Social Worker (government) in Colorado: Pay Plan

$48,912 – $162,708

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$63,720

median pay in CO, all employers

8,200

workers in CO (SOC 21-1021)

Sources: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Colorado sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and grade	Published rate
Social Services Specialist I Class H1T1XX · class description Grade H08	$4,076.00 – $6,522.00 a month $48,912 – $78,264 a year 31 steps Minimum: $4,076.00 a month Year 1: $4,076.00 a month Year 2: $4,076.00 a month Year 3: $4,280.00 a month Year 4: $4,280.00 a month Year 5: $4,494.00 a month Year 6: $4,494.00 a month Year 7: $4,494.00 a month Year 8: $4,718.00 a month Year 9: $4,718.00 a month Year 10: $5,299.00 a month Year 11: $5,299.00 a month Year 12: $5,405.00 a month Year 13: $5,405.00 a month Year 14: $5,405.00 a month Year 15: $5,513.00 a month Year 16: $5,513.00 a month Year 17: $5,513.00 a month Year 18: $5,513.00 a month Year 19: $5,513.00 a month Year 20: $5,623.00 a month Year 21: $5,623.00 a month Year 22: $5,623.00 a month Year 23: $5,623.00 a month Year 24: $5,623.00 a month Year 25: $5,736.00 a month Year 26: $5,736.00 a month Year 27: $5,736.00 a month Year 28: $5,736.00 a month Year 29: $5,736.00 a month Year 30: $5,736.00 a month
Social Services Specialist II Class H1T2XX · class description Grade H09	$4,280.00 – $6,849.00 a month $51,360 – $82,188 a year 31 steps Minimum: $4,280.00 a month Year 1: $4,280.00 a month Year 2: $4,280.00 a month Year 3: $4,494.00 a month Year 4: $4,494.00 a month Year 5: $4,719.00 a month Year 6: $4,719.00 a month Year 7: $4,719.00 a month Year 8: $4,955.00 a month Year 9: $4,955.00 a month Year 10: $5,565.00 a month Year 11: $5,565.00 a month Year 12: $5,676.00 a month Year 13: $5,676.00 a month Year 14: $5,676.00 a month Year 15: $5,790.00 a month Year 16: $5,790.00 a month Year 17: $5,790.00 a month Year 18: $5,790.00 a month Year 19: $5,790.00 a month Year 20: $5,906.00 a month Year 21: $5,906.00 a month Year 22: $5,906.00 a month Year 23: $5,906.00 a month Year 24: $5,906.00 a month Year 25: $6,024.00 a month Year 26: $6,024.00 a month Year 27: $6,024.00 a month Year 28: $6,024.00 a month Year 29: $6,024.00 a month Year 30: $6,024.00 a month
Social Services Specialist III Class H1T3XX · class description Grade H12	$4,955.00 – $7,927.00 a month $59,460 – $95,124 a year 31 steps Minimum: $4,955.00 a month Year 1: $4,955.00 a month Year 2: $4,955.00 a month Year 3: $5,203.00 a month Year 4: $5,203.00 a month Year 5: $5,463.00 a month Year 6: $5,463.00 a month Year 7: $5,463.00 a month Year 8: $5,736.00 a month Year 9: $5,736.00 a month Year 10: $6,442.00 a month Year 11: $6,442.00 a month Year 12: $6,571.00 a month Year 13: $6,571.00 a month Year 14: $6,571.00 a month Year 15: $6,702.00 a month Year 16: $6,702.00 a month Year 17: $6,702.00 a month Year 18: $6,702.00 a month Year 19: $6,702.00 a month Year 20: $6,836.00 a month Year 21: $6,836.00 a month Year 22: $6,836.00 a month Year 23: $6,836.00 a month Year 24: $6,836.00 a month Year 25: $6,973.00 a month Year 26: $6,973.00 a month Year 27: $6,973.00 a month Year 28: $6,973.00 a month Year 29: $6,973.00 a month Year 30: $6,973.00 a month
Social Services Specialist IV Class H1T4XX · class description Grade H16	$6,022.00 – $9,636.00 a month $72,264 – $115,632 a year 31 steps Minimum: $6,022.00 a month Year 1: $6,022.00 a month Year 2: $6,022.00 a month Year 3: $6,323.00 a month Year 4: $6,323.00 a month Year 5: $6,639.00 a month Year 6: $6,639.00 a month Year 7: $6,639.00 a month Year 8: $6,971.00 a month Year 9: $6,971.00 a month Year 10: $7,829.00 a month Year 11: $7,829.00 a month Year 12: $7,986.00 a month Year 13: $7,986.00 a month Year 14: $7,986.00 a month Year 15: $8,145.00 a month Year 16: $8,145.00 a month Year 17: $8,145.00 a month Year 18: $8,145.00 a month Year 19: $8,145.00 a month Year 20: $8,308.00 a month Year 21: $8,308.00 a month Year 22: $8,308.00 a month Year 23: $8,308.00 a month Year 24: $8,308.00 a month Year 25: $8,474.00 a month Year 26: $8,474.00 a month Year 27: $8,474.00 a month Year 28: $8,474.00 a month Year 29: $8,474.00 a month Year 30: $8,474.00 a month
Social Services Specialist V Class H1T5XX · class description Grade H21	$7,686.00 – $12,299.00 a month $92,232 – $147,588 a year 31 steps Minimum: $7,686.00 a month Year 1: $7,686.00 a month Year 2: $7,686.00 a month Year 3: $8,070.00 a month Year 4: $8,070.00 a month Year 5: $8,474.00 a month Year 6: $8,474.00 a month Year 7: $8,474.00 a month Year 8: $8,898.00 a month Year 9: $8,898.00 a month Year 10: $9,993.00 a month Year 11: $9,993.00 a month Year 12: $10,193.00 a month Year 13: $10,193.00 a month Year 14: $10,193.00 a month Year 15: $10,397.00 a month Year 16: $10,397.00 a month Year 17: $10,397.00 a month Year 18: $10,397.00 a month Year 19: $10,397.00 a month Year 20: $10,605.00 a month Year 21: $10,605.00 a month Year 22: $10,605.00 a month Year 23: $10,605.00 a month Year 24: $10,605.00 a month Year 25: $10,817.00 a month Year 26: $10,817.00 a month Year 27: $10,817.00 a month Year 28: $10,817.00 a month Year 29: $10,817.00 a month Year 30: $10,817.00 a month
Social Services Specialist VI Class H1T6XX · class description Grade H23	$8,475.00 – $13,559.00 a month $101,700 – $162,708 a year 31 steps Minimum: $8,475.00 a month Year 1: $8,475.00 a month Year 2: $8,475.00 a month Year 3: $8,899.00 a month Year 4: $8,899.00 a month Year 5: $9,344.00 a month Year 6: $9,344.00 a month Year 7: $9,344.00 a month Year 8: $9,811.00 a month Year 9: $9,811.00 a month Year 10: $11,016.00 a month Year 11: $11,016.00 a month Year 12: $11,236.00 a month Year 13: $11,236.00 a month Year 14: $11,236.00 a month Year 15: $11,461.00 a month Year 16: $11,461.00 a month Year 17: $11,461.00 a month Year 18: $11,461.00 a month Year 19: $11,461.00 a month Year 20: $11,690.00 a month Year 21: $11,690.00 a month Year 22: $11,690.00 a month Year 23: $11,690.00 a month Year 24: $11,690.00 a month Year 25: $11,924.00 a month Year 26: $11,924.00 a month Year 27: $11,924.00 a month Year 28: $11,924.00 a month Year 29: $11,924.00 a month Year 30: $11,924.00 a month

Schedule: State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021) in Colorado, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

Measure	CO
Workers	8,200
10th percentile	$45,980
Median	$63,720
90th percentile	$102,990
National median, government employers	$65,660

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Free practice tests for Colorado

Colorado Social Work Jurisprudence
Colorado exam · free on Open Exam Prep
ASWB Advanced Generalist Examination
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
ASWB Bachelors Examination (BSW-Level Licensure)
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
ASWB Clinical Examination (LCSW Licensure)
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
ASWB Masters Examination (MSW-Level Licensure)
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
ASWB Social Work Licensing Examination Program
Practice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep

Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Social Worker (government) page.

Social Worker (government) in Colorado

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

Free practice tests for Colorado

More about this job

Social Worker (government) in other states