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Social Work

Child and Family Social Worker

Salary, job outlook, education and requirements

Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers.

Also called: Adoption Social Worker · Case Manager · Case Worker · Child Protective Services Social Worker (CPS Social Worker) · Family Protection Specialist · Family Resource Coordinator · Family Service Worker · Foster Care Social Worker

O*NET-SOC 21-1021.00 (Child, Family, and School Social Workers)

National median pay
$59,550
$28.63 per hour · 2025 data
Projected growth
4%
2025-2035, United States
Openings per year
33,900
Projected annual job openings
Typical education
Bachelor's degree
Experience: No work experience

Child and Family Social Worker salary

Wages for child, family, and school social workers across all employers, 2025 data. The 10th percentile is typical entry-level pay; the 90th percentile reflects the most experienced and highest-paid workers.

10th percentile
$42,280
per year
25th percentile
$48,270
per year
Median
$59,550
per year
75th percentile
$76,070
per year
90th percentile
$95,530
per year

National median hourly wage: $28.63.

Child and Family Social Worker pay by state

Ten largest states by population, annual wages.

State10th percentileMedian90th percentile
California$45,360$65,200$103,050
Texas$37,230$55,680$73,670
Florida$39,760$56,550$79,580
New York$48,400$65,100$100,100
Pennsylvania$38,430$50,820$78,470
Illinois$47,120$63,220$105,660
Ohio$39,810$51,520$75,850
Georgia$35,690$47,510$83,380
North Carolina$42,870$59,610$76,950
Michigan$41,260$59,270$81,100

Child and Family Social Worker job outlook

  • Employment is projected to go from 405,100 jobs in 2025 to 422,900 in 2035 (4% change).
  • About 33,900 openings are projected each year, including jobs that open up as workers retire or change occupations.
  • CareerOneStop outlook rating: Average.

How to become a child and family social worker

Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Work experience
No work experience
On-the-job training
No on-the-job training

Education level of current workers

  • Less than high school diploma1.7%
  • High school diploma or equivalent6.5%
  • Some college, no degree11%
  • Associate's degree6.4%
  • Bachelor's degree39%
  • Master's degree33.8%
  • Doctoral or professional degree1.5%

Related training programs

  • Developmental and Adolescent Psychology
  • Developmental and Child Psychology
  • Forensic Social Work
  • Infant/Toddler Mental Health Services
  • Juvenile Corrections
  • Social Work
  • Social Work, Other
  • Youth Services/Administration

What does a child and family social worker do?

Common tasks

  • Place children in foster or adoptive homes, institutions, or medical treatment centers.
  • Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
  • Recommend temporary foster care and advise foster or adoptive parents.
  • Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
  • Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
  • Counsel students whose behavior, school progress, or mental or physical impairment indicate a need for assistance, diagnosing students' problems and arranging for needed services.
  • Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
  • Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems, such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions.
  • Counsel parents with child rearing problems, interviewing the child and family to determine whether further action is required.
  • Address legal issues, such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and providing testimony to inform custody arrangements.

Most important skills

Active Listening
Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Speaking
Talking to others.
Critical Thinking
Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Social Perceptiveness
Understanding people's reactions.
Judgment and Decision Making
Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Service Orientation
Looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension
Reading work-related information.
Monitoring
Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

Child and Family Social Worker certifications

8 of 23 certifications CareerOneStop maps to this occupation. Requirements vary by employer and state.

See all 23certifications in CareerOneStop's Certification Finder

Child and Family Social Worker jobs

Current federal openings from USAJOBS. For more social work jobs, including private-sector listings, see the Social Work jobs hub.

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Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM.

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This page includes information from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA), and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Source: CareerOneStop occupation profile for Child, Family, and School Social Workers. Wages are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program; projections are national long-term projections.