Orange County social worker salary, 2025

1,570 people worked as social workers for Orange County in 2025. Those who worked the full year took home an average of $98,479, overtime included.

What is the average social worker salary at Orange County?

Official pay range, general social workers1

$60,403 to $121,368

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for general social workers, the largest group

Average take-home, full-year social workers1

$98,479

average base pay $92,174

The largest group of Orange County's social workers (633 of 1,570) hold the title Senior Social Worker, with an official range of $80,912 to $100,630. Those who worked the full year took home an average of $99,817, within the range.

Social workers
1,570
1,439 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$60,403
bottom of the Social Worker I range
Median take-home
$96,947
the middle social worker: half took home more, half less
Average pay rank
22nd
of 63 California employers

What does each social worker title at Orange County pay?

Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average take-home of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1

General social workers

  1. Social Worker I$60,403 to $80,912 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Social Worker II$65,333 to $87,734 · 305 people
    $82,726
  3. Social Services Supervisor I$74,589 to $100,630 · 361 people
    $96,445
  4. Senior Social Worker$80,912 to $100,630 · 633 people
    $99,817
  5. Social Services Supervisor II$83,075 to $111,842 · 88 people
    $108,811
  6. Senior Social Services Supervisor$90,376 to $121,368 · 168 people
    $121,399

Medical social workers

  1. Social Worker II$65,333 to $87,734 · 9 people
    $83,844
  2. Senior Social Worker$80,912 to $100,630 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  3. Senior Social Services Supervisor$90,376 to $121,368 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5

official range average take-home, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.

Does Orange County pay social workers more than the counties next door?

Average take-home of full-year social workers: Orange County next to its neighboring counties and the whole state.1

1 of Orange County's 4 neighboring counties pays more.

Where does Orange County rank among California employers?

Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average take-home.1

All 63 California employers

Orange County ranks 22nd of 63, above the middle employer.

Orange County
$60k$80k$100k$120k$140k

Middle employer: $90,154

Each bar counts the employers whose average take-home falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.

Pension and health cover at Orange County

As reported by the county. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year social worker, on top of wages.1

Pension formula
1.62% at 65
the most common formula among Orange County's social workers
Employer pension contribution
$10,843
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$16,797
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about social worker pay at Orange County

What is the average social worker salary at Orange County?

Social workers at Orange County who worked the full year took home an average of $98,479 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker took home $96,947: half took home more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $60,403 to $121,368.

How much overtime do social workers at Orange County earn?

Full-year social workers were paid an average of $2,539 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $28: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do social workers at Orange County get?

The most common pension formula among Orange County's social workers is 1.62% at 65, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $10,843 a year into the pension plan.

More public pay in Orange County

Sources for the Orange County figures

Every person who held a social worker position at Orange County 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. Averages lead; the median take-home is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with a lot of overtime. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Orange County.

How we read the data