Social Worker (government) in Massachusetts

$69,804 – $126,157

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$75,570

median pay in MA, all employers

10,900

workers in MA (SOC 21-1021)

Sources: Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Human Resources Division (HRD), Massachusetts Executive Branch Bargaining Unit Job Codes and Salary Charts; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Massachusetts state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 12, 2026. These are the ranges Massachusetts sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and grade	Published rate
Social Worker I Class E19142 Grade 19	$2,684.76 – $3,666.90 a two weeks $69,804 – $95,339 a year 12 steps Step 1: $2,684.76 a two weeks Step 2: $2,767.15 a two weeks Step 3: $2,852.15 a two weeks Step 4: $2,939.67 a two weeks Step 5: $3,029.88 a two weeks Step 6: $3,122.89 a two weeks Step 7: $3,218.85 a two weeks Step 8: $3,317.66 a two weeks Step 9: $3,419.46 a two weeks Step 10: $3,524.51 a two weeks Step 11: $3,595.01 a two weeks Step 12: $3,666.90 a two weeks
Social Worker I Class X19142 Grade 19	$2,684.76 – $3,666.90 a two weeks $69,804 – $95,339 a year 12 steps Step 1: $2,684.76 a two weeks Step 2: $2,767.15 a two weeks Step 3: $2,852.15 a two weeks Step 4: $2,939.67 a two weeks Step 5: $3,029.88 a two weeks Step 6: $3,122.89 a two weeks Step 7: $3,218.85 a two weeks Step 8: $3,317.66 a two weeks Step 9: $3,419.46 a two weeks Step 10: $3,524.51 a two weeks Step 11: $3,595.01 a two weeks Step 12: $3,666.90 a two weeks
Social Worker II Class E20189 Grade 20	$2,829.04 – $3,843.57 a two weeks $73,555 – $99,933 a year 12 steps Step 1: $2,829.04 a two weeks Step 2: $2,914.13 a two weeks Step 3: $3,001.93 a two weeks Step 4: $3,092.20 a two weeks Step 5: $3,185.19 a two weeks Step 6: $3,281.14 a two weeks Step 7: $3,379.86 a two weeks Step 8: $3,481.61 a two weeks Step 9: $3,586.38 a two weeks Step 10: $3,694.29 a two weeks Step 11: $3,768.19 a two weeks Step 12: $3,843.57 a two weeks
Social Worker II Class X20189 Grade 20	$2,829.04 – $3,843.57 a two weeks $73,555 – $99,933 a year 12 steps Step 1: $2,829.04 a two weeks Step 2: $2,914.13 a two weeks Step 3: $3,001.93 a two weeks Step 4: $3,092.20 a two weeks Step 5: $3,185.19 a two weeks Step 6: $3,281.14 a two weeks Step 7: $3,379.86 a two weeks Step 8: $3,481.61 a two weeks Step 9: $3,586.38 a two weeks Step 10: $3,694.29 a two weeks Step 11: $3,768.19 a two weeks Step 12: $3,843.57 a two weeks
Clinical Social Worker (A/B) Class EF569B Grade 22A	$3,171.27 – $4,326.43 a two weeks $82,453 – $112,487 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,171.27 a two weeks Step 2: $3,268.23 a two weeks Step 3: $3,368.08 a two weeks Step 4: $3,471.14 a two weeks Step 5: $3,577.19 a two weeks Step 6: $3,686.60 a two weeks Step 7: $3,799.32 a two weeks Step 8: $3,915.37 a two weeks Step 9: $4,035.02 a two weeks Step 10: $4,158.42 a two weeks Step 11: $4,241.56 a two weeks Step 12: $4,326.43 a two weeks
Clinical Social Worker (A/B) Class XF569B Grade 22A	$3,171.27 – $4,326.43 a two weeks $82,453 – $112,487 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,171.27 a two weeks Step 2: $3,268.23 a two weeks Step 3: $3,368.08 a two weeks Step 4: $3,471.14 a two weeks Step 5: $3,577.19 a two weeks Step 6: $3,686.60 a two weeks Step 7: $3,799.32 a two weeks Step 8: $3,915.37 a two weeks Step 9: $4,035.02 a two weeks Step 10: $4,158.42 a two weeks Step 11: $4,241.56 a two weeks Step 12: $4,326.43 a two weeks
Social Worker III Class E23138 Grade 23	$3,266.53 – $4,439.59 a two weeks $84,930 – $115,429 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,266.53 a two weeks Step 2: $3,365.00 a two weeks Step 3: $3,466.40 a two weeks Step 4: $3,570.92 a two weeks Step 5: $3,678.47 a two weeks Step 6: $3,789.36 a two weeks Step 7: $3,903.55 a two weeks Step 8: $4,021.23 a two weeks Step 9: $4,142.38 a two weeks Step 10: $4,267.22 a two weeks Step 11: $4,352.55 a two weeks Step 12: $4,439.59 a two weeks
Social Worker III Class X23138 Grade 23	$3,266.53 – $4,439.59 a two weeks $84,930 – $115,429 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,266.53 a two weeks Step 2: $3,365.00 a two weeks Step 3: $3,466.40 a two weeks Step 4: $3,570.92 a two weeks Step 5: $3,678.47 a two weeks Step 6: $3,789.36 a two weeks Step 7: $3,903.55 a two weeks Step 8: $4,021.23 a two weeks Step 9: $4,142.38 a two weeks Step 10: $4,267.22 a two weeks Step 11: $4,352.55 a two weeks Step 12: $4,439.59 a two weeks
Clinical Social Worker (C) Class EF569C Grade 24	$3,414.32 – $4,643.10 a two weeks $88,772 – $120,721 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,414.32 a two weeks Step 2: $3,517.44 a two weeks Step 3: $3,623.65 a two weeks Step 4: $3,733.02 a two weeks Step 5: $3,845.91 a two weeks Step 6: $3,961.99 a two weeks Step 7: $4,081.72 a two weeks Step 8: $4,204.95 a two weeks Step 9: $4,332.02 a two weeks Step 10: $4,462.81 a two weeks Step 11: $4,552.05 a two weeks Step 12: $4,643.10 a two weeks
Clinical Social Worker (C) Class XF569C Grade 24	$3,414.32 – $4,643.10 a two weeks $88,772 – $120,721 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,414.32 a two weeks Step 2: $3,517.44 a two weeks Step 3: $3,623.65 a two weeks Step 4: $3,733.02 a two weeks Step 5: $3,845.91 a two weeks Step 6: $3,961.99 a two weeks Step 7: $4,081.72 a two weeks Step 8: $4,204.95 a two weeks Step 9: $4,332.02 a two weeks Step 10: $4,462.81 a two weeks Step 11: $4,552.05 a two weeks Step 12: $4,643.10 a two weeks
Social Worker IV Class E24939 Grade 24	$3,414.32 – $4,643.10 a two weeks $88,772 – $120,721 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,414.32 a two weeks Step 2: $3,517.44 a two weeks Step 3: $3,623.65 a two weeks Step 4: $3,733.02 a two weeks Step 5: $3,845.91 a two weeks Step 6: $3,961.99 a two weeks Step 7: $4,081.72 a two weeks Step 8: $4,204.95 a two weeks Step 9: $4,332.02 a two weeks Step 10: $4,462.81 a two weeks Step 11: $4,552.05 a two weeks Step 12: $4,643.10 a two weeks
Social Worker IV Class X24SW4 Grade 24	$3,414.32 – $4,643.10 a two weeks $88,772 – $120,721 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,414.32 a two weeks Step 2: $3,517.44 a two weeks Step 3: $3,623.65 a two weeks Step 4: $3,733.02 a two weeks Step 5: $3,845.91 a two weeks Step 6: $3,961.99 a two weeks Step 7: $4,081.72 a two weeks Step 8: $4,204.95 a two weeks Step 9: $4,332.02 a two weeks Step 10: $4,462.81 a two weeks Step 11: $4,552.05 a two weeks Step 12: $4,643.10 a two weeks
Clinical Social Worker (D) Class EF569D Grade 25	$3,561.95 – $4,852.20 a two weeks $92,611 – $126,157 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,561.95 a two weeks Step 2: $3,670.17 a two weeks Step 3: $3,781.73 a two weeks Step 4: $3,896.79 a two weeks Step 5: $4,015.22 a two weeks Step 6: $4,137.26 a two weeks Step 7: $4,263.04 a two weeks Step 8: $4,392.71 a two weeks Step 9: $4,526.20 a two weeks Step 10: $4,663.79 a two weeks Step 11: $4,757.07 a two weeks Step 12: $4,852.20 a two weeks
Clinical Social Worker (D) Class XF569D Grade 25	$3,561.95 – $4,852.20 a two weeks $92,611 – $126,157 a year 12 steps Step 1: $3,561.95 a two weeks Step 2: $3,670.17 a two weeks Step 3: $3,781.73 a two weeks Step 4: $3,896.79 a two weeks Step 5: $4,015.22 a two weeks Step 6: $4,137.26 a two weeks Step 7: $4,263.04 a two weeks Step 8: $4,392.71 a two weeks Step 9: $4,526.20 a two weeks Step 10: $4,663.79 a two weeks Step 11: $4,757.07 a two weeks Step 12: $4,852.20 a two weeks

Schedule: Units 8 & 10 SEIU 509 salary plans 08A/B, 10A/B (salary chart effective 2026-07-12). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Human Resources Division (HRD), Massachusetts Executive Branch Bargaining Unit Job Codes and Salary Charts. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Massachusetts, all employers Sourced

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

Measure	MA
Workers	10,900
10th percentile	$48,140
Median	$75,570
90th percentile	$104,060
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 Massachusetts

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 Massachusetts

Massachusetts state pay plan Sourced

Pay in Massachusetts, all employers Sourced

Free practice tests for Massachusetts

More about this job

Social Worker (government) in other states