Traditionally, social work has not been considered a lucrative field. But there are many positions within the broader scope of social work that are relatively high-paying, with salaries that stretch into the six figures. Median hourly pay for social workers was a tad more than $28 per hour in 2023, according to the most recent available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics—that was actually higher than the median hourly wage for all positions, which was $23.11.
While that may sound enticing to prospective social workers, those in the field say that finding a high-paying position may take a long time, and a lot of education, to nail down. “If you want to get rich quickly, social work is not the field for you,” says Jillian Amodio, a licensed masters social worker (LMSW) at Maryland-based Waypoint Wellness Center. “Clinical practice, research, policy—those fields tend to have higher salaries, to begin with, and typically require higher licensure,” she says of some of the generally higher-paying social work jobs, “but a lot depends on your level of education.”
Social worker's salaries may also be determined by location and specific population needs or demand in a given area. “Similar to other professions, the compensation for social work jobs may vary based on specialty and location,” says Alisha Simpson-Watt, the executive clinical director and founder of Connecticut-based Collaborative ABA Services. “When looking at the differences from area to area, differences in compensation may be due to the availability of funding for the positions (e.g., grants), cost of living as some states may offer higher salaries/wages to compensate for higher expenses, and salaries/wages may be adjusted based on market conditions and competition.”
With that in mind, here are ten social worker jobs that tend to pay the highest, with broad salary data, and information on some of the top-paying employers and localities.
10. Psychiatric Social Worker
- Top-paying companies: State of Washington, Phaxis, SouthSwell
- Description: Psychiatric social workers work with people who are struggling with mental health issues or psychiatric problems, such as anxiety, depression, or even substance abuse disorders. These social workers may help with counseling, finding resources to help patients contend with their psychiatric problems, and more.
- Salary: $72,192, according to ZipRecruiter.
- Top-paying localities: Soledad, CA ($111,420), San Francisco, CA ($90,636), San Jose, CA ($87,432), according to ZipRecruiter.
9. Medical Social Worker
- Top-paying companies: Headway, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Delta Bay Healthcare
- Description: Medical social workers work with patients in different facets, which may include helping them find or track down financial resources to cope with illnesses or treatments or even emotional and social needs or issues that may result from an illness or injury.
- Salary: $80,462, according to ZipRecruiter.
- Top-paying localities: San Mateo County, CA ($107,663), Redwood City, CA ($104,824), Santa Clara County, CA ($101,441), according to ZipRecruiter.
8. Social Science Researcher
- Top-paying companies: American Institutes for Research, UC San Francisco, U.S. Veterans Health Administration
- Description: Social science researchers work on research projects—their roles may be to design or manage those projects, and to dig into social issues or problems related to human behavior or health. These roles tend to be fairly analytical, and employers are generally government agencies or universities.
- Salary: $81,332, according to Indeed.
- Top-paying localities: New York City, NY ($141,627), Arlington, VA ($138,814), Washington D.C. ($101,898), according to Indeed.
7. Policy Analyst
- Top-paying companies: B. Braun Medical, Centene, Vertex, City of Portland
- Description: Policy analysts work in many facets of the economy, and that includes social work. They may work with legislators or think tanks to develop and critique policies that can have an effect on social workers and communities, and at varying levels of government.
- Salary: $81,838, according to Indeed.
- Top-paying localities: San Francisco, CA ($131,766), Washington D.C. ($86,538), Richmond, VA ($77,322), according to Indeed.
6. Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Top-paying companies: Mountain Valleys Health Centers, Northern California Behavioral Health System, Washington Healthcare
- Description: Clinical social workers work within a specific specialty area, on a more “micro” level than, say, a licensed master social worker. These types of social workers may also work in a variety of fields, such as private practices, hospitals, or even in policy positions.
- Salary: $85,285, according to Indeed
- Top-paying localities: New York City, NY ($90,895), Los Angeles, CA ($86,796), Riverside, CA ($85,061), according to Indeed.
5. Licensed Master Social Worker
- Top-paying companies: PAX Health, University of Washington Medicine, High Desert Psychological Services
- Description: Licensed Master Social Workers can work in a number of fields, such as policy or case management, and generally require high licensure and education levels. These social workers also tend to focus on “macro” rather than “micro” issues within the broader field of social work.
- Salary: $88,723, according to ZipRecruiter.
- Top-paying localities: Santa Cruz, CA ($111,079), Union City, CA ($109,407), Sunnyvale, CA ($109,212), according to ZipRecruiter.
4. Health Services Administrator
- Top-paying companies: Coordinated Care Services, Balfour Senior Care, California State University San Francisco
- Description: A health services administrator may work in one of several administration roles within a hospital or clinic. They tend to work on large-scale issues or problems, make decisions that guide the overall organization, and may deal with policy, finance, and manage staff members.
- Salary: $90,764, according to Indeed.
- Top-paying localities: Buena Park, CA ($122,266), Portland, OR ($112,411), Denver, CO ($101,031), according to Indeed.
3. Speech Pathologist
- Top-paying companies: Solace Pediatric Healthcare, Aya Education, Tilly
- Description: Speech pathologists are a type of specialist who work with people suffering from various types of communication disorders. That may include people of all ages—including young children learning to speak—who may experience difficulties related to speech, or even functions with their mouths, such as swallowing.
- Salary: $91,452, according to Indeed.
- Top-paying localities: Santa Clara, CA ($160,655), New York City, NY ($141,236), Los Angeles, CA ($101,851), according to Indeed.
2. Director of Social Work
- Top-paying companies: Dignity Health, Davita Inc., Kipp NYC
- Description: A director of social work does more or less what it sounds like: They oversee the day-to-day operations of a social work operation, be it a community clinic, or private therapy office. The specifics depend on the individual role in terms of what the job might entail, but in most cases, a director of social work will blend administrative duties with managerial ones.
- Salary: $93,028, according to ZipRecruiter.
- Top-paying localities: Santa Clara, CA ($112,231), Federal Way, WA ($110,530), Washington D.C. ($110,332), according to ZipRecruiter.
1. Director of Rehabilitation
- Top-paying companies: Universal Health Corporation, State of New Jersey, REFORM Alliance
- Description: A director of rehabilitation would likely oversee or manage a team of therapists or other specialists in a clinical setting, often working with patients who require various forms of therapy. They would work with their team and the community, train new workers, and may run a clinic, or work under a director or other overseer.
- Salary: $99,587, according to Indeed.
- Top-paying localities: Los Angeles, CA ($125,754), Denver, CO ($113,064), Rochester, NY ($100,758), according to Indeed.
The takeaway
Social work does not necessarily mean being paid less as there are positions that can pay fairly lucrative salaries. However, aspiring social workers would do well to keep the higher mission of their work in mind, which is critical to helping and serving communities and populations in need.
“Social work is a helping profession,” says Simpson-Watt. “Our role in society is to promote the well-being of others, advocate for social justice, and alleviate barriers,” she says, and that’s a role that can take on many forms in many places.
Amodio says that pay is important, but for many social workers, knowing that they’re making a difference may be even more important at the end of the day. “Salary is something you want to think about, but do not let monetary compensation be the main indicator for the work you choose,” she says.
“If you’re not satisfied and fulfilled by the work you’re doing, you’ll never be happy.”
