Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1113) earn a median $77,570 a year in the United States, with 12,610 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Hawaii.
What social work teachers, postsecondary do
Social work teachers prepare college students for work in social services, teaching subjects such as family behavior, child and adolescent mental health, and social intervention evaluation. They prepare materials, lead classroom discussions, give and grade examinations, and supervise students' laboratory and field work. Some also conduct research. The role is academic and separate from social workers who serve clients directly. Faculty also supervise undergraduate and graduate teaching, internship, and research work, evaluate and grade class work and papers, and plan and revise curricula and methods of instruction. Alternate titles include clinical professor and family welfare social work professor, with ranks from adjunct professor to associate professor. Social work faculty may be mostly teaching or a mix of teaching and research, and either way they are counted here.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a doctoral degree.
Also called: Adjunct Professor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Clinical Professor, College Faculty Member.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 12,610 |
| Annual | $48,200 | $61,170 | $77,570 | $100,400 | $126,790 | $83,940 | ||
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 social work teachers, postsecondary 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 | ||||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.07 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $87,690 | $122,600 | $133,340 | $134,840 | $138,670 | $126,140 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $50,980 | $68,860 | $108,610 | $114,120 | $129,220 | $95,890 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 50 | 0.10 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $69,100 | $80,800 | $100,550 | $133,440 | $133,440 | $103,760 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| Annual | $61,960 | $74,390 | $100,400 | $103,560 | $162,960 | $101,920 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,840 | 0.19 | 2.34 |
| Annual | $65,310 | $77,890 | $98,700 | $107,500 | $127,980 | $99,760 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,840 | 0.19 | 2.34 |
| Annual | $65,310 | $77,890 | $98,700 | $107,500 | $127,980 | $99,760 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,050 | 0.17 | 2.13 |
| Annual | $40,960 | $61,000 | $75,920 | $100,360 | $125,310 | $82,340 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 670 | 0.12 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $22,260 | $50,990 | $60,930 | $79,490 | $100,950 | $66,840 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 650 | 0.18 | 2.19 |
| Annual | $52,520 | $58,880 | $79,710 | $108,090 | $136,250 | $96,560 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 610 | 0.14 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $33,240 | $50,940 | $76,680 | $106,340 | $136,990 | $84,500 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $56,880 | $79,680 | $125,770 | $161,870 | $205,240 | $129,870 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,680 | 0.18 | 2.18 |
| Annual | $65,310 | $76,670 | $98,700 | $107,500 | $127,980 | $98,710 | ||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 60 | 0.04 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $60,770 | $79,310 | $98,590 | $119,350 | $131,570 | $98,190 | ||||
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 30 | 0.10 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $54,900 | $59,800 | $94,990 | $125,310 | $127,200 | $94,830 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.07 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $58,000 | $75,590 | $91,900 | $113,570 | $149,630 | $100,400 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 1,680 | 0.18 | 2.18 |
| Annual | $65,310 | $76,670 | $98,700 | $107,500 | $127,980 | $98,710 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 470 | 0.18 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $58,610 | $62,830 | $83,160 | $134,300 | $136,250 | $101,850 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 390 | 0.13 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $47,420 | $63,230 | $80,300 | $102,760 | $135,990 | $87,740 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 380 | 0.08 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $38,470 | $49,180 | $72,890 | $98,640 | $137,260 | $83,490 | ||||
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | Hourly | * | * | * | * | * | * | 220 | 0.20 | 2.50 |
| Annual | $40,640 | $51,680 | $66,570 | $82,920 | $136,130 | $80,090 | ||||
Top industries employing social work teachers, postsecondary
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 91.5% of social work teachers, postsecondary nationally (11,540 jobs) at a median $77,730 a year, followed by Junior Colleges (8.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 11,540 | 91.5% | $77,730 | * |
| Junior Colleges NAICS 611200 | 1,050 | 8.3% | $74,390 | * |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (12,610). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $71,010 for social work teachers, postsecondary in May 2021 and $77,570 in May 2025, with employment of 12,280 and 12,610.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $71,010 | * | 12,280 |
| May 2022 | $66,510 | * | 12,050 |
| May 2023 | $75,020 | * | 11,730 |
| May 2024 | $76,210 | * | 13,350 |
| May 2025 | $77,570 | * | 12,610 |
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
43 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 | Hawaii profile | * | $133,340 | $87,690 | $138,670 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.91 |
| 2 | Kansas profile | * | $108,610 | $50,980 | $129,220 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| 3 | Delaware profile | * | $100,550 | $69,100 | $133,440 | 50 | 0.10 | 1.19 |
| 4 | South Carolina profile | * | $100,400 | $61,960 | $162,960 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.44 |
| 5 | New York profile | * | $98,700 | $65,310 | $127,980 | 1,840 | 0.19 | 2.34 |
| 6 | Maryland profile | * | $97,110 | $66,690 | $139,930 | 230 | 0.08 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Texas profile | * | $83,440 | $40,340 | $135,490 | 90 | 0.01 | 0.08 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | * | $82,470 | $51,530 | $102,860 | 360 | 0.12 | 1.50 |
| 9 | Utah profile | * | $81,850 | $61,140 | $122,110 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.70 |
| 10 | California profile | * | $81,500 | $53,760 | $151,990 | 230 | 0.01 | 0.16 |
| 11 | Maine profile | * | $80,250 | $51,890 | $149,430 | 90 | 0.14 | 1.71 |
| 12 | Connecticut profile | * | $79,960 | $51,230 | $120,660 | 150 | 0.09 | 1.06 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | * | $79,710 | $52,520 | $136,250 | 650 | 0.18 | 2.19 |
| 14 | Washington profile | * | $77,920 | $52,320 | $130,070 | 200 | 0.06 | 0.70 |
| 15 | New Jersey profile | * | $77,570 | $49,910 | $155,850 | 450 | 0.10 | 1.29 |
| 16 | Virginia profile | * | $77,180 | $50,020 | $125,930 | 390 | 0.10 | 1.17 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | * | $77,010 | $42,690 | $129,450 | 510 | 0.08 | 1.03 |
| 18 | Michigan profile | * | $76,680 | $33,240 | $136,990 | 610 | 0.14 | 1.72 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | * | $76,420 | $48,720 | $114,440 | 400 | 0.14 | 1.67 |
| 20 | West Virginia profile | * | $76,320 | $51,280 | $109,940 | 80 | 0.12 | 1.46 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | * | $75,920 | $40,960 | $125,310 | 1,050 | 0.17 | 2.13 |
| 22 | New Hampshire profile | * | $75,500 | $41,940 | $99,340 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.84 |
| 23 | Tennessee profile | * | $75,190 | $49,170 | $99,900 | 240 | 0.07 | 0.89 |
| 24 | Oregon profile | * | $74,320 | $39,880 | $104,740 | 220 | 0.11 | 1.36 |
| 25 | Indiana profile | * | $74,240 | $50,430 | $128,780 | 440 | 0.14 | 1.69 |
| 26 | Nevada profile | * | $74,180 | $48,540 | $118,820 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.55 |
| 27 | Arizona profile | * | $71,690 | $60,270 | $94,590 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.54 |
| 28 | New Mexico profile | * | $69,950 | $48,680 | $99,370 | 210 | 0.24 | 3.01 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | * | $68,660 | $43,970 | $103,990 | 580 | 0.12 | 1.44 |
| 30 | Alabama profile | * | $66,520 | $51,130 | $103,710 | 240 | 0.11 | 1.39 |
| 31 | Missouri profile | * | $66,470 | $39,770 | $114,710 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.65 |
| 32 | Georgia profile | * | $65,350 | $40,720 | $107,050 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.21 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | * | $65,260 | $41,280 | $103,340 | 280 | 0.14 | 1.73 |
| 34 | Iowa profile | * | $64,190 | $44,730 | $129,840 | 140 | 0.09 | 1.09 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | * | $63,680 | $43,850 | $96,940 | 200 | 0.17 | 2.07 |
| 36 | Idaho profile | * | $62,230 | $49,730 | $135,240 | 80 | 0.09 | 1.12 |
| 37 | Nebraska profile | * | $61,430 | $30,250 | $106,850 | 50 | 0.04 | 0.55 |
| 38 | Ohio profile | * | $60,930 | $22,260 | $100,950 | 670 | 0.12 | 1.49 |
| 39 | Oklahoma profile | * | $60,910 | $45,260 | $85,490 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| 40 | Florida profile | * | $60,580 | $55,790 | $96,050 | 90 | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | * | $60,470 | $48,770 | $93,400 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.63 |
| 42 | South Dakota profile | * | $60,100 | $55,200 | $83,570 | 100 | 0.22 | 2.67 |
| 43 | Montana profile | * | $43,010 | $41,860 | $75,370 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (25-1110), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Educational Instruction and Library 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 25-1113 Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- 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. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.
- 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. A withheld or top-coded cell in that table shows the marker explained above.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 25-1113, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 25-1113.00, 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.