Social Worker Salary in Milwaukee, WI

Updated November 9, 2026

The median social worker in the Milwaukee area earns $59,180 a year ($28.45 an hour), 1% below the U.S. median ($59,550) and about the same as the Wisconsin median ($59,280). Half of the 1,530 social workers there earn between $47,980 and $69,890.

Median $59,180

10th: $44,59090th: $94,610

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: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
Annual pay	Milwaukee area	Wisconsin	U.S.
10th percentile	$44,590	$44,400	$42,280
25th percentile	$47,980	$47,980	$48,270
Median	$59,180	$59,280	$59,550
75th percentile	$69,890	$70,010	$76,070
90th percentile	$94,610	$80,900	$95,530
Average	$63,190	$61,310	$64,000
Jobs	1,530	5,710	392,550

Milwaukee, WI ranks 26th 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
Boston, MA: $77,420
Washington, DC: $75,550
Seattle, WA: $75,280
Baltimore, MD: $74,960
San Francisco, CA: $72,020
Los Angeles, CA: $71,250
All cities

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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.