $48,520 | $44,440 | $73,580 | 910 | 1.87 | 0.74 |
| 45 | Missouri profile | $23.33 | $48,520 | $37,200 | $65,230 | 9,620 | 3.28 | 1.30 |
| 46 | Nebraska profile | $22.97 | $47,770 | $41,620 | $64,750 | 4,830 | 4.72 | 1.87 |
| 47 | Georgia profile | $22.84 | $47,510 | $35,690 | $83,380 | 7,110 | 1.46 | 0.58 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $22.43 | $46,660 | $37,780 | $72,490 | 4,220 | 2.00 | 0.79 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $22.37 | $46,530 | $33,590 | $62,130 | 3,310 | 2.85 | 1.13 |
| 50 | Oklahoma profile | $21.13 | $43,950 | $37,560 | $59,540 | 6,500 | 3.81 | 1.51 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $20.83 | $43,330 | $36,070 | $59,470 | 1,150 | 0.88 | 0.35 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (21-1020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Community and Social Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 21-1021 Child, Family, and School Social Workers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 21-1021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.