New York social worker salaries by employer, 2024-25

8,303 people worked as social workers for New York City, Suffolk County and Broome County in the newest year each employer has published (2024 and 2025). Those who worked the full year earned an average of $92,954. More New York employers follow as we collect their pay data.

What is the average social worker salary in New York?

Average total pay, full-year social workers1New York City$93,7557,575 social workers, average base pay $85,148, fiscal year 2025See every social worker title at New York CityAverage total pay, full-year social workers4Suffolk County$87,595561 social workers, average base pay $83,660, 2024See every social worker title at Suffolk CountyAverage total pay, full-year social workers5Broome County$62,555167 social workers, average base pay $60,018, 2025See every social worker title at Broome County
Social workers
8,303
5,662 of them worked the full year
Employers
3
with 5 or more social workers
Median total pay
$88,740
the middle social worker: half earned more, half less
Overtime
$3,783
average per full-year social worker

What stands out in New York social worker pay

How much do school social workers earn in New York?

4,395 school social workers worked for New York's school districts and BOCES in the 2024-25 school year. Their average salary was $98,081; in New York City's schools, $110,830.6

These are annual salaries from the State Education Department, without overtime or other pay, so they're kept apart from the total pay figures above. The list shows every school district and BOCES with at least 5 school social workers.

Every school district and BOCES (206)

Average salary of school social workers, 2024-25, highest first. The 20 best-paying are shown; open the list for the rest.

Questions about social worker pay in New York

How much do social workers make in New York?

Full-year social workers, caseworkers and child protective specialists at the 3 New York employers covered so far earned an average of $92,954 in the newest year each employer has published (2024 and 2025). The middle one earned $88,740.

Which New York employer pays social workers the most?

Of the employers covered so far, full-year social workers and caseworkers averaged $93,755 at New York City (fiscal year 2025), $87,595 at Suffolk County (2024) and $62,555 at Broome County (2025). New York City's figure includes its school social workers.

What does a Child Protective Specialist earn in New York City?

Full-year Child Protective Specialists at the Administration for Children's Services averaged $80,086 in fiscal year 2025, overtime included.

What do school social workers earn in New York City?

Full-year School Social Workers at the Department of Education averaged $112,890 in fiscal year 2025.

How much do school social workers make in the rest of New York?

School social workers across New York earned an average salary of $98,081 in the 2024-25 school year, by the State Education Department's count. That's a salary without overtime, so it isn't directly comparable with the total pay figures above. Among districts and BOCES with at least 10 of them, Uniondale Union Free School District pays the highest average.

Sources for the New York social worker figures

Every person who held a social worker position at any point in the newest year each employer has published (2024 and 2025) counts toward the headcount. New York City's pay figures use only people still employed at the end of June 2025 who worked at least 90% of a full year's regular hours at their title's standard week; for school staff, whose hours aren't recorded, regular pay of at least 90% of their own annual salary. The other employers' files have no hours, so their figures use full-time staff who held the same title the year before and earned at least 90% of that year's pay (Suffolk and Broome counties). Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. City of New York, Citywide Payroll Data (Fiscal Year): titles, base salaries, regular pay, overtime and other pay of every city employee, fiscal year 2025 (July 2024 to June 2025).
  2. City of New York, Department of Citywide Administrative Services, Civil Service Titles: official minimum and maximum pay per title, current list (2026).
  3. United Federation of Teachers, School Psychologist and School Social Worker salary schedule (2022-27): the Department of Education's pay steps for School Social Workers under the 2022-27 contract, as the union publishes them; they match the base salaries in the city payroll.
  4. Suffolk County, County Salaries by Department 2024 and 2023: each county employee's most recent title, hire and end dates, regular earnings, overtime and total pay in 2024; the 2023 file shows who held the same title a year earlier.
  5. Broome County, Annual Employee Earnings (Open NY): title, full- or part-time status, regular, overtime and total earnings of every county employee in 2025, and in 2024 to see who held the same title a year earlier.
  6. New York State Education Department, Personnel Master File statistical run 2024-25: school social workers' salaries, years of experience and degrees in each school district and BOCES.

How we read the data