Monterey County social worker salary, 2025
411 people worked as social workers for Monterey County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $116,898.
What is the average social worker salary at Monterey County?
Official pay range, general social workers1
$68,848 to $139,364
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for general social workers, the largest group
Based on the 340 of 411 social workers who worked the full year.
The largest group of Monterey County's social workers (155 of 411) hold the title Social Worker III, with an official range of $76,078 to $103,902. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $102,805, within the range.
- Median total pay
- $111,544
- the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $632
- average per full-year social worker
- Starting salary
- $92,015
- bottom of the Psychiatric Social Worker I range
- Average pay rank
- 12th
- of 63 California employers
What does each social worker title at Monterey 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
General social workers
- Social Worker II$86,194
- Social Worker III$102,805
- Social Worker IVFewer than 5
- Social Work Supervisor I$120,843
- Social Worker V$131,571
- Social Work Supervisor II$173,538
Mental health social workers
- Psychiatric Social Worker I$111,061
- Psychiatric Social Worker II$128,560
- Senior Psychiatric Social Worker$138,098
Medical social workers
- Social Worker V$122,599
- Social Work Supervisor IIFewer than 5
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Monterey County pay social workers more than other employers in Monterey County?
Average total pay of full-year social workers: Monterey County next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Monterey County$116,898
- All employers in Monterey County$117,032
- All employers in California$105,739
Full-year social workers at Monterey County earned $134 less than the Monterey County average and $11,159 more than the California average.
Average social worker pay in Monterey County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year social workers across all employers in each county that borders Monterey County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Santa Cruz County$109,828 average, 1 employer$7,204 less than Monterey County
- San Luis Obispo County$96,583 average, 1 employer$20,449 less than Monterey County
- Kings County$88,405 average, 1 employer$28,627 less than Monterey County
- Fresno County$82,955 average, 1 employer$34,077 less than Monterey County
- San Benito County$82,545 average, 1 employer$34,487 less than Monterey County
Where does Monterey County rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average total pay.1
All 63 California employers
Monterey County ranks 12th of 63, above 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 Monterey County
As reported by the county. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year social worker, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 2% at 62
- the most common formula among Monterey County's social workers
- Employer pension contribution
- $9,886
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $22,762
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about social worker pay at Monterey County
What is the average social worker salary at Monterey County?
Social workers at Monterey County who worked the full year earned an average of $116,898 in 2025. The middle social worker earned $111,544: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $68,848 to $139,364.
How much overtime do social workers at Monterey County earn?
Full-year social workers were paid an average of $632 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $0: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do social workers at Monterey County get?
The most common pension formula among Monterey County's social workers is 2% at 62, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $9,886 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Monterey County
- Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare District$127,279 average total pay
- Highest social worker salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- 911 dispatcher salaries at Monterey County$150,076 average total pay
- Correctional officer salaries at Monterey County$156,445 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at Monterey County$178,346 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at Monterey County$103,650 average total pay
- Teacher salaries in Monterey CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Monterey County figures
Every person who held a social worker position at Monterey 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 Monterey County.