SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 21-1021.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $42,280 | $3,523 | $813 | $20.33 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $48,270 | $4,022 | $928 | $23.21 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $59,550 | $4,962 | $1,145 | $28.63 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $76,070 | $6,339 | $1,463 | $36.57 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $95,530 | $7,961 | $1,837 | $45.93 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Child, Family, and School Social Workers is $59,550, which is 17% higher. Among the 17 occupations of the field Community and Social Service, it ranks number 9 by median pay. With 392,550 jobs, it makes up about 25 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Connecticut ($78,970), Maryland ($76,390) and New Jersey ($76,280). The lowest was in Arkansas ($43,330), Puerto Rico ($43,620) and Oklahoma ($43,950). The most jobs were in California (60,310), New York (30,170) and Texas (21,670). The occupation is most concentrated in Rhode Island, where its share of all jobs is 1.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 5,230 | $78,970 | $80,180 | $37.97 |
| Maryland | 4,710 | $76,390 | $75,400 | $36.73 |
| New Jersey | 7,360 | $76,280 | $78,560 | $36.67 |
| Massachusetts | 10,900 | $75,570 | $77,060 | $36.33 |
| Washington | 10,720 | $74,480 | $74,100 | $35.81 |
| District of Columbia | 2,430 | $73,550 | $79,540 | $35.36 |
| New Hampshire | 1,700 | $71,010 | $70,740 | $34.14 |
| Rhode Island | 2,450 | $69,870 | $70,810 | $33.59 |
| Hawaii | 1,170 | $68,270 | $69,450 | $32.82 |
| Minnesota | 6,540 | $67,450 | $70,890 | $32.43 |
| Vermont | 640 | $67,340 | $66,970 | $32.38 |
| California | 60,310 | $65,200 | $71,940 | $31.35 |
| New York | 30,170 | $65,100 | $72,150 | $31.30 |
| North Dakota | 870 | $64,560 | $65,640 | $31.04 |
| Oregon | 6,630 | $64,130 | $68,400 | $30.83 |
| Colorado | 8,200 | $63,720 | $70,760 | $30.64 |
| Maine | 2,000 | $63,290 | $66,180 | $30.43 |
| Illinois | 19,860 | $63,220 | $70,670 | $30.39 |
| Alaska | 1,260 | $62,630 | $66,110 | $30.11 |
| Virginia | 9,410 | $61,330 | $66,500 | $29.49 |
| Nevada | 4,030 | $61,080 | $65,930 | $29.36 |
| Idaho | 810 | $59,840 | $59,900 | $28.77 |
| North Carolina | 13,010 | $59,610 | $59,660 | $28.66 |
| Wisconsin | 5,710 | $59,280 | $61,310 | $28.50 |
| Michigan | 15,760 | $59,270 | $61,060 | $28.49 |
| Kentucky | 8,470 | $59,100 | $59,270 | $28.42 |
| Louisiana | 1,110 | $56,800 | $54,450 | $27.31 |
| Montana | 1,250 | $56,780 | $54,100 | $27.30 |
| Florida | 14,000 | $56,550 | $57,970 | $27.19 |
| Wyoming | 710 | $56,420 | $55,090 | $27.13 |
| Tennessee | 7,870 | $56,310 | $57,350 | $27.07 |
| New Mexico | 2,990 | $56,160 | $63,790 | $27.00 |
| Texas | 21,670 | $55,680 | $55,700 | $26.77 |
| Guam | 80 | $54,910 | $51,100 | $26.40 |
| Kansas | 3,190 | $54,300 | $56,360 | $26.11 |
| Iowa | 3,410 | $52,250 | $57,120 | $25.12 |
| West Virginia | 2,380 | $52,220 | $52,610 | $25.11 |
| Utah | 1,930 | $52,000 | $59,670 | $25.00 |
| South Carolina | 5,520 | $51,800 | $53,860 | $24.90 |
| Ohio | 16,050 | $51,520 | $55,750 | $24.77 |
| South Dakota | 2,050 | $51,100 | $53,320 | $24.57 |
| Pennsylvania | 16,200 | $50,820 | $55,330 | $24.43 |
| Virgin Islands | 30 | $50,810 | $52,620 | $24.43 |
| Indiana | 6,690 | $50,470 | $53,290 | $24.27 |
| Arizona | 7,560 | $50,150 | $52,420 | $24.11 |
| Delaware | 910 | $48,520 | $54,650 | $23.33 |
| Missouri | 9,620 | $48,520 | $51,360 | $23.33 |
| Nebraska | 4,830 | $47,770 | $51,650 | $22.97 |
| Georgia | 7,110 | $47,510 | $54,390 | $22.84 |
| Alabama | 4,220 | $46,660 | $51,720 | $22.43 |
| Mississippi | 3,310 | $46,530 | $47,750 | $22.37 |
| Oklahoma | 6,500 | $43,950 | $46,730 | $21.13 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,370 | $43,620 | $45,460 | $20.97 |
| Arkansas | 1,150 | $43,330 | $46,390 | $20.83 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Health Education Specialists$64,070 a year
- Clergy$60,810 a year
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$60,280 a year
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$59,350 a year
- Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other$56,730 a year
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education$52,100 a year
Common questions
How much do Child, Family, and School Social Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $59,550 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,280 and the highest-paid 10% more than $95,530.
How many people work as Child, Family, and School Social Workers?
About 392,550 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.