Quick answer:Child, Family, and School Social Workers in California earn a median $65,200 per year, above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 60,310 of them. Licensing runs through your state social work licensing board.
Social Work Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$65,200
$59,550
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$45,360
$42,280
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$52,270
$48,270
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$82,080
$76,070
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$103,050
$95,530
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
60,310
392,550
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
1.31
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
3.4%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $65,200 sits above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 1.31 puts California well above the national average, so the work is noticeably more common here than in the typical state. That usually means a deeper job market and more room to change employers without relocating (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Social work demand follows local school districts, hospital systems, county agencies and nonprofit providers.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), child, family, and school social workers wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
26,220
$71,250
$73,990
$44,230
$103,050
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
5,840
$72,020
$80,220
$52,830
$124,320
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
5,810
$63,230
$66,150
$43,960
$93,620
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
3,820
$59,770
$66,600
$46,440
$92,890
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
3,550
$63,270
$66,640
$47,410
$94,820
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
2,120
$87,600
$89,820
$57,430
$130,210
Fresno
1,920
$62,080
$65,820
$46,630
$81,000
Modesto
1,160
$60,900
$69,630
$47,650
$95,590
Bakersfield-Delano
960
$59,330
$68,190
$47,220
$96,220
Stockton-Lodi
870
$62,610
$68,940
$44,950
$95,810
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
830
$75,580
$74,910
$48,910
$96,400
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
720
$56,810
$67,020
$42,110
$117,050
Merced
500
$60,200
$59,850
$47,730
$74,580
Visalia
470
$61,040
$70,330
$46,980
$95,220
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
460
$57,710
$64,350
$44,610
$96,010
Salinas
450
$62,520
$70,220
$48,820
$97,300
Redding
410
$59,520
$60,970
$47,150
$74,210
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
400
$68,560
$71,080
$47,010
$95,250
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
400
$61,960
$65,800
$41,840
$93,100
Chico
290
$61,720
$65,220
$45,430
$95,740
Vallejo
280
$77,490
$77,630
$51,490
$99,180
El Centro
220
$60,690
$57,870
$43,470
$78,020
Yuba City
200
$64,040
$68,530
$47,180
$99,610
Hanford-Corcoran
130
$78,270
$73,530
$48,320
$99,680
Napa
130
$62,760
$67,310
$49,920
$94,860
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor’s and master’s level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master’s plus supervised post-graduate experience.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state social work licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How We Rank Schools
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that
local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal
IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
#1
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
📍
San Luis Obispo, CA
•81.1 miles away•BOC Score
89.2
How much do child, family, and school social workers make in California?
The median annual wage for child, family, and school social workers in California is $65,200, above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $52,270 at the 25th percentile to $82,080 at the 75th.
How many child, family, and school social workers work in California?
California holds about 60,310 social worker jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 392,550, and BLS projects about 35,100 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a social worker in California?
Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor's and master's level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master's plus supervised post-graduate experience. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state social work licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a BSW or MSW online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state social work licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of California for child, family, and school social workers?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Jose reports the highest median at $87,600 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for child, family, and school social workers?
On pay, the state median of $65,200 sits above the national $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 1.31 means the occupation is more concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
