2023 Salary Report for Social Workers in Minnesota

Salary Report for Minnesota Social Workers

Minnesota Rankings

Compare Minnesota to U.S.

Minnesota Social Workers earn an average of $60,940 which is 11% more than the national average salary of $54,880.

Type	Minnesota	U.S.	% Difference
Average Hourly Wage	$29.30	$26.39	11.03%
Average Annual Salary	$60,940	$54,880	11.04%

Salary Range by Education and Experience

In Minnesota, 50% of Social Workers earn between $47,090 and $76,880 a year, depending on factors such as level of education, experience, location and place of employment.

About 10% of Social Workers earn more than $79,310, a rate generally associated with highly educated and experienced Social Workers.

Approximately 10% of Social Workers earn under $38,580, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Social Workers.

Percent	Experience	Employed	Annual Salary
10%	Less than a Year	824	Under $38,580
15%	2 – 4 years	1,236	$38,580 – $47,090
25%	5 – 9 years	2,060	$47,090 – $60,510
25%	10 – 14 years	2,060	$60,510 – $76,880
15%	15 – 20 years	1,236	$60,510 – $79,310
10%	20+ years	824	Above $79,310

Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

After being adjusted for cost-of-living, Social Workers in Minnesota psychologists earn about $61,793 per year which is less than the average U.S. psychologist of $54,880.

Cost-of-living in Minnesota is 1% less than the national average, which means Minnesota residents have an overall less cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to other states.

More cost-of-living reports for U.S. States.

Salary Compared to Related Professions

With an average annual salary of $60,940, Minnesota Social Workers tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($93,790), Psychology Teachers ($88,450), Forensic Psychologists ($81,150), School Psychologists ($79,320), Marriage and Family Therapists ($68,660), and Health Care Social Workers ($62,740).

However, Social Workers tend to earn more than Substance Abuse Counselors ($53,210).

Title	Annual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists	$93,790
Psychology Teachers	$88,450
Forensic Psychologists	$81,150
School Psychologists	$79,320
Marriage and Family Therapists	$68,660
Health Care Social Workers	$62,740
Social Workers	$60,940
Substance Abuse Counselors	$53,210

Projected Demand for Psychologists in 2030

The U.S. Department of Labor projects that in Minnesota the three professions needing the most new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (9,990), Social Workers (9,560) and Health Care Social Workers (5,110).

The three professions in Minnesota needing highest percentage new psychologists by 2030 are Substance Abuse Counselors (22.9%), Marriage and Family Therapists (15.4%) and Health Care Social Workers (12.3%).

Title	2020	2030	Change	Yearly Openings
Social Workers	8,640	9,560	10.6%	920
Substance Abuse Counselors	8,130	9,990	22.9%	1,020
Health Care Social Workers	4,550	5,110	12.3%	500
Marriage and Family Therapists	1,490	1,720	15.4%	170
Psychology Teachers	760	800	5.3%	80
Forensic Psychologists	580	600	3.4%	40

Salaries Ranked by Minnesota Cities

The average salary for Social Workers in Minnesota is $60,940. The top cities that pay Social Workers the most are Duluth ($64,320), Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington ($62,060) and Southeast Minnesota Nonmetropolitan Area ($60,460).

When adjusted for cost-of-living, the cities that pay Social Workers the highest average annual salary are Duluth ($72,604), Southeast Minnesota Nonmetropolitan Area ($68,239) and Northwest Minnesota Nonmetropolitan Area ($66,648).

The following table shows the average yearly salary range for Social Workers in each city, and the average yearly salary after being adjusted for cost-of-living in that state.

The difference column shows how much more or less purchasing power a Social Workers salary will have in that area.

Area	Average Salary	COL Adjusted	Difference
Duluth	$64,320	$72,604	$8,284
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington	$62,060	$60,141	$-1,919
Southeast Minnesota Nonmetropolitan Area	$60,460	$68,239	$7,779
Northwest Minnesota Nonmetropolitan Area	$59,050	$66,648	$7,598
Northeast Minnesota Nonmetropolitan Area	$58,590	$66,129	$7,539
St. Cloud	$58,580	$63,071	$4,491
Southwest Minnesota Nonmetropolitan Area	$58,080	$65,553	$7,473
Mankato-North Mankato	$56,510	$61,231	$4,721
Rochester	$51,020	$53,858	$2,838

Salary FAQ for Minnesota Social Workers

City and Rural Summaries

Official Data Sources for Social Workers: Salary Data | Projected Employment | Cost of Living Data