San Luis Obispo County social worker salary, 2025
124 people worked as social workers for San Luis Obispo County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $96,583, overtime included.
What is the average social worker salary at San Luis Obispo County?
Official pay range1
$57,117 to $116,626
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest social worker title
Based on the 98 of 124 social workers who worked the full year.
Most of San Luis Obispo County's social workers (70 of 124) hold the title Social Worker IV, with an official range of $80,122 to $102,253. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $97,181, within the range.
- Median total pay
- $94,905
- the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $6,226
- average per full-year social worker
- Starting salary
- $57,117
- bottom of the Social Worker I range
- Average pay rank
- 26th
- of 63 California employers
What does each social worker title at San Luis Obispo 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$73,460
- Social Worker II-LimitedFewer than 5
- Social Worker III$86,711
- Social Worker IV$97,181
- Social Worker Supervisor$122,543
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does San Luis Obispo County pay social workers more than other California employers?
Average total pay of full-year social workers: San Luis Obispo County next to every California employer together.1
- San Luis Obispo County$96,583
- All employers in California$105,739
Full-year social workers at San Luis Obispo County earned $9,156 less than the California average.
Average social worker pay in San Luis Obispo County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year social workers across all employers in each county that borders San Luis Obispo County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Monterey County$117,032 average, 2 employers$20,449 more than San Luis Obispo County
- Santa Barbara County$95,019 average, 2 employers$1,564 less than San Luis Obispo County
- Kings County$88,405 average, 1 employer$8,178 less than San Luis Obispo County
- Kern County$85,450 average, 2 employers$11,133 less than San Luis Obispo County
Where does San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo County ranks 26th 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 San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo County's social workers
- Employer pension contribution
- $28,376
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $11,049
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about social worker pay at San Luis Obispo County
What is the average social worker salary at San Luis Obispo County?
Social workers at San Luis Obispo County who worked the full year earned an average of $96,583 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker earned $94,905: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $57,117 to $116,626.
How much overtime do social workers at San Luis Obispo County earn?
Full-year social workers were paid an average of $6,226 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $2,808: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do social workers at San Luis Obispo County get?
The most common pension formula among San Luis Obispo County's social workers is 2% at 62, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $28,376 a year into the pension plan.
More public salaries at San Luis Obispo County
- Highest social worker salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- 911 dispatcher salaries at San Luis Obispo County$118,785 average total pay
- Correctional officer salaries at San Luis Obispo County$114,892 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at San Luis Obispo County$116,809 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at San Luis Obispo County$86,528 average total pay
- Teacher salaries in San Luis Obispo CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the San Luis Obispo County figures
Every person who held a social worker position at San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo County.