Orange County social worker salary, 2025
1,570 people worked as social workers for Orange County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $98,479, overtime included.
What is the average social worker salary at Orange County?
Official pay range, general social workers1
$60,403 to $121,368
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for general social workers, the largest group
Based on the 1,439 of 1,570 social workers who worked the full year.
The largest group of Orange County's social workers (633 of 1,570) hold the title Senior Social Worker, with an official range of $80,912 to $100,630. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $99,817, within the range.
- Median total pay
- $96,947
- the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $2,539
- average per full-year social worker
- Starting salary
- $60,403
- bottom of the Social Worker I range
- Average pay rank
- 22nd
- of 63 California employers
What does each social worker title at Orange 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 IFewer than 5
- Social Worker II$82,726
- Social Services Supervisor I$96,445
- Senior Social Worker$99,817
- Social Services Supervisor II$108,811
- Senior Social Services Supervisor$121,399
Medical social workers
- Social Worker II$83,844
- Senior Social WorkerFewer than 5
- Senior Social Services SupervisorFewer than 5
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Orange County pay social workers more than other employers in Orange County?
Average total pay of full-year social workers: Orange County next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Orange County$98,479
- All employers in Orange County$98,439
- All employers in California$105,739
Full-year social workers at Orange County earned $40 more than the Orange County average and $7,260 less than the California average.
Average social worker pay in Orange County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year social workers across all employers in each county that borders Orange County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Los Angeles County$112,879 average, 3 employers$14,440 more than Orange County
- San Diego County$97,698 average, 2 employers$741 less than Orange County
- San Bernardino County$90,240 average, 1 employer$8,199 less than Orange County
- Riverside County$87,427 average, 1 employer$11,012 less than Orange County
Where does Orange County rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average total pay.1
All 63 California employers
Orange County ranks 22nd 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 Orange County
As reported by the county. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year social worker, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 1.62% at 65
- the most common formula among Orange County's social workers
- Employer pension contribution
- $10,843
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $16,797
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about social worker pay at Orange County
What is the average social worker salary at Orange County?
Social workers at Orange County who worked the full year earned an average of $98,479 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker earned $96,947: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $60,403 to $121,368.
How much overtime do social workers at Orange County earn?
Full-year social workers were paid an average of $2,539 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $28: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do social workers at Orange County get?
The most common pension formula among Orange County's social workers is 1.62% at 65, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $10,843 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Orange County
- Huntington Beach$86,869 average total pay
- Highest social worker salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- 911 dispatcher salaries at Orange County$113,562 average total pay
- Water operator salaries at Orange County$109,811 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at Orange County$146,684 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at Orange County$102,020 average total pay
- Teacher salaries in Orange CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Orange County figures
Every person who held a social worker position at Orange 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 Orange County.