Social Worker (government) in Illinois: Pay Plan

$68,436 – $140,784

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$63,220

median pay in IL, all employers

19,860

workers in IL (SOC 21-1021)

Sources: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Illinois state pay plan Sourced

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

Class and grade	Published rate
Social Worker Intern Class 41430 Grade MS-15-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$5,703.00 – $8,059.00 a month $68,436 – $96,708 a year
Social Worker I Class 41411 Grade RC-062-17-B · RC-062 Technical Employees	$5,834.00 – $8,307.00 a month $70,008 – $99,684 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $5,834.00 a month Step 1a: $6,016.00 a month Step 1: $6,103.00 a month Step 2: $6,384.00 a month Step 3: $6,679.00 a month Step 4: $6,961.00 a month Step 5: $7,244.00 a month Step 6: $7,537.00 a month Step 7: $7,985.00 a month Step 8: $8,307.00 a month
Grade RC-062-17-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees	$6,082.00 – $8,683.00 a month $72,984 – $104,196 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,082.00 a month Step 1a: $6,273.00 a month Step 1: $6,369.00 a month Step 2: $6,673.00 a month Step 3: $6,978.00 a month Step 4: $7,273.00 a month Step 5: $7,568.00 a month Step 6: $7,877.00 a month Step 7: $8,345.00 a month Step 8: $8,683.00 a month
Grade RC-062-17-S · RC-062 Technical Employees	$6,190.00 – $8,803.00 a month $74,280 – $105,636 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,190.00 a month Step 1a: $6,384.00 a month Step 1: $6,482.00 a month Step 2: $6,791.00 a month Step 3: $7,099.00 a month Step 4: $7,391.00 a month Step 5: $7,685.00 a month Step 6: $7,991.00 a month Step 7: $8,467.00 a month Step 8: $8,803.00 a month
Grade MS-16-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$5,834.00 – $8,307.00 a month $70,008 – $99,684 a year
Social Worker II Class 41412 Grade RC-063-19-B · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$6,460.00 – $9,337.00 a month $77,520 – $112,044 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,460.00 a month Step 1a: $6,661.00 a month Step 1: $6,768.00 a month Step 2: $7,114.00 a month Step 3: $7,448.00 a month Step 4: $7,793.00 a month Step 5: $8,124.00 a month Step 6: $8,463.00 a month Step 7: $8,979.00 a month Step 8: $9,337.00 a month
Grade RC-063-19-Q · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$6,748.00 – $9,757.00 a month $80,976 – $117,084 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,748.00 a month Step 1a: $6,958.00 a month Step 1: $7,074.00 a month Step 2: $7,438.00 a month Step 3: $7,780.00 a month Step 4: $8,152.00 a month Step 5: $8,489.00 a month Step 6: $8,847.00 a month Step 7: $9,379.00 a month Step 8: $9,757.00 a month
Grade RC-063-19-S · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$6,856.00 – $9,876.00 a month $82,272 – $118,512 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,856.00 a month Step 1a: $7,074.00 a month Step 1: $7,195.00 a month Step 2: $7,556.00 a month Step 3: $7,900.00 a month Step 4: $8,264.00 a month Step 5: $8,609.00 a month Step 6: $8,964.00 a month Step 7: $9,496.00 a month Step 8: $9,876.00 a month
Grade MS-21-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$6,460.00 – $9,337.00 a month $77,520 – $112,044 a year
Social Worker III Class 41413 Grade RC-063-20-B · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$6,820.00 – $9,875.00 a month $81,840 – $118,500 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $6,820.00 a month Step 1a: $7,033.00 a month Step 1: $7,152.00 a month Step 2: $7,513.00 a month Step 3: $7,860.00 a month Step 4: $8,235.00 a month Step 5: $8,595.00 a month Step 6: $8,951.00 a month Step 7: $9,494.00 a month Step 8: $9,875.00 a month
Grade RC-063-20-Q · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$7,121.00 – $10,323.00 a month $85,452 – $123,876 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $7,121.00 a month Step 1a: $7,345.00 a month Step 1: $7,474.00 a month Step 2: $7,849.00 a month Step 3: $8,221.00 a month Step 4: $8,611.00 a month Step 5: $8,981.00 a month Step 6: $9,353.00 a month Step 7: $9,925.00 a month Step 8: $10,323.00 a month
Grade RC-063-20-S · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$7,236.00 – $10,439.00 a month $86,832 – $125,268 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $7,236.00 a month Step 1a: $7,462.00 a month Step 1: $7,593.00 a month Step 2: $7,966.00 a month Step 3: $8,336.00 a month Step 4: $8,724.00 a month Step 5: $9,096.00 a month Step 6: $9,470.00 a month Step 7: $10,038.00 a month Step 8: $10,439.00 a month
Grade MS-23-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$6,820.00 – $9,875.00 a month $81,840 – $118,500 a year
Social Worker IV Class 41414 Grade RC-063-22-B · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$7,602.00 – $11,110.00 a month $91,224 – $133,320 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $7,602.00 a month Step 1a: $7,841.00 a month Step 1: $7,984.00 a month Step 2: $8,400.00 a month Step 3: $8,809.00 a month Step 4: $9,227.00 a month Step 5: $9,653.00 a month Step 6: $10,054.00 a month Step 7: $10,681.00 a month Step 8: $11,110.00 a month
Grade RC-063-22-Q · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$7,937.00 – $11,605.00 a month $95,244 – $139,260 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $7,937.00 a month Step 1a: $8,190.00 a month Step 1: $8,342.00 a month Step 2: $8,779.00 a month Step 3: $9,209.00 a month Step 4: $9,641.00 a month Step 5: $10,086.00 a month Step 6: $10,512.00 a month Step 7: $11,162.00 a month Step 8: $11,605.00 a month
Grade RC-063-22-S · RC-063 Professional Employees, Educators, Juvenile Justice School Counselors, Special Education Resources Coordinators, and Physicians	$8,055.00 – $11,732.00 a month $96,660 – $140,784 a year 10 steps Step 1b: $8,055.00 a month Step 1a: $8,308.00 a month Step 1: $8,463.00 a month Step 2: $8,890.00 a month Step 3: $9,325.00 a month Step 4: $9,757.00 a month Step 5: $10,206.00 a month Step 6: $10,633.00 a month Step 7: $11,279.00 a month Step 8: $11,732.00 a month
Grade MS-28-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)	$7,832.00 – $11,587.00 a month $93,984 – $139,044 a year

Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Illinois, all employers Sourced

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

Measure	IL
Workers	19,860
10th percentile	$47,120
Median	$63,220
90th percentile	$105,660
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 Illinois

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 Illinois

Illinois state pay plan Sourced

Pay in Illinois, all employers Sourced

Free practice tests for Illinois

More about this job

Social Worker (government) in other states