Quick answer: Child, Family, and School Social Workers in the Merced area earn a median $60,200 per year, above the national median of $59,550, and the metro employs about 500 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Merced metro | California | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $60,200 | $65,200 | $59,550 |
| 10th percentile | $47,730 | $45,360 | $42,280 |
| 25th percentile | $48,070 | $52,270 | $48,270 |
| 75th percentile | $63,560 | $82,080 | $76,070 |
| 90th percentile | $74,580 | $103,050 | $95,530 |
| Employment | 500 | 60,310 | 392,550 |
| Location quotient | 2.49 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Merced, CA metropolitan statistical area.
The Merced median of $60,200 is above the national median of $59,550, and below the California statewide median of $65,200 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 2.49 means child, family, and school social workers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Social work demand follows local school districts, hospital systems, county agencies and nonprofit providers.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $71,250 | 26,220 |
| San Francisco | $72,020 | 5,840 |
| Riverside | $63,230 | 5,810 |
| San Diego | $59,770 | 3,820 |
| Sacramento | $63,270 | 3,550 |
| San Jose | $87,600 | 2,120 |
| Fresno | $62,080 | 1,920 |
| Modesto | $60,900 | 1,160 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. 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.
See the California licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.
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.
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.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for child, family, and school social workers in the Merced, CA metro area is $60,200, above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Merced, CA metro area employs about 500 child, family, and school social workers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. 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. Confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state social work licensing board.
The Merced metro median is $60,200 against a statewide median of $65,200 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
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/.
