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Social worker salary in New York

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$73,070median pay per year in New York, or $35.13 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $47,750lowest 10% earn less
  2. $57,63025th percentile
  3. $73,070median
  4. $91,95075th percentile
  5. $103,730top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $67,880[3]

The median pay for social workers in New York was $73,070 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $5,190 higher than the US median for social workers[6].

Jobs in NY
20,440[4]
Rank by median pay
17 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+7.6%[6]

How much do social workers make in New York?

Half of the social workers in New York earned more than $73,070 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $35.13 an hour[1]. The average wage was $75,170 a year[7]. Across the US, the median for social workers was $67,880[3]. New York's median was $5,190 (7.6%) higher[6]. It was also $13,400 higher than the median for all jobs in the state, which was $59,670[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% of social workers in New York earned less than $47,750 a year[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $103,730[2]. The middle half of workers fell between $57,630 and $91,950[2].

By area, the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro had the highest median among the state's metros with a published figure, at $78,610 a year[10]. Binghamton had a median of $51,290[11]. These figures come from OEWS. It counts wage and salary workers, but not the self-employed. It also leaves out bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

New York vs US pay

Pay for social workers in New York next to the national figures[1][3].

NYUS
Median per year$73,070[1]$67,880[3]
Median per hour$35.13[1]$32.63[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$47,750[2]$46,220[13]
Top 10% earn more than$103,730[2]$100,360[13]
Jobs20,440[4]187,630[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for social workers, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[11]$78,61017,250
Rochester, NY$61,6101,170
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$64,940900
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$67,190790
Syracuse, NY$64,310580
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$71,630510
Binghamton, NY$51,290240
Utica-Rome, NY$58,780240

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for social workers in the states that border New York, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
New Jersey[14]$82,6904,310
Vermont$81,140250
Connecticut$79,9001,650
Massachusetts$76,4407,220
Pennsylvania$61,9009,630

Median pay for social workers in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for social workers are projected to grow 8.5% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a social worker make in New York?
The median pay for social workers in New York was $73,070 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $75,170[7].
How much does a social worker make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage for social workers in New York was $35.13[1]. The 10th percentile hourly wage was $22.96 and the 90th percentile was $49.87[17].
Which city in New York pays social workers the most?
The New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area had the highest median annual wage for social workers among the state's metros with a published median, at $78,610[10].
Is New York a good state for social workers?
New York had the 17th highest median annual wage for social workers out of the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $5,190 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a social worker in New York?
These are US figures, not New York ones. Across the US, the typical education needed for entry is a master's degree, with no work experience in a related job and an internship or residency as training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Healthcare Social Workers in New York was $73,070 per year and $35.13 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Healthcare Social Workers in New York: 10th percentile $47,750, 25th percentile $57,630, 75th percentile $91,950, 90th percentile $103,730. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Healthcare Social Workers in the US as a whole was $67,880 per year and $32.63 per hour, with about 187,630 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 20,440 people worked as Healthcare Social Workers in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 17th highest median annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in New York ($73,070) was $5,190 (7.6%) higher than the US median ($67,880). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Healthcare Social Workers in New York was $75,170 per year and $36.14 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in New York was $13,400 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Healthcare Social Workers, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage, $78,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Healthcare Social Workers in the US: 10th percentile $46,220, 25th percentile $56,710, 75th percentile $82,240, 90th percentile $100,360. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in states that border New York (highest first): New Jersey $82,690; Vermont $81,140; Connecticut $79,900; Massachusetts $76,440; Pennsylvania $61,900. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Healthcare Social Workers is projected to grow 8.5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 16,900 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Healthcare Social Workers: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Internship/residency. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Healthcare Social Workers in New York: 10th percentile $22.96, 25th percentile $27.71, 75th percentile $44.21, 90th percentile $49.87. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.