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Social Worker Salary

Salary data for social work jobs by degree and employer.

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Social Work Salary Comparisons

Just how much does your social work education translate into dollars and cents? Below, we’ve broken down social work incomes by education, specialization and employer. It’s not a crystal ball by any means, but these tables should help give you an idea of your projected income at specific degree levels and allow you to better prepare for a bright future helping others.

Social Worker Salaries by Degree

Degree Held Job Title/Specialty Median Salary
BSW Substance Abuse Counselor $33,920
BSW Child Welfare Worker $34,820
BSW Medical Social Worker $43,025
BSW Aging/Gerontology Specialist $42,780
MSW Psychotherapy Social Worker $33,920
MSW School Social Worker $40,000
MSW Medical/Clinical Social Worker $52,509
MSW Development Disabilities Specialist $55,000

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Social Worker Salaries by Employer

Degree(s) Held Employer/Organization Median Salary
BSW/MSW Residential Care Facilities $30,550
BSW/MSW Psychiatric Centers $36,170
BSW/MSW Nursing Homes/Hospice Care $38,500
BSW/MSW Mental Health Outpatient Centers $38,610
BSW/MSW Social Service Agencies $39,820
BSW/MSW Government Agencies $50,000
BSW/MSW Child Welfare Agencies $51,110
MSW/DSW Elementary and Secondary Schools $44,300
MSW/DSW Medical and Surgical Hospitals $44,920
MSW/DSW Colleges and Universities $47,310
MSW/DSW Private Practice/Solo $62,500

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Salary Sources: Salary.com, SalaryWizard.com, Speedyceus.com, bls.gov, socialworkschool.tripod.com, socialworkers.org

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Walden University

At Walden, you'll benefit not only from our unique distance learning delivery models, but from the personal attention of our world-class faculty, and from a highly customized program that is directly related to your career goals.

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Social Work Salary Factoids

Women vs. Men. Seventy one percent of all social workers are women, with the average annual salary for female social workers resting at $30,108. Conversely, men in this field earn an average of $34,372 per year.

Bottom Line. The median income for all social workers is approximately $44,000. Social workers in the private sector are the highest earners, with a median income of $56,000. Workers in the nonprofit sector tend to be at the lower end of the scale, with an income of about $41,000.

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