Child, family, and school social workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,280 | $20.33 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Mean (average) | $64,000 | $30.77 |
| 90th percentile | $95,530 | $45.93 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Child, family, and school social workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,660 | $37,780 | $72,490 | 4,220 | 0.79 |
| Alaska | $62,630 | $45,330 | $91,240 | 1,260 | 1.53 |
| Arizona | $50,150 | $40,420 | $65,900 | 7,560 | 0.92 |
| Arkansas | $43,330 | $36,070 | $59,470 | 1,150 | 0.35 |
| California | $65,200 | $45,360 | $103,050 | 60,310 | 1.31 |
| Colorado | $63,720 | $45,980 | $102,990 | 8,200 | 1.13 |
| Connecticut | $78,970 | $48,660 | $109,980 | 5,230 | 1.22 |
| Delaware | $48,520 | $44,440 | $73,580 | 910 | 0.74 |
| District of Columbia | $73,550 | $53,020 | $113,440 | 2,430 | 1.37 |
| Florida | $56,550 | $39,760 | $79,580 | 14,000 | 0.56 |
| Georgia | $47,510 | $35,690 | $83,380 | 7,110 | 0.58 |
| Guam | $54,910 | $33,470 | $73,210 | 80 | 0.49 |
| Hawaii | $68,270 | $46,840 | $93,430 | 1,170 | 0.74 |
| Idaho | $59,840 | $37,990 | $81,650 | 810 | 0.38 |
| Illinois | $63,220 | $47,120 | $105,660 | 19,860 | 1.29 |
| Indiana | $50,470 | $38,270 | $72,140 | 6,690 | 0.83 |
| Iowa | $52,250 | $39,240 | $81,170 | 3,410 | 0.87 |
| Kansas | $54,300 | $43,690 | $69,970 | 3,190 | 0.88 |
| Kentucky | $59,100 | $39,210 | $78,660 | 8,470 | 1.68 |
| Louisiana | $56,800 | $35,260 | $75,110 | 1,110 | 0.23 |
| Maine | $63,290 | $50,110 | $84,090 | 2,000 | 1.24 |
| Maryland | $76,390 | $41,240 | $105,570 | 4,710 | 0.67 |
| Massachusetts | $75,570 | $48,140 | $104,060 | 10,900 | 1.19 |
| Michigan | $59,270 | $41,260 | $81,100 | 15,760 | 1.42 |
| Minnesota | $67,450 | $47,890 | $99,320 | 6,540 | 0.88 |
| Mississippi | $46,530 | $33,590 | $62,130 | 3,310 | 1.13 |
| Missouri | $48,520 | $37,200 | $65,230 | 9,620 | 1.3 |
| Montana | $56,780 | $39,250 | $72,000 | 1,250 | 0.96 |
| Nebraska | $47,770 | $41,620 | $64,750 | 4,830 | 1.87 |
| Nevada | $61,080 | $45,960 | $98,010 | 4,030 | 1.03 |
| New Hampshire | $71,010 | $41,150 | $101,570 | 1,700 | 0.99 |
| New Jersey | $76,280 | $47,830 | $109,420 | 7,360 | 0.68 |
| New Mexico | $56,160 | $36,920 | $101,600 | 2,990 | 1.36 |
| New York | $65,100 | $48,400 | $100,100 | 30,170 | 1.23 |
| North Carolina | $59,610 | $42,870 | $76,950 | 13,010 | 1.04 |
| North Dakota | $64,560 | $47,130 | $81,160 | 870 | 0.8 |
| Ohio | $51,520 | $39,810 | $75,850 | 16,050 | 1.15 |
| Oklahoma | $43,950 | $37,560 | $59,540 | 6,500 | 1.51 |
| Oregon | $64,130 | $47,760 | $89,220 | 6,630 | 1.33 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,820 | $38,430 | $78,470 | 16,200 | 1.06 |
| Puerto Rico | $43,620 | $29,880 | $61,720 | 3,370 | 1.42 |
| Rhode Island | $69,870 | $42,560 | $97,730 | 2,450 | 1.93 |
| South Carolina | $51,800 | $38,530 | $77,390 | 5,520 | 0.95 |
| South Dakota | $51,100 | $39,150 | $67,310 | 2,050 | 1.77 |
| Tennessee | $56,310 | $39,650 | $77,230 | 7,870 | 0.95 |
| Texas | $55,680 | $37,230 | $73,670 | 21,670 | 0.61 |
| Utah | $52,000 | $36,040 | $98,800 | 1,930 | 0.44 |
| Vermont | $67,340 | $47,270 | $84,140 | 640 | 0.84 |
| Virgin Islands | $50,810 | $39,990 | $64,380 | 30 | 0.39 |
| Virginia | $61,330 | $45,060 | $95,360 | 9,410 | 0.91 |
| Washington | $74,480 | $48,750 | $98,100 | 10,720 | 1.2 |
| West Virginia | $52,220 | $38,410 | $66,980 | 2,380 | 1.34 |
| Wisconsin | $59,280 | $44,400 | $80,900 | 5,710 | 0.77 |
| Wyoming | $56,420 | $34,280 | $74,870 | 710 | 1 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for child, family, and school social workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 33,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for child, family, and school social workers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Developmental and Child Psychology CIP 42.2703
- Developmental and Adolescent Psychology CIP 42.2710
- Juvenile Corrections CIP 43.0110
- Social Work CIP 44.0701
- Youth Services/Administration CIP 44.0702
- Forensic Social Work CIP 44.0703
- Social Work, Other CIP 44.0799
- Infant/Toddler Mental Health Services CIP 51.1510
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
- Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
- Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
- Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
- Address legal issues, such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and providing testimony to inform custody arrangements.
- Counsel parents with child rearing problems, interviewing the child and family to determine whether further action is required.
- Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems, such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions.
- Arrange for medical, psychiatric, and other tests that may disclose causes of difficulties and indicate remedial measures.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- EasyCBM
- Patient electronic medical record EMR software
- Student information systems SIS software
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Adoption Social Worker, Case Manager, Case Worker, Child Protective Services Social Worker (CPS Social Worker), Family Protection Specialist, Family Resource Coordinator, Family Service Worker, Foster Care Social Worker, School Social Worker, Youth Services Specialist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do child, family, and school social workers make?
The national median annual wage for child, family, and school social workers was $59,550 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $42,280 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $95,530. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do child, family, and school social workers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is child, family, and school social workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of child, family, and school social workers to change +4.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 33,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay child, family, and school social workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Connecticut ($78,970), Maryland ($76,390), New Jersey ($76,280). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.