Sources: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Iowa state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective June 19, 2026. These are the ranges Iowa sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Social Worker 2 Class 03011 · class description Grade 25 · 009 UE/IUP | $50,232 – $74,672 a year |
| Social Worker 2 Class 23013 · class description Grade 25 · 014 AFSCME | $51,979 – $77,709 a year |
| Social Worker 3 Class 03016 · class description Grade 27 · 009 UE/IUP | $54,350 – $81,973 a year |
| Social Worker 3 Class 23016 · class description Grade 27 · 014 AFSCME | $56,306 – $85,342 a year |
| Social Worker 4 Class 03017 · class description Grade 28 · 009 UE/IUP | $56,992 – $86,362 a year |
| Social Worker 5 Class 03018 · class description Grade 29 · 009 UE/IUP | $59,634 – $90,355 a year |
| Social Worker 6 Class 03019 · class description Grade 30 · 009 UE/IUP | $61,443 – $94,765 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: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Iowa, all employers Sourced
Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021) in Iowa, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | IA |
|---|---|
| Workers | 3,410 |
| 10th percentile | $39,240 |
| Median | $52,250 |
| 90th percentile | $81,170 |
| 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.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Social Worker (government) page.