Salary guides / LCSW
LCSW salary guide
What we see Licensed Clinical Social Worker roles advertised at across the US, and what actually moves the number.
- Advertised range
- $62k – $95k
- Live roles
- None open today
- Basis
- Roles we recruit, US
Take a Seat People
How much does a LCSW earn in the US?
Licensed Clinical Social Worker roles we recruit are advertised at roughly $62k – $95k: $62k at entry, $78k mid-career and $95k at senior or supervisory level. Setting, caseload size and payer mix move the figure more than years of experience do, and the same credential prices differently in center-based, school, in-home and telehealth work.
By experience
| Experience | Advertised pay | What that looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | $62k | First role after certification |
| Mid-career | $78k | Two to five years, full caseload |
| Senior | $95k | Supervisory scope or specialist skill |
Ranges reflect what we typically see advertised on roles we recruit for in the US. They are a market guide, not a survey, and vary by setting, caseload and experience. Last reviewed August 2026. Federal wage data is published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What moves the number
- Setting: center-based, in-home, school and telehealth all price differently for the same credential
- Caseload size and supervision responsibility
- State and metro cost of living, and how scarce the credential is locally
- Payer mix and billable expectation, which decide how achievable any bonus really is
- Bilingual capability and specialist skills such as feeding, AAC or severe behavior
Read the whole package
Base pay is only part of it. Before comparing two offers, get the caseload cap, the billable or productivity target, PTO, CEU allowance, supervision provided, drive time and mileage policy, and how cancellations affect pay. A lower base with a sane caseload routinely beats a higher one without.
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Join the talent networkLCSW pay by state
- LCSW salary in CaliforniaThe largest single behavioral health market in the country and the most competitive for BCBAs and pediatric therapists. Pay expectations track cost of living, which is why remote and hybrid models spread here first.
- LCSW salary in TexasThe fastest-growing ABA market we recruit in. Center expansion across Houston, DFW and Austin has outrun local BCBA supply, and relocation packages are now routine.
- LCSW salary in FloridaHigh-volume ABA and pediatric therapy market with strong Medicaid-funded demand. Bilingual Spanish clinicians are the scarcest hire in South Florida.
- LCSW salary in New YorkDense, credential-heavy market. Licensure processing time is the main obstacle to out-of-state hires, so we start it before offer, not after.
- LCSW salary in ArizonaA national hub for ABA growth and telehealth operations, helped by PSYPACT membership and a fast-growing population.
- LCSW salary in North CarolinaRapid multi-site ABA and pediatric therapy expansion, with clinical director searches growing faster than clinician searches.
- LCSW salary in GeorgiaAtlanta anchors a strong Southeast market for ABA, community mental health and telepsychiatry.
- LCSW salary in IllinoisDeep clinical labor market in Chicago, with school-based and community mental health demand strongest downstate.
- LCSW salary in PennsylvaniaStrong IDD and community mental health sector, with school-based contract work concentrated around Philadelphia.
- LCSW salary in OhioBalanced market across ABA, community mental health and IDD, with strong nonprofit provider presence.
- LCSW salary in New JerseyHigh-density ABA and school-based market that competes for the same clinicians as New York and Philadelphia.
- LCSW salary in WashingtonStrong pay benchmarks and a competitive telehealth sector; in-person roles outside Seattle are the harder fills.
- LCSW salary in ColoradoAttractive relocation market with high candidate inbound and a tight supply of experienced BCBAs.
- LCSW salary in MassachusettsAcademic-heavy market with strong clinical standards and correspondingly high expectations on supervision quality.
LCSW jobs by state
- LCSW jobs in CaliforniaCompacts: PSYPACT: not a member · Counseling Compact: not enacted
- LCSW jobs in TexasCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted · Social Work Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in FloridaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in New YorkCompacts: PSYPACT: not a member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in ArizonaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in North CarolinaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in GeorgiaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in IllinoisCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in PennsylvaniaCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in OhioCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in New JerseyCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in WashingtonCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in ColoradoCompacts: PSYPACT: member · Counseling Compact: enacted
- LCSW jobs in MassachusettsCompacts: PSYPACT: not a member · Counseling Compact: enacted