How much does a social worker make in California?

Typical pay at each employer, 2026 (everyone paid).

• Los Angeles County712 people$93,886
• Santa Clara County666 people$127,077
• San Bernardino County465 people$68,970
• San Diego County437 people$85,917
• Fresno County345 people$71,924
• Orange County318 people$82,250
• San Joaquin County318 people$82,890
• Contra Costa County263 people$105,638
• Stanislaus County212 people$81,988
• Monterey County208 people$104,221
• Solano County169 people$107,355
• Alameda County158 people$99,119
• Merced County117 people$47,368
• San Luis Obispo County106 people$86,646
• Imperial County105 people$56,539
• Shasta County86 people$61,029
• San Mateo County76 people$124,622
• University of California, Davis56 people$78,699
• Santa Cruz County52 people$85,204
• Humboldt County48 people$66,568
• Napa County48 people$106,566
• Yuba County44 people$78,114
• Tehama County33 people$65,690
• Tuolumne County31 people$48,229
• Nevada County26 people$88,080
• Calaveras County24 people$58,423
• Kings County22 people$63,981
• Lake County22 people$57,157
• San Benito County17 people$62,313
• Mariposa County15 people$73,335
• Glenn County15 people$77,906
• Siskiyou County13 people$22,919
• Los Angeles13 people$79,321
• Trinity County12 people$61,196
• Del Norte County12 people$71,115
• Inyo County11 people$91,611
• Ventura County9 people$64,240
• Plumas County6 people$72,474
• San Francisco6 people$103,499
• Modoc County5 people$58,180
• Sierra County4 people$71,138
• City of Huntington Beach3 people$78,124
• Yolo County3 people$72,961
• Southeast Area Social Services Funding Authority (SASSFA)3 people$28,175
• Kern Valley Hospital District2 people$104,120
• City of El Monte1 person$78,933
• Mayers Memorial Hospital District1 person$78,601
• Washington Township Health Care District1 person$136,081
• City of Pasadena1 person$87,121

No employers match.

Pay by level

Levels with 5 or more people.

• Social Worker 121 people$34,373
• Social Worker I (40 Hours)19 people$56,818
• Social Worker I387 people$61,106
• Social Worker II (40 Hours)16 people$67,713
• Social Worker II1,623 people$74,640
• Social Worker III (40 Hours)13 people$78,274
• Social Worker IV259 people$91,386
• Social Worker III1,821 people$92,059
• Social Worker920 people$92,772
• Social Worker V206 people$98,268
• Social Worker 235 people$104,957

Related jobs and the next step up

Same line of work at a different rank, by typical pay (full-year employees where we can tell*).

1. Social Worker Assistant$45,249 (everyone)
2. Social Worker Trainee$64,627 (everyone)
3. Supervising Social Worker$82,914 (everyone)
4. Social Worker (this page)$84,892 (everyone)
5. Senior Social Worker$96,168 (everyone)
6. Social Worker Supervisor$103,287 (everyone)

Highest-paid social workers, 2026

1. 1Maria T CastroSocial Worker · Los Angeles County$328,881
2. 2Mario R GuzmanSocial Worker · Los Angeles County$272,891
3. 3Michelle Vilay WongSocial Worker · Los Angeles County$217,202
4. 4Rosa B MoralesSocial Worker · Los Angeles County$198,992
5. 5Daniel IbarraSocial Worker · Los Angeles County$190,023

Common questions