subject: What is the Average Social Worker Salary? [print this page] What is the Average Social Worker Salary?
Individuals who have a strong desire to do charity work and provide help for those in need can start a career as a social worker. There is a decent social worker salary available as compensation for the duties rendered, but the biggest reward for this career is the involvement with those in need. Due to the specific type of job requirement, there are certain qualifications that a social worker must meet before they can begin to render their services.
Before moving on to learn about the social worker salary, it is important to understand the job responsibilities involved with this kind of career. There are social workers that are assigned in a school wherein their main duty is to provide counseling for students to promote better school life with the hope that it will extend to their personal and home life. A social worker is mainly focused on providing support for children who are orphaned or those living under foster care.
Another main responsibility for social workers is to provide elder care. They are mainly there to provide physical aid when dealing with various health issues, as well as emotional support. Finally, social workers can provide counseling for individuals who were just released from prison.
These tasks and job responsibilities indicate that the life of a social worker is never easy. There are several responsibilities involved, which is why it is important to provide proper social worker salary. You can therefore categorize the duties of a social worker in guidance and assistance during times wherein they are emotionally down.
Given the responsibilities that social workers had to shoulder, there are various determinants to a social worker salary range. There are three major factors that will determine the compensation for this type of career: location of employment, expertise and experience, and the employment facility. Each factor affecting social worker salary is discussed in more detail below.
The location of employment is one of the biggest factors affecting a social worker salary. According to data from the Department of Labor, social workers in California are the highest paid in the US with an average annual salary of $35,000 to $51,000. The state of New York follows with the second highest salary range at $31,000 to $44,000 annual salary. The list is followed by the states of Pennsylvania, Texas, Ohio, Florida, and Michigan.
Another crucial factor to determine a social worker salary is the level of expertise and experience. Those who have less than a year of working experience in this field will most likely start at around $26,000 in annual pay. But with four years or more experience, it can rise to about $27,000 to $36,000 per annum. Those who are working for over 20 years can expect a social worker salary of about $35,000 to $51,000.
The type of facility wherein one is working will also have a direct impact on social worker salary. Those who are working as part of a non-profit organization can receive an annual social worker salary range of about $28,000 to as much as $36,000. Meanwhile, those who are serving in hospitals have an annual salary range of $31,000-$47,000. The highest paid social workers are those working for a federal government institution with a compensation ranging from $30,000 to $48,000. Self-employed social workers have more chances of getting huge income with annual salary range of up to $50,000.
