California social worker salaries by employer, 2025

23,185 people worked as social workers for 96 counties, cities and public hospital districts in California in 2025. Those who worked the full year took home an average of $105,739.

What is the average social worker salary in California?

Lowest-paying employer

$58,810

Norwalk
City in Los Angeles County

Average take-home, full-year California social workers1

$105,739

average base pay $94,478

Highest-paying employer

$150,771

Alameda Health System
Hospital district in Alameda County

Social workers
23,185
18,744 of them worked the full year
Employers
96
71 with 5 or more social workers, in 56 counties
Employer pension contribution
$15,906
average per full-year social worker
Health, dental and vision
$18,243
average paid by the employer per year

What stands out in California social worker pay

Which California employers pay social workers the most?

By average take-home of full-year social workers, among employers with at least 5 of them.

Highest average take-home

  1. Alameda Health SystemHospital district in Alameda County$150,771
  2. Santa Clara CountyCounty government$145,566
  3. San Mateo CountyCounty government$137,387
  4. San FranciscoCity in San Francisco County$129,691
  5. Napa CountyCounty government$128,363
  6. Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare DistrictHospital district in Monterey County$127,279
  7. Alameda CountyCounty government$124,676
  8. Marin CountyCounty government$124,026
  9. Solano CountyCounty government$123,723
  10. Yolo CountyCounty government$123,300

Compare social worker pay at every California employer

Official pay range across each employer's social worker titles, and what full-year social workers took home. Click a column to sort it.

Showing 1 to 25 of 71 employers, highest average take-home first.

Alameda Health SystemAlameda CountyAlameda$150,771$61,549$244,68875MedicalNot reported
Santa Clara CountySanta Clara CountySanta Clara$145,566$87,747$146,8111,035General2% at 62
San Mateo CountySan Mateo CountySan Mateo$137,387$81,848$166,920275General2% at 62
San FranciscoSan Francisco CountySan Francisco$129,691$74,984$159,874632General2.3% at 65
Napa CountyNapa CountyNapa$128,363$87,705$171,23493General2% at 62
Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare DistrictMonterey CountyMonterey$127,279$112,424$204,13114MedicalNot reported
Alameda CountyAlameda CountyAlameda$124,676$34,320$148,179487Children's2.5% at 67
Marin CountyMarin CountyMarin$124,026$88,130$148,845122General2% at 62
Solano CountySolano CountySolano$123,723$66,349$131,907223Children's2% at 62
Yolo CountyYolo CountyYolo$123,300$61,256$123,55293Children's2% at 62
Contra Costa CountyContra Costa CountyContra Costa$118,258$81,578$139,833380Children's2.5% at 67
Monterey CountyMonterey CountyMonterey$116,898$68,848$139,364411General2% at 62
Washington Township Health Care DistrictAlameda CountyAlameda$116,313$97,602$179,9208MedicalNot reported
Sonoma CountySonoma CountySonoma$114,547$73,154$133,388288GeneralNot reported
Los Angeles CountyLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$112,967$50,010$128,8998,128Children's2% at 62
Santa Cruz CountySanta Cruz CountySanta Cruz$109,828$65,000$132,454138General2% at 62
Amador CountyAmador CountyAmador$104,370$59,696$100,44321General2% at 62
Los AngelesLos Angeles CountyLos Angeles$101,231$75,627$153,94814General2% at 60
Ventura CountyVentura CountyVentura$100,216$2,080$246,891376Children's2% at 62
Nevada CountyNevada CountyNevada$98,916$61,196$134,09030General2% at 62
Sacramento CountySacramento CountySacramento$98,518$77,966$109,829753Children's2.5% at 67
Orange CountyOrange CountyOrange$98,479$60,403$121,3681,570General1.62% at 65
San Diego CountySan Diego CountySan Diego$97,669$58,136$115,3981,389Children's1.62% at 65
San Joaquin CountySan Joaquin CountySan Joaquin$97,375$53,318$211,028425General2% at 62
El Dorado CountyEl Dorado CountyEl Dorado$96,632$58,032$114,19293General2% at 62

"Not reported" under take-home means fewer than 5 social workers worked the full year, or the employer reported no pay range. Employers with fewer than 5 social workers aren't listed.

Questions about social worker pay in California

How much do social workers make in California?

Full-year social workers in California took home an average of $105,739 in 2025. The middle social worker took home $102,651: half took home more, half less.

Which California employer pays social workers the most?

Among employers with at least 5 full-year social workers, Alameda Health System has the highest average take-home, $150,771, followed by Santa Clara County ($145,566) and San Mateo County ($137,387).

Which California employer pays social workers the least?

Among employers with at least 5 full-year social workers, Norwalk has the lowest average take-home, $58,810, followed by Imperial County ($63,776) and Modoc County ($64,520).

Which kind of social worker earns the most in California?

By average take-home of full-year staff: medical social workers $119,800, children's social workers $114,660, mental health social workers $110,386 and general social workers $96,501.

Who employs social workers in California?

Mostly counties, which run child welfare, adult services and mental health. Public hospital districts employ medical social workers. The largest employer is Los Angeles County, with 8,128 social workers.

Sources for the California social worker figures

Every person who held a social worker position at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Take-home is total wages, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formulas and employer contributions as reported by each city, county and special district.
  2. Association of Bay Area Governments, Our Members: the nine Bay Area counties.

How we read the data