Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
21-1021 Child, Family, and School Social Workers
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.
National estimates for Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Industry profile for Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Geographic profile for Child, Family, and School Social Workers
National estimates for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 340,050 |
1.1 % |
$ 26.39 |
$ 54,880 |
0.4 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 17.22 |
$ 18.70 |
$ 23.63 |
$ 30.08 |
$ 37.84 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 35,820 |
$ 38,900 |
$ 49,150 |
$ 62,560 |
$ 78,710 |
Industry profile for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Child, Family, and School Social Workers are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Child, Family, and School Social Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Individual and Family Services |
83,080 |
3.13 |
$ 22.57 |
$ 46,950 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
74,830 |
1.39 |
$ 30.79 |
$ 64,040 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
68,330 |
3.11 |
$ 25.43 |
$ 52,890 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
45,540 |
0.56 |
$ 32.07 |
$ 66,700 |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services |
9,970 |
5.25 |
$ 20.57 |
$ 42,780 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services |
9,970 |
5.25 |
$ 20.57 |
$ 42,780 |
| Other Residential Care Facilities |
7,020 |
4.65 |
$ 20.50 |
$ 42,640 |
| Individual and Family Services |
83,080 |
3.13 |
$ 22.57 |
$ 46,950 |
| State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
68,330 |
3.11 |
$ 25.43 |
$ 52,890 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations |
4,310 |
1.93 |
$ 22.53 |
$ 46,870 |
Top paying industries for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations |
150 |
0.04 |
$ 39.23 |
$ 81,610 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals |
220 |
0.08 |
$ 34.29 |
$ 71,320 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
45,540 |
0.56 |
$ 32.07 |
$ 66,700 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals |
840 |
0.35 |
$ 30.90 |
$ 64,280 |
| Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
74,830 |
1.39 |
$ 30.79 |
$ 64,040 |
Geographic profile for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Child, Family, and School Social Workers are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Child, Family, and School Social Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| California |
47,380 |
2.87 |
1.19 |
$ 31.22 |
$ 64,940 |
| New York |
24,270 |
2.80 |
1.16 |
$ 33.01 |
$ 68,660 |
| Texas |
21,370 |
1.75 |
0.72 |
$ 23.71 |
$ 49,310 |
| Pennsylvania |
20,980 |
3.76 |
1.56 |
$ 23.75 |
$ 49,390 |
| Illinois |
17,580 |
3.13 |
1.30 |
$ 26.89 |
$ 55,930 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Alaska |
1,430 |
4.83 |
2.00 |
$ 29.61 |
$ 61,580 |
| South Dakota |
1,700 |
4.04 |
1.68 |
$ 21.53 |
$ 44,770 |
| Vermont |
1,120 |
3.94 |
1.63 |
$ 25.51 |
$ 53,060 |
| Oklahoma |
5,860 |
3.76 |
1.56 |
$ 20.95 |
$ 43,580 |
| Pennsylvania |
20,980 |
3.76 |
1.56 |
$ 23.75 |
$ 49,390 |
Top paying states for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| New Jersey |
4,180 |
1.09 |
0.45 |
$ 36.26 |
$ 75,410 |
| Connecticut |
5,420 |
3.45 |
1.43 |
$ 33.99 |
$ 70,690 |
| District of Columbia |
2,220 |
3.36 |
1.39 |
$ 33.82 |
$ 70,340 |
| New York |
24,270 |
2.80 |
1.16 |
$ 33.01 |
$ 68,660 |
| California |
47,380 |
2.87 |
1.19 |
$ 31.22 |
$ 64,940 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
20,810 |
3.64 |
1.51 |
$ 33.44 |
$ 69,540 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
19,270 |
2.22 |
0.92 |
$ 35.50 |
$ 73,840 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
12,980 |
3.07 |
1.27 |
$ 27.48 |
$ 57,170 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
8,980 |
3.38 |
1.40 |
$ 25.36 |
$ 52,750 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
6,500 |
2.22 |
0.92 |
$ 34.09 |
$ 70,910 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
5,770 |
1.61 |
0.67 |
$ 24.78 |
$ 51,540 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH |
5,720 |
2.21 |
0.92 |
$ 29.10 |
$ 60,520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
5,270 |
2.35 |
0.97 |
$ 34.98 |
$ 72,750 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
5,180 |
2.87 |
1.19 |
$ 24.76 |
$ 51,500 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
5,080 |
2.40 |
1.00 |
$ 21.30 |
$ 44,310 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Waterbury, CT |
440 |
6.81 |
2.82 |
$ 31.85 |
$ 66,250 |
| Midland, MI |
230 |
6.52 |
2.70 |
$ 22.96 |
$ 47,750 |
| Oklahoma City, OK |
3,920 |
6.48 |
2.68 |
$ 20.91 |
$ 43,490 |
| Merced, CA |
450 |
6.23 |
2.58 |
$ 23.82 |
$ 49,540 |
| Springfield, IL |
570 |
5.87 |
2.43 |
$ 28.17 |
$ 58,590 |
| Williamsport, PA |
270 |
5.65 |
2.34 |
$ 23.87 |
$ 49,640 |
| Charleston, WV |
560 |
5.64 |
2.34 |
$ 21.49 |
$ 44,710 |
| Springfield, MA-CT |
1,730 |
5.62 |
2.33 |
$ 21.16 |
$ 44,000 |
| Johnstown, PA |
260 |
5.57 |
2.31 |
$ 20.68 |
$ 43,010 |
| Gettysburg, PA |
170 |
5.28 |
2.19 |
$ 22.00 |
$ 45,760 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
1,520 |
1.42 |
0.59 |
$ 36.78 |
$ 76,500 |
| Trenton, NJ |
260 |
1.16 |
0.48 |
$ 36.18 |
$ 75,250 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA |
19,270 |
2.22 |
0.92 |
$ 35.50 |
$ 73,840 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT |
1,160 |
3.08 |
1.28 |
$ 35.46 |
$ 73,750 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT |
2,120 |
3.89 |
1.61 |
$ 35.10 |
$ 73,010 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
5,270 |
2.35 |
0.97 |
$ 34.98 |
$ 72,750 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
6,500 |
2.22 |
0.92 |
$ 34.09 |
$ 70,910 |
| Ocean City, NJ |
30 |
0.81 |
0.34 |
$ 33.86 |
$ 70,420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
20,810 |
3.64 |
1.51 |
$ 33.44 |
$ 69,540 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA |
290 |
3.15 |
1.31 |
$ 33.28 |
$ 69,210 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Child, Family, and School Social Workers:
About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia.
The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median.
More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours;
for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration.
A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
