Social Worker California
Social Worker salary in California
Typical pay
$89,400a year
Most Social Workers earn $74k to $110k a year
From 196 current job postings, updated Nov 13, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Social Worker salary in California is $89,400 a year. Most job postings pay $73,700 to $110,000. From 196 current job postings, updated Nov 13, 2026.
How much does a Social Worker make an hour?
A Social Worker in California typically makes about $43.00 an hour. Most job postings pay $35.44 to $52.88.
How much does a Social Worker make a year?
A Social Worker in California typically makes about $89,400 a year. Most job postings pay $73,700 to $110,000.
546 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by city in California
Back to the whole USCalifornia
$89k typical, most $74k to $110k
| Los Angeles, CA | $80k | $62k to $96k | 47 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Chico, CA | – | – | 1 |
| El Centro, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Fresno, CA | – | – | 4 |
| Hanford, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Merced, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Modesto, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Napa, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Oxnard, CA | – | – | 5 |
| Redding, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Riverside, CA | – | – | 28 |
| Sacramento, CA | – | – | 16 |
| Salinas, CA | – | – | 6 |
| San Diego, CA | – | – | 22 |
| San Francisco, CA | – | – | 37 |
| San Jose, CA | – | – | 14 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | – | – | 4 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Santa Maria, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Stockton, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Vallejo, CA | – | – | 2 |
| Visalia, CA | – | – | 4 |
| Yuba City, CA | – | – | 0 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per year. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 32 job postings$69k $83k
Typical: $78k
Most new hires start near the low end.
- Experienced 104 job postings$75k $115k
Typical: $89k
- Senior 1 job postings
- Lead or manager 2 job postings
Not enough postings yet to show pay for Senior and Lead or manager. We show pay once 10 postings at a level list it.
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Social Worker job postings in California pay at it.
Experienced: most postings pay $75k to $115k a year, typically $89k.
Upload your resume to see where you land, which employers pay above this range, and the matching open roles.
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Pay by employer and level
Typical yearly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
| Employer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DaVita | $101k | – | – | – | – |
| BrightSpring Health Services | $130k | – | $130k | – | – |
Cost of living in California
About $6,357 a month for 1 adult, 1 bedroom rental, a car, taxes included. Everyday prices run about 11% above the US average.
See the cost of living for your setupBased on public data from HUD, the Census, BEA, the Labor Department and EPA, plus Workybara job postings.
How much does a Social Worker make in California?
Employers hiring now typically offer $89,400 a year for Social Worker roles in California. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
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Pay is one part of the picture. Add your experience and we line up the Social Worker roles that fit you.
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