Santa Clara County social worker salary, 2025
1,035 people worked as social workers for Santa Clara County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $145,566, overtime included.
What is the average social worker salary at Santa Clara County?
Official pay range, general social workers1
$87,747 to $146,811
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for general social workers, the largest group
Based on the 779 of 1,035 social workers who worked the full year.
The largest group of Santa Clara County's social workers (288 of 1,035) hold the title Social Worker III, with an official range of $106,621 to $129,010. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $154,738, $25,728 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $137,904
- the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $15,295
- average per full-year social worker
- Starting salary
- $87,747
- bottom of the Social Worker I range
- Average pay rank
- 2nd
- of 63 California employers
What does each social worker title at Santa Clara 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 I$122,590
- Social Worker I - UFewer than 5
- Social Worker II$131,772
- Social Worker III$154,738
- Social Services Program Control SupervisorFewer than 5
- Social Work Supervisor$187,685
- Social Work Training Specialist$140,656
Mental health social workers
- Psychiatric Social Worker I$125,776
- Psychiatric Social Worker II$135,307
Medical social workers
- Medical Social Worker I$117,514
- Medical Social Worker II$140,480
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Santa Clara County pay social workers more than other California employers?
Average total pay of full-year social workers: Santa Clara County next to every California employer together.1
- Santa Clara County$145,566
- All employers in California$105,739
Full-year social workers at Santa Clara County earned $39,827 more than the California average.
Average social worker pay in Santa Clara County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year social workers across all employers in each county that borders Santa Clara County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- San Mateo County$137,387 average, 1 employer$8,179 less than Santa Clara County
- Alameda County$125,704 average, 4 employers$19,862 less than Santa Clara County
- Santa Cruz County$109,828 average, 1 employer$35,738 less than Santa Clara County
- San Benito County$82,545 average, 1 employer$63,021 less than Santa Clara County
- Merced County$78,222 average, 1 employer$67,344 less than Santa Clara County
- Stanislaus County$73,576 average, 2 employers$71,990 less than Santa Clara County
Where does Santa Clara County rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year social workers, by average total pay.1
All 63 California employers
Santa Clara County ranks 2nd 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County's social workers
- Employer pension contribution
- $11,037
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $27,227
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about social worker pay at Santa Clara County
What is the average social worker salary at Santa Clara County?
Social workers at Santa Clara County who worked the full year earned an average of $145,566 in 2025, overtime included. The middle social worker earned $137,904: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its social worker titles runs from $87,747 to $146,811.
How much overtime do social workers at Santa Clara County earn?
Full-year social workers were paid an average of $15,295 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $5,589: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do social workers at Santa Clara County get?
The most common pension formula among Santa Clara County's social workers is 2% at 62, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $11,037 a year into the pension plan.
More public salaries at Santa Clara County
- Highest social worker salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- 911 dispatcher salaries at Santa Clara County$175,376 average total pay
- Firefighter salaries at Santa Clara County$225,543 average total pay
- Correctional officer salaries at Santa Clara County$207,897 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at Santa Clara County$242,999 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at Santa Clara County$104,127 average total pay
- Teacher salaries in Santa Clara CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Santa Clara County figures
Every person who held a social worker position at Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County.