San Diego County social worker salary, 2025
1,389 people worked as social workers for San Diego County in 2025. Those who worked the full year took home an average of $97,669, overtime included.
What is the average social worker salary at San Diego County?
Official pay range, children's social workers1
$75,546 to $115,398
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for children's social workers, the largest group
The largest group of San Diego County's social workers (595 of 1,389) hold the title Protective Services Worker, with an official range of $75,546 to $97,427. Those who worked the full year took home an average of $96,277, within the range.
- Social workers
- 1,389
- 1,200 of them worked the full year
- Starting salary
- $58,136
- bottom of the Social Worker I range
- Median take-home
- $95,914
- the middle social worker: half took home more, half less
- Average pay rank
- 23rd
- of 63 California employers
What does each social worker title at San Diego 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
Children's social workers
- Protective Services Worker$96,277
- Sr Protective Services Worker$108,428
- Protective Services Supv$123,372
General social workers
- Social Worker I$70,726
- Social Worker II$79,649
- Social Worker III$89,008
- Health Services Social Workerfewer than 5
- Social Work Supervisor$97,859
official range average take-home, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does San Diego County pay social workers more than the counties next door?
Average take-home of full-year social workers: San Diego County next to its neighboring counties and the whole state.1
- San Diego County$97,669
- Imperial County$63,776
- Orange County$98,439
- Riverside County$87,427
- All employers in California$105,739
1 of San Diego County's 3 neighboring counties pays more.
Where does San Diego County rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average take-home.1
All 63 California employers
San Diego County ranks 23rd of 63, above the middle employer.
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 San Diego 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 San Diego County's social workers
- Employer pension contribution
- $37,154
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $14,116
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about social worker pay at San Diego County
What is the average social worker salary at San Diego County?
Social workers at San Diego County who worked the full year took home an average of $97,669 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker took home $95,914: half took home more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $75,546 to $115,398.
How much overtime do social workers at San Diego County earn?
Full-year social workers were paid an average of $4,623 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $1,171: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do social workers at San Diego County get?
The most common pension formula among San Diego County's social workers is 1.62% at 65, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $37,154 a year into the pension plan.
More public pay in San Diego County
Sources for the San Diego County figures
Every person who held a social worker position at San Diego 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.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by San Diego County.