Social Worker (government) in Maryland: Pay Plan

$67,309 – $120,814

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$76,390

median pay in MD, all employers

4,710

workers in MD (SOC 21-1021)

Sources: Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Maryland State Salary Plan (title order) and FY 2027 salary schedules (effective July 1, 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Maryland state pay plan Sourced

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

Class and grade	Published rate
Social Worker I, Criminal Justice Class 2003 Grade ASTD 0016 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (ASTD)	$67,309 – $106,155 a year 24 steps Step 5: $67,309 a year Step 6: $68,656 a year Step 7: $70,029 a year Step 8: $71,430 a year Step 9: $72,859 a year Step 10: $74,317 a year Step 11: $75,804 a year Step 12: $77,320 a year Step 13: $78,867 a year Step 14: $80,445 a year Step 15: $82,055 a year Step 16: $83,696 a year Step 17: $85,371 a year Step 18: $87,079 a year Step 19: $88,821 a year Step 20: $90,598 a year Step 21: $92,411 a year Step 22: $94,259 a year Step 23: $96,145 a year Step 24: $98,069 a year Step 25: $100,031 a year Step 26: $102,032 a year Step 27: $104,074 a year Step 28: $106,155 a year
Social Worker I, Criminal Justice Class 6755 Grade STD 0016 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (STD)	$67,309 – $106,155 a year 24 steps Step 5: $67,309 a year Step 6: $68,656 a year Step 7: $70,029 a year Step 8: $71,430 a year Step 9: $72,859 a year Step 10: $74,317 a year Step 11: $75,804 a year Step 12: $77,320 a year Step 13: $78,867 a year Step 14: $80,445 a year Step 15: $82,055 a year Step 16: $83,696 a year Step 17: $85,371 a year Step 18: $87,079 a year Step 19: $88,821 a year Step 20: $90,598 a year Step 21: $92,411 a year Step 22: $94,259 a year Step 23: $96,145 a year Step 24: $98,069 a year Step 25: $100,031 a year Step 26: $102,032 a year Step 27: $104,074 a year Step 28: $106,155 a year
Social Worker I, Health SVCS Class 1991 Grade ASTD 0016 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (ASTD)	$67,309 – $106,155 a year 24 steps Step 5: $67,309 a year Step 6: $68,656 a year Step 7: $70,029 a year Step 8: $71,430 a year Step 9: $72,859 a year Step 10: $74,317 a year Step 11: $75,804 a year Step 12: $77,320 a year Step 13: $78,867 a year Step 14: $80,445 a year Step 15: $82,055 a year Step 16: $83,696 a year Step 17: $85,371 a year Step 18: $87,079 a year Step 19: $88,821 a year Step 20: $90,598 a year Step 21: $92,411 a year Step 22: $94,259 a year Step 23: $96,145 a year Step 24: $98,069 a year Step 25: $100,031 a year Step 26: $102,032 a year Step 27: $104,074 a year Step 28: $106,155 a year
Social Worker I, Health SVCS Class 6700 Grade STD 0016 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (STD)	$67,309 – $106,155 a year 24 steps Step 5: $67,309 a year Step 6: $68,656 a year Step 7: $70,029 a year Step 8: $71,430 a year Step 9: $72,859 a year Step 10: $74,317 a year Step 11: $75,804 a year Step 12: $77,320 a year Step 13: $78,867 a year Step 14: $80,445 a year Step 15: $82,055 a year Step 16: $83,696 a year Step 17: $85,371 a year Step 18: $87,079 a year Step 19: $88,821 a year Step 20: $90,598 a year Step 21: $92,411 a year Step 22: $94,259 a year Step 23: $96,145 a year Step 24: $98,069 a year Step 25: $100,031 a year Step 26: $102,032 a year Step 27: $104,074 a year Step 28: $106,155 a year
Social Worker I, Health SVCS, Ci Class 4181 Grade ASTD 0017 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (ASTD)	$71,805 – $113,243 a year 24 steps Step 5: $71,805 a year Step 6: $73,241 a year Step 7: $74,707 a year Step 8: $76,202 a year Step 9: $77,726 a year Step 10: $79,281 a year Step 11: $80,868 a year Step 12: $82,485 a year Step 13: $84,136 a year Step 14: $85,819 a year Step 15: $87,535 a year Step 16: $89,286 a year Step 17: $91,072 a year Step 18: $92,894 a year Step 19: $94,753 a year Step 20: $96,649 a year Step 21: $98,582 a year Step 22: $100,555 a year Step 23: $102,566 a year Step 24: $104,618 a year Step 25: $106,710 a year Step 26: $108,845 a year Step 27: $111,022 a year Step 28: $113,243 a year
Social Worker II, Criminal Justice Class 2004 Grade ASTD 0017 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (ASTD)	$71,805 – $113,243 a year 24 steps Step 5: $71,805 a year Step 6: $73,241 a year Step 7: $74,707 a year Step 8: $76,202 a year Step 9: $77,726 a year Step 10: $79,281 a year Step 11: $80,868 a year Step 12: $82,485 a year Step 13: $84,136 a year Step 14: $85,819 a year Step 15: $87,535 a year Step 16: $89,286 a year Step 17: $91,072 a year Step 18: $92,894 a year Step 19: $94,753 a year Step 20: $96,649 a year Step 21: $98,582 a year Step 22: $100,555 a year Step 23: $102,566 a year Step 24: $104,618 a year Step 25: $106,710 a year Step 26: $108,845 a year Step 27: $111,022 a year Step 28: $113,243 a year
Social Worker II, Criminal Justice Class 6756 Grade STD 0017 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (STD)	$71,805 – $113,243 a year 24 steps Step 5: $71,805 a year Step 6: $73,241 a year Step 7: $74,707 a year Step 8: $76,202 a year Step 9: $77,726 a year Step 10: $79,281 a year Step 11: $80,868 a year Step 12: $82,485 a year Step 13: $84,136 a year Step 14: $85,819 a year Step 15: $87,535 a year Step 16: $89,286 a year Step 17: $91,072 a year Step 18: $92,894 a year Step 19: $94,753 a year Step 20: $96,649 a year Step 21: $98,582 a year Step 22: $100,555 a year Step 23: $102,566 a year Step 24: $104,618 a year Step 25: $106,710 a year Step 26: $108,845 a year Step 27: $111,022 a year Step 28: $113,243 a year
Social Worker II, Health SVCS Class 1992 Grade ASTD 0017 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (ASTD)	$71,805 – $113,243 a year 24 steps Step 5: $71,805 a year Step 6: $73,241 a year Step 7: $74,707 a year Step 8: $76,202 a year Step 9: $77,726 a year Step 10: $79,281 a year Step 11: $80,868 a year Step 12: $82,485 a year Step 13: $84,136 a year Step 14: $85,819 a year Step 15: $87,535 a year Step 16: $89,286 a year Step 17: $91,072 a year Step 18: $92,894 a year Step 19: $94,753 a year Step 20: $96,649 a year Step 21: $98,582 a year Step 22: $100,555 a year Step 23: $102,566 a year Step 24: $104,618 a year Step 25: $106,710 a year Step 26: $108,845 a year Step 27: $111,022 a year Step 28: $113,243 a year
Social Worker II, Health SVCS Class 6701 Grade STD 0017 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (STD)	$71,805 – $113,243 a year 24 steps Step 5: $71,805 a year Step 6: $73,241 a year Step 7: $74,707 a year Step 8: $76,202 a year Step 9: $77,726 a year Step 10: $79,281 a year Step 11: $80,868 a year Step 12: $82,485 a year Step 13: $84,136 a year Step 14: $85,819 a year Step 15: $87,535 a year Step 16: $89,286 a year Step 17: $91,072 a year Step 18: $92,894 a year Step 19: $94,753 a year Step 20: $96,649 a year Step 21: $98,582 a year Step 22: $100,555 a year Step 23: $102,566 a year Step 24: $104,618 a year Step 25: $106,710 a year Step 26: $108,845 a year Step 27: $111,022 a year Step 28: $113,243 a year
Social Worker Adv, Criminal Justice Class 2005 Grade ASTD 0018 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (ASTD)	$76,608 – $120,814 a year 24 steps Step 5: $76,608 a year Step 6: $78,140 a year Step 7: $79,703 a year Step 8: $81,298 a year Step 9: $82,924 a year Step 10: $84,582 a year Step 11: $86,274 a year Step 12: $88,000 a year Step 13: $89,760 a year Step 14: $91,556 a year Step 15: $93,388 a year Step 16: $95,256 a year Step 17: $97,161 a year Step 18: $99,105 a year Step 19: $101,087 a year Step 20: $103,109 a year Step 21: $105,172 a year Step 22: $107,276 a year Step 23: $109,422 a year Step 24: $111,611 a year Step 25: $113,844 a year Step 26: $116,122 a year Step 27: $118,445 a year Step 28: $120,814 a year
Social Worker Adv, Criminal Justice Class 6757 Grade STD 0018 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (STD)	$76,608 – $120,814 a year 24 steps Step 5: $76,608 a year Step 6: $78,140 a year Step 7: $79,703 a year Step 8: $81,298 a year Step 9: $82,924 a year Step 10: $84,582 a year Step 11: $86,274 a year Step 12: $88,000 a year Step 13: $89,760 a year Step 14: $91,556 a year Step 15: $93,388 a year Step 16: $95,256 a year Step 17: $97,161 a year Step 18: $99,105 a year Step 19: $101,087 a year Step 20: $103,109 a year Step 21: $105,172 a year Step 22: $107,276 a year Step 23: $109,422 a year Step 24: $111,611 a year Step 25: $113,844 a year Step 26: $116,122 a year Step 27: $118,445 a year Step 28: $120,814 a year
Social Worker II, Health SVCS, Ci Class 4182 Grade ASTD 0018 · Standard & Bargaining Unit Employees Salary Schedule (ASTD)	$76,608 – $120,814 a year 24 steps Step 5: $76,608 a year Step 6: $78,140 a year Step 7: $79,703 a year Step 8: $81,298 a year Step 9: $82,924 a year Step 10: $84,582 a year Step 11: $86,274 a year Step 12: $88,000 a year Step 13: $89,760 a year Step 14: $91,556 a year Step 15: $93,388 a year Step 16: $95,256 a year Step 17: $97,161 a year Step 18: $99,105 a year Step 19: $101,087 a year Step 20: $103,109 a year Step 21: $105,172 a year Step 22: $107,276 a year Step 23: $109,422 a year Step 24: $111,611 a year Step 25: $113,844 a year Step 26: $116,122 a year Step 27: $118,445 a year Step 28: $120,814 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: Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Maryland State Salary Plan (title order) and FY 2027 salary schedules (effective July 1, 2026). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Maryland, all employers Sourced

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

Measure	MD
Workers	4,710
10th percentile	$41,240
Median	$76,390
90th percentile	$105,570
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 Maryland

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 Maryland

Maryland state pay plan Sourced

Pay in Maryland, all employers Sourced

Free practice tests for Maryland

More about this job

Social Worker (government) in other states