San Diego County social worker salary, 2025

1,389 people worked as social workers for San Diego County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $97,669, overtime included.

What is the average social worker salary at San Diego County?

Official pay range, children's social workers1

$75,546 to $115,398

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for children's social workers, the largest group

Average total pay, full-year social workers1

$97,669

average base pay $88,072

Based on the 1,200 of 1,389 social workers who worked the full year.

The largest group of San Diego County's social workers (595 of 1,389) hold the title Protective Services Worker, with an official range of $75,546 to $97,427. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $96,277, within the range.

Median total pay
$95,914
the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
Overtime
$4,623
average per full-year social worker
Starting salary
$58,136
bottom of the Social Worker I range
Average pay rank
23rd
of 63 California employers

What does each social worker title at San Diego 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

Children's social workers

  1. Protective Services Worker$75,546 to $97,427 · 595 people
    $96,277
  2. Sr Protective Services Worker$83,928 to $103,189 · 152 people
    $108,428
  3. Protective Services Supv$93,850 to $115,398 · 170 people
    $123,372

General social workers

  1. Social Worker I$58,136 to $71,490 · 73 people
    $70,726
  2. Social Worker II$64,501 to $79,373 · 29 people
    $79,649
  3. Social Worker III$75,816 to $93,205 · 335 people
    $89,008
  4. Health Services Social Worker$77,355 to $95,098 · fewer than 5 people
    Fewer than 5
  5. Social Work Supervisor$81,432 to $100,048 · 34 people
    $97,859

official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.

Does San Diego County pay social workers more than other employers in San Diego County?

Average total pay of full-year social workers: San Diego County next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1

Full-year social workers at San Diego County earned $29 less than the San Diego County average and $8,070 less than the California average.

Average social worker pay in San Diego County compared to nearby counties

Average total pay of full-year social workers across all employers in each county that borders San Diego County, and how much more or less it pays.1

San Diego County Shades match the state map.

Where does San Diego County rank among California employers?

Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average total pay.1

All 63 California employers

San Diego County ranks 23rd of 63, above the middle employer.

San Diego County
$60k$80k$100k$120k$140k

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 San Diego 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 San Diego County's social workers
Employer pension contribution
$37,154
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$14,116
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about social worker pay at San Diego County

What is the average social worker salary at San Diego County?

Social workers at San Diego County who worked the full year earned an average of $97,669 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker earned $95,914: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $75,546 to $115,398.

How much overtime do social workers at San Diego County earn?

Full-year social workers were paid an average of $4,623 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $1,171: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do social workers at San Diego County get?

The most common pension formula among San Diego County's social workers is 1.62% at 65, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $37,154 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in San Diego County

Sources for the San Diego County figures

Every person who held a social worker position at San Diego 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.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by San Diego County.

How we read the data