Social Workers, All Other
Social Workers, All Other (SOC 21-1029) earn a median $71,900 a year ($34.57 an hour) in the United States, with 62,930 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Nevada.
What social workers, all other do
Social workers, all other, is the residual category for social workers whose work is not covered by the more specific classifications for child, family, and school social workers, healthcare social workers, and mental health and substance abuse social workers. Social workers in general help individuals, families, and groups cope with problems in daily life and connect them with services and resources. O*NET titles associated with this group include adult protective services social worker, case manager, case investigator, and case reviewer, which suggest the range of work. Because the category is a catch-all, the tasks, the education involved, and the pay depend on the specialty and employer, and the data used for this page do not give a single set of tasks or a single education level for the group. Case consultant and case supervisor are also among the listed titles.
Also called: Case Manager, Case Consultant, Case Investigator, Case Reviewer, Adult Protective Services Social Worker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.97 | $24.95 | $34.57 | $46.65 | $55.58 | $36.50 | 62,930 |
| Annual | $43,620 | $51,900 | $71,900 | $97,040 | $115,610 | $75,910 | ||
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 workers, all other 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 | ||||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $35.63 | $51.12 | $58.57 | $65.46 | $76.31 | $57.46 | 370 | 0.24 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $74,110 | $106,330 | $121,830 | $136,160 | $158,720 | $119,520 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $38.98 | $48.92 | $55.83 | $62.51 | $66.08 | $54.61 | 200 | 0.32 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $81,080 | $101,750 | $116,130 | $130,020 | $137,450 | $113,580 | ||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $44.02 | $46.78 | $53.65 | $57.72 | $61.02 | $52.71 | 90 | 0.17 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $91,560 | $97,300 | $111,590 | $120,060 | $126,920 | $109,640 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $20.50 | $33.27 | $49.86 | $54.69 | $57.90 | $44.12 | 100 | 0.15 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $42,640 | $69,200 | $103,710 | $113,760 | $120,430 | $91,760 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $26.66 | $38.59 | $49.29 | $56.58 | $60.50 | $46.73 | 790 | 0.22 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $55,450 | $80,270 | $102,520 | $117,690 | $125,840 | $97,200 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $26.68 | $30.75 | $38.36 | $45.42 | $48.66 | $38.18 | 7,270 | 2.46 | 6.09 |
| Annual | $55,500 | $63,950 | $79,790 | $94,480 | $101,210 | $79,420 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.38 | $20.36 | $30.29 | $49.12 | $63.69 | $36.20 | 6,430 | 0.35 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $36,160 | $42,350 | $63,010 | $102,160 | $132,480 | $75,300 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $20.30 | $24.04 | $28.15 | $42.62 | $52.88 | $33.20 | 4,800 | 0.48 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $42,220 | $50,000 | $58,550 | $88,650 | $109,990 | $69,060 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $23.44 | $28.42 | $32.61 | $37.17 | $42.90 | $33.75 | 3,710 | 1.89 | 4.66 |
| Annual | $48,750 | $59,110 | $67,820 | $77,320 | $89,220 | $70,200 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $18.39 | $22.54 | $28.74 | $37.71 | $50.29 | $31.41 | 3,250 | 0.59 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $38,260 | $46,890 | $59,780 | $78,440 | $104,600 | $65,330 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Reno, NV | Hourly | $47.97 | $58.05 | $74.06 | $80.80 | $85.29 | $68.49 | 110 | 0.39 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $99,780 | $120,740 | $154,040 | $168,060 | $177,400 | $142,460 | ||||
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | Hourly | $23.54 | $27.11 | $58.26 | $65.73 | $73.95 | $50.60 | 50 | 0.19 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $48,970 | $56,390 | $121,180 | $136,720 | $153,820 | $105,250 | ||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $44.55 | $51.68 | $56.85 | $60.29 | $63.74 | $54.91 | 240 | 0.21 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $92,660 | $107,490 | $118,250 | $125,400 | $132,580 | $114,210 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $38.98 | $48.92 | $56.34 | $62.51 | $64.30 | $54.48 | 180 | 0.40 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $81,080 | $101,750 | $117,190 | $130,020 | $133,740 | $113,310 | ||||
| Worcester, MA | Hourly | $35.68 | $43.17 | $54.31 | $58.43 | $61.77 | $51.03 | 30 | 0.09 | 0.23 |
| Annual | $74,210 | $89,790 | $112,960 | $121,530 | $128,480 | $106,140 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $26.68 | $30.56 | $38.36 | $46.29 | $47.96 | $38.39 | 4,450 | 2.28 | 5.63 |
| Annual | $55,500 | $63,570 | $79,790 | $96,290 | $99,760 | $79,850 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $23.03 | $23.13 | $29.88 | $34.74 | $50.51 | $31.51 | 2,040 | 0.86 | 2.13 |
| Annual | $47,890 | $48,110 | $62,150 | $72,270 | $105,060 | $65,550 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $24.44 | $29.04 | $32.61 | $38.69 | $47.12 | $34.87 | 1,810 | 1.50 | 3.70 |
| Annual | $50,820 | $60,400 | $67,820 | $80,480 | $98,010 | $72,530 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $17.38 | $17.38 | $17.38 | $21.35 | $48.89 | $24.28 | 1,620 | 1.50 | 3.71 |
| Annual | $36,160 | $36,160 | $36,160 | $44,400 | $101,690 | $50,500 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $28.28 | $32.48 | $40.90 | $48.87 | $56.90 | $41.76 | 1,440 | 0.15 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $58,810 | $67,550 | $85,080 | $101,650 | $118,350 | $86,860 | ||||
Top industries employing social workers, all other
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) employ 32.0% of social workers, all other nationally (20,110 jobs) at a median $105,660 a year ($50.80 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (21.5%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (14.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 20,110 | 32.0% | $105,660 | $50.80 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 13,500 | 21.5% | $72,970 | $35.08 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 8,940 | 14.2% | $58,950 | $28.34 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 5,850 | 9.3% | $50,160 | $24.12 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services NAICS 624200 | 2,680 | 4.3% | $49,960 | $24.02 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (62,930). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,190 for social workers, all other in May 2021 and $71,900 in May 2025, with employment of 49,730 and 62,930.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,190 | $29.42 | 49,730 |
| May 2022 | $61,420 | $29.53 | 54,620 |
| May 2023 | $63,770 | $30.66 | 58,460 |
| May 2024 | $69,480 | $33.40 | 64,940 |
| May 2025 | $71,900 | $34.57 | 62,930 |
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
50 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 | Nevada profile | $58.57 | $121,830 | $74,110 | $158,720 | 370 | 0.24 | 0.59 |
| 2 | Hawaii profile | $55.83 | $116,130 | $81,080 | $137,450 | 200 | 0.32 | 0.79 |
| 3 | Rhode Island profile | $53.65 | $111,590 | $91,560 | $126,920 | 90 | 0.17 | 0.43 |
| 4 | New Hampshire profile | $49.86 | $103,710 | $42,640 | $120,430 | 100 | 0.15 | 0.37 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $49.29 | $102,520 | $55,450 | $125,840 | 790 | 0.22 | 0.55 |
| 6 | Oklahoma profile | $48.97 | $101,860 | $77,250 | $119,120 | 320 | 0.19 | 0.47 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $48.69 | $101,280 | $71,980 | $125,010 | 540 | 0.15 | 0.37 |
| 8 | Missouri profile | $47.47 | $98,740 | $50,770 | $119,750 | 590 | 0.20 | 0.50 |
| 9 | District of Columbia profile | $46.34 | $96,380 | $71,060 | $131,770 | 350 | 0.50 | 1.23 |
| 10 | South Carolina profile | $46.32 | $96,350 | $43,860 | $118,580 | 440 | 0.19 | 0.48 |
| 11 | Alabama profile | $45.32 | $94,270 | $49,280 | $112,510 | 400 | 0.19 | 0.46 |
| 12 | South Dakota profile | $45.08 | $93,760 | $76,520 | $109,010 | 130 | 0.28 | 0.69 |
| 13 | Delaware profile | $44.83 | $93,250 | $54,960 | $121,950 | 130 | 0.27 | 0.67 |
| 14 | Virginia profile | $44.68 | $92,930 | $48,460 | $120,790 | 860 | 0.21 | 0.52 |
| 15 | Mississippi profile | $44.02 | $91,560 | $37,110 | $109,300 | 280 | 0.24 | 0.59 |
| 16 | Iowa profile | $43.83 | $91,170 | $47,310 | $113,800 | 230 | 0.15 | 0.36 |
| 17 | New Mexico profile | $43.66 | $90,820 | $55,000 | $114,820 | 250 | 0.29 | 0.72 |
| 18 | Idaho profile | $42.60 | $88,610 | $36,450 | $106,330 | 210 | 0.25 | 0.62 |
| 19 | Kentucky profile | $40.94 | $85,160 | $39,530 | $118,540 | 610 | 0.31 | 0.76 |
| 20 | Indiana profile | $40.66 | $84,570 | $60,200 | $107,950 | 460 | 0.15 | 0.36 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $40.50 | $84,240 | $40,350 | $134,450 | 2,880 | 0.21 | 0.51 |
| 22 | New York profile | $40.39 | $84,010 | $58,200 | $112,140 | 2,470 | 0.26 | 0.63 |
| 23 | North Dakota profile | $39.10 | $81,330 | $63,130 | $103,380 | 110 | 0.26 | 0.64 |
| 24 | Minnesota profile | $38.36 | $79,790 | $55,500 | $101,210 | 7,270 | 2.46 | 6.09 |
| 25 | Georgia profile | $37.63 | $78,260 | $42,930 | $126,650 | 1,510 | 0.31 | 0.76 |
| 26 | New Jersey profile | $36.85 | $76,640 | $42,710 | $114,880 | 640 | 0.15 | 0.37 |
| 27 | Nebraska profile | $36.79 | $76,520 | $48,610 | $105,680 | 220 | 0.22 | 0.54 |
| 28 | Maryland profile | $36.35 | $75,600 | $48,690 | $128,440 | 1,270 | 0.46 | 1.14 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $35.79 | $74,430 | $39,890 | $112,570 | 1,730 | 0.29 | 0.70 |
| 30 | Vermont profile | $35.13 | $73,070 | $46,170 | $113,760 | 110 | 0.35 | 0.87 |
| 31 | Louisiana profile | $33.29 | $69,230 | $43,000 | $111,090 | 850 | 0.44 | 1.09 |
| 32 | Connecticut profile | $33.21 | $69,080 | $47,070 | $114,880 | 460 | 0.27 | 0.67 |
| 33 | Wyoming profile | $33.18 | $69,020 | $56,120 | $125,260 | 160 | 0.59 | 1.45 |
| 34 | Oregon profile | $32.61 | $67,820 | $48,750 | $89,220 | 3,710 | 1.89 | 4.66 |
| 35 | Utah profile | $31.94 | $66,440 | $51,090 | $114,500 | 660 | 0.38 | 0.94 |
| 36 | Illinois profile | $30.79 | $64,030 | $45,460 | $111,320 | 1,910 | 0.31 | 0.77 |
| 37 | North Carolina profile | $30.52 | $63,490 | $44,440 | $116,230 | 1,670 | 0.34 | 0.83 |
| 38 | California profile | $30.29 | $63,010 | $36,160 | $132,480 | 6,430 | 0.35 | 0.87 |
| 39 | Wisconsin profile | $30.21 | $62,830 | $45,720 | $98,840 | 1,860 | 0.63 | 1.56 |
| 40 | West Virginia profile | $30.09 | $62,590 | $38,940 | $108,040 | 680 | 0.96 | 2.38 |
| 41 | Arizona profile | $29.88 | $62,150 | $45,520 | $108,240 | 2,850 | 0.88 | 2.17 |
| 42 | Michigan profile | $29.88 | $62,140 | $40,290 | $109,720 | 1,700 | 0.39 | 0.95 |
| 43 | Colorado profile | $29.62 | $61,610 | $45,950 | $104,250 | 2,190 | 0.76 | 1.88 |
| 44 | Alaska profile | $29.44 | $61,220 | $48,390 | $120,240 | 330 | 1.03 | 2.54 |
| 45 | Maine profile | $28.98 | $60,280 | $48,310 | $99,050 | 470 | 0.73 | 1.79 |
| 46 | Ohio profile | $28.74 | $59,780 | $38,260 | $104,600 | 3,250 | 0.59 | 1.45 |
| 47 | Florida profile | $28.15 | $58,550 | $42,220 | $109,990 | 4,800 | 0.48 | 1.19 |
| 48 | Montana profile | $24.83 | $51,650 | $36,600 | $92,600 | 540 | 1.06 | 2.63 |
| 49 | Tennessee profile | $24.74 | $51,460 | $31,920 | $111,570 | 1,910 | 0.58 | 1.44 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $22.98 | $47,790 | $37,230 | $113,920 | 690 | 0.53 | 1.31 |
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 21-1029 Social Workers, All Other.
- 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 21-1029, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1029.00, 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.