Social Worker Salary in Raleigh, NC

Updated November 9, 2026

The median social worker in the Raleigh area earns $62,700 a year ($30.14 an hour), 5% above the U.S. median ($59,550) and 5% above the North Carolina median ($59,610). Half of the 1,460 social workers there earn between $51,210 and $75,840.

Median $62,700

10th: $44,70090th: $76,950

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: Raleigh-Cary, NC.
Annual pay	Raleigh area	North Carolina	U.S.
10th percentile	$44,700	$42,870	$42,280
25th percentile	$51,210	$49,010	$48,270
Median	$62,700	$59,610	$59,550
75th percentile	$75,840	$68,120	$76,070
90th percentile	$76,950	$76,950	$95,530
Average	$63,340	$59,660	$64,000
Jobs	1,460	13,010	392,550

Raleigh, NC ranks 18th 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

Charlotte, NC: $60,950
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
All cities

Similar jobs in Raleigh, NC

Mental Health Counselor: $59,600
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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.