Merced County social worker salary, 2025
210 people worked as social workers for Merced County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $78,222, overtime included.
What is the average social worker salary at Merced County?
Official pay range1
$48,859 to $102,336
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest social worker title
Based on the 99 of 210 social workers who worked the full year.
The largest group of Merced County's social workers (46 of 210) hold the title Social Worker II, with an official range of $53,893 to $65,562. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $60,283, within the range.
- Median total pay
- $74,549
- the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $5,502
- average per full-year social worker
- Starting salary
- $48,859
- bottom of the Social Worker I range
- Average pay rank
- 52nd
- of 63 California employers
What does each social worker title at Merced County pay?
Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1
- Social Worker IFewer than 5
- Social Worker II$60,283
- Public Health Social WorkerFewer than 5
- Social Worker III$82,234
- Family Services Supervisor$72,880
- Social Worker IV-AFewer than 5
- Supervising Social Worker IFewer than 5
- Social Worker IV-B$112,709
- Supervising Social Worker II$100,818
- Extra Help Social Worker IV-B(5)Fewer than 5
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Merced County pay social workers more than other California employers?
Average total pay of full-year social workers: Merced County next to every California employer together.1
- Merced County$78,222
- All employers in California$105,739
Full-year social workers at Merced County earned $27,517 less than the California average.
Average social worker pay in Merced County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year social workers across all employers in each county that borders Merced County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Santa Clara County$145,566 average, 1 employer$67,344 more than Merced County
- Madera County$86,398 average, 1 employer$8,176 more than Merced County
- Fresno County$82,955 average, 1 employer$4,733 more than Merced County
- Mariposa County$82,575 average, 1 employer$4,353 more than Merced County
- San Benito County$82,545 average, 1 employer$4,323 more than Merced County
- Stanislaus County$73,576 average, 2 employers$4,646 less than Merced County
Where does Merced County rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average total pay.1
All 63 California employers
Merced County ranks 52nd of 63, below the middle employer.
Middle employer: $90,154
Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.
Pension and health cover at Merced County
As reported by the county. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year social worker, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 3% at 60
- the most common formula among Merced County's social workers
- Employer pension contribution
- $31,134
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $17,180
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about social worker pay at Merced County
What is the average social worker salary at Merced County?
Social workers at Merced County who worked the full year earned an average of $78,222 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker earned $74,549: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $48,859 to $102,336.
How much overtime do social workers at Merced County earn?
Full-year social workers were paid an average of $5,502 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $1,090: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do social workers at Merced County get?
The most common pension formula among Merced County's social workers is 3% at 60, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $31,134 a year into the pension plan.
More public salaries at Merced County
- Highest social worker salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- 911 dispatcher salaries at Merced County$90,708 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at Merced County$103,768 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at Merced CountyPay by title
- Teacher salaries in Merced CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Merced County figures
Every person who held a social worker position at Merced 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. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. 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 Merced County.