2023 Salary Report for Social Workers in New Jersey

Salary Report for New Jersey Social Workers

New Jersey Rankings

Compare New Jersey to U.S.

New Jersey Social Workers earn an average of $75,410 which is 37% more than the national average salary of $54,880.

Type	New Jersey	U.S.	% Difference
Average Hourly Wage	$36.26	$26.39	37.40%
Average Annual Salary	$75,410	$54,880	37.41%

Salary Range by Education and Experience

In New Jersey, 50% of Social Workers earn between $61,280 and $97,480 a year, depending on factors such as level of education, experience, location and place of employment.

About 10% of Social Workers earn more than $103,570, a rate generally associated with highly educated and experienced Social Workers.

Approximately 10% of Social Workers earn under $48,680, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Social Workers.

Percent	Experience	Employed	Annual Salary
10%	Less than a Year	418	Under $48,680
15%	2 – 4 years	627	$48,680 – $61,280
25%	5 – 9 years	1,045	$61,280 – $76,490
25%	10 – 14 years	1,045	$76,490 – $97,480
15%	15 – 20 years	627	$76,490 – $103,570
10%	20+ years	418	Above $103,570

Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

After being adjusted for cost-of-living, Social Workers in New Jersey psychologists earn about $67,839 per year which is more than the average U.S. psychologist of $54,880.

Cost-of-living in New Jersey is 11% higher than the national average, which means New Jersey residents have an overall higher cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to other states.

More cost-of-living reports for U.S. States.

Salary Compared to Related Professions

With an average annual salary of $75,410, New Jersey Social Workers tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($143,150), Psychology Teachers ($96,000), Forensic Psychologists ($95,090), School Psychologists ($88,570), and Marriage and Family Therapists ($81,330).

However, Social Workers tend to earn more than Substance Abuse Counselors ($63,430), and Health Care Social Workers ($71,310).

Title	Annual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$143,150
Psychology Teachers	$96,000
Forensic Psychologists	$95,090
School Psychologists	$88,570
Marriage and Family Therapists	$81,330
Social Workers	$75,410
Health Care Social Workers	$71,310
Substance Abuse Counselors	$63,430

Projected Demand for Psychologists in 2030

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that in New Jersey the three professions needing the most new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (13,020), Social Workers (5,450) and Marriage and Family Therapists (4,840).

The three professions in New Jersey needing highest percentage new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (21.9%), Psychology Teachers (11.3%) and Health Care Social Workers (9.5%).

Title	2020	2030	Change	Yearly Openings
Substance Abuse Counselors	10,680	13,020	21.9%	1,320
Social Workers	5,010	5,450	8.8%	520
Marriage and Family Therapists	5,000	4,840	-3.2%	440
Health Care Social Workers	3,480	3,810	9.5%	370
Psychology Teachers	1,600	1,780	11.3%	170
Forensic Psychologists	610	600	-1.6%	40
Industrial Organizational Psychologists	350	350	0%	20

Salaries Ranked by New Jersey Cities

The average salary for Social Workers in New Jersey is $75,410. The top cities that pay Social Workers the most are Trenton ($75,250), Ocean City ($70,420) and Vineland-Bridgeton ($69,120).

When adjusted for cost-of-living, the cities that pay Social Workers the highest average annual salary are Trenton ($72,495), Vineland-Bridgeton ($71,170) and Atlantic City-Hammonton ($70,387).

The following table shows the average yearly salary range for Social Workers in each city, and the average yearly salary after being adjusted for cost-of-living in that state.

The difference column shows how much more or less purchasing power a Social Workers salary will have in that area.

Area	Average Salary	COL Adjusted	Difference
Trenton	$75,250	$72,495	$-2,755
Ocean City	$70,420	$69,619	$-801
Vineland-Bridgeton	$69,120	$71,170	$2,050
Atlantic City-Hammonton	$68,930	$70,387	$1,457

Salary FAQ for New Jersey Social Workers

City and Rural Summaries

Official Data Sources for Social Workers: Salary Data | Projected Employment | Cost of Living Data