Social Worker Salary in Boston, MA

Updated November 9, 2026

The median social worker in the Boston area earns $77,420 a year ($37.22 an hour), 30% above the U.S. median ($59,550) and 2% above the Massachusetts median ($75,570). Half of the 7,070 social workers there earn between $62,150 and $97,860.

Median $77,420

10th: $49,97090th: $108,810

Percentiles. Dark: the middle half of earners. Red line: median. Dashed: U.S. median.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers, May 2025 (latest official data). Metro area: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
Annual pay	Boston area	Massachusetts	U.S.
10th percentile	$49,970	$48,140	$42,280
25th percentile	$62,150	$61,150	$48,270
Median	$77,420	$75,570	$59,550
75th percentile	$97,860	$94,650	$76,070
90th percentile	$108,810	$104,060	$95,530
Average	$78,950	$77,060	$64,000
Jobs	7,070	10,900	392,550

Boston, MA ranks 3rd of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas for social worker pay. Highest: San Jose, CA ($87,600).

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Social worker pay in other cities

San Jose, CA: $87,600
Hartford, CT: $79,920
Washington, DC: $75,550
Seattle, WA: $75,280
Baltimore, MD: $74,960
San Francisco, CA: $72,020
Los Angeles, CA: $71,250
Providence, RI: $70,900
All cities

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Mental Health Counselor: $62,130
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Sources

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, published May 15, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, www.bls.gov/oes. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.