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Average Social Work Major Salary
Average Social Work Major Salary
Updated September 14, 2023
$44,906
What is the average social work major salary in the US?
Social work major graduates in America make, on average, $44,906 a year or $21.59 per hour.There is a huge gap between the top 10 percent earners and the bottom 10 percent earners -- about $52,000. The top 10 percent earn over $77,000, while the bottom 10 percent make less than $25,000 annually.Most jobs for social work majors are in health care companies and non profits companies.California, Connecticut, Alaska, New Jersey, and Washington are some of the states with the best salaries for social work major graduates in the US.
Average Social Work Salary By Company
There is good job security for social work major graduates. However, some industries offer better pay and benefit packages than others.health care companies and non profits companies have the most job opportunities for social work major graduates.The two companies that report the highest salaries for social work major graduates are Favorite Healthcare Staffing and Aya Healthcare.Companies like MedPro Healthcare Staffing and Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company also report very competitive wages for social work major graduates.
Average Social Work Major Salary By City
Social work major graduates in the United States of America make on average $44,906 a year or $21.59 per hour.The city with the highest salaries for social work major graduates is San Francisco, CA at $56,731 per year.The San Francisco, CA average entry-level salary for social work majors is $31,000.Washington, DC, Seattle, WA, New York, NY, Portland, OR, Las Vegas, NV, and Rochester, NH are the best cities for social work major graduates looking for a higher than average salary.California, Connecticut, Alaska, New Jersey, and Washington are the states with the highest payscale for social work major graduates.On the other hand, Kentucky, Missouri, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Alabama report the lowest wages for social work major graduates.
Average Salary By Location
| Rank | City | Average Social Work Salary | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $56,731 | $32k $77k |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $53,500 | $32k $77k |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $50,787 | $32k $77k |
| 4 | New York, NY | $49,837 | $32k $77k |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $49,382 | $32k $77k |
| 6 | Las Vegas, NV | $48,533 | $32k $77k |
| 7 | Rochester, NH | $47,215 | $32k $77k |
| 8 | Worcester, MA | $46,666 | $32k $77k |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $45,975 | $32k $77k |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $45,887 | $32k $77k |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $45,579 | $32k $77k |
| 12 | Portland, ME | $44,421 | $32k $77k |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $44,161 | $32k $77k |
| 14 | Richmond, VA | $43,781 | $32k $77k |
| 15 | Cleveland, OH | $43,617 | $32k $77k |
| 16 | El Paso, TX | $43,560 | $32k $77k |
| 17 | Madison, WI | $43,258 | $32k $77k |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $43,190 | $32k $77k |
| 19 | Albuquerque, NM | $43,153 | $32k $77k |
| 20 | Phoenix, AZ | $43,002 | $32k $77k |
Highest Paying Jobs For Social Work Majors
Average Social Work Major Salary By Industry
Wages for social work major graduates can differ based on the industry they work in.Our data shows that health care companies, telecommunication companies, and professional companies tend to have the highest salaries for social work major graduates.health care companies pay social work major graduates the highest wages, averaging $39,966 per year. Telecommunication companies and professional companies pay well too, at $36,963 and $36,547, respectively.The average social work major salary in the non profits industry is lower than the rest, coming in at $31,907.
Average Salary By Industry
| Rank | Industry | Average Social Work Major Salary | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $39,966 | $26k $50k |
| 2 | Telecommunication | $36,963 | $26k $50k |
| 3 | Professional | $36,547 | $26k $50k |
| 4 | Government | $35,477 | $26k $50k |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $35,129 | $26k $50k |
| 6 | Finance | $33,937 | $26k $50k |
| 7 | Media | $33,924 | $26k $50k |
| 8 | Education | $33,511 | $26k $50k |
| 9 | Retail | $33,463 | $26k $50k |
| 10 | Non Profits | $31,907 | $26k $50k |
Salary History For Social Work Major Graduates
This data shows the national average salary between 2011-2020 among Social Work major graduates.
- National Average
Social Work Major Salary By Experience Level
Average Salary By Experience Level Salaries By Experience Level
The salary for a social work major graduate can range from $27,370 to $74,988 depending on the amount of work experience that the person has. Data on how experience level affects salary is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as part of their National Compensation Survey, which is based on factors such as knowledge, complexity, contacts, and environment.
Experience Level  | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level average salary by experience level | $27,400 | $13.16 |
| Mid-level average salary by experience level | $44,400 | $21.36 |
| Senior-level average salary by experience level | $75,000 | $36.05 |
Salaries For Related Majors
| Rank | Major | Average Salary | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public Administration | $73,065 | $30k $102k |
| 2 | Public Policy Analysis | $60,367 | $30k $102k |
| 3 | Community Organization And Advocacy | $59,787 | $30k $102k |
| 4 | Human Services | $38,481 | $30k $102k |