Social worker salary in Australia

Social workers in Australia earn about AU$90,000 to AU$110,000 a year, with a median of about AU$99,060. Advertised pay varies most by the sector you work in, from about AU$85,400 in community services to about AU$97,200 in government. Figures on this page come from Seek’s July 2026 social worker salary data, which is drawn from full-time salary ranges disclosed by employers in job ads.

How much do social workers earn in Australia?

Social workers in Australia earn about AU$90,000 to AU$110,000 a year, with a median of about AU$99,060, based on full-time salary ranges disclosed by employers on Seek job ads in July 2026. Average advertised pay varies by sector: government and defence about AU$97,200, healthcare and medical about AU$96,100, education and training about AU$85,800, and community services and development about AU$85,400.

These are advertised salaries, not actual earnings. What you’re paid depends on your employer, your location, your experience and whether the role is funded through government, health or the not-for-profit sector. Some advertised figures include superannuation and some don’t.

What is the highest paying type of social worker?

Government and healthcare social work carry the highest advertised averages of the sectors Seek tracks: about AU$97,200 and AU$96,100 a year, against about AU$85,400 in community services and development. Seek reports pay by industry rather than by clinical specialisation, so read these as sector averages, not as a ranking of social work specialisations.

Source: Seek social worker salary data, industry averages, July 2026, retrieved 31 July 2026. These are averages of advertised salaries, not actual earnings, and Seek groups them by industry rather than by social work specialisation.

Volume runs the other way. Community services and development advertises by far the most social worker roles, roughly twice as many openings as healthcare and medical and several times more than government and defence or education and training. The best-paid sector is not the one advertising the most roles.

Where are social workers paid the most?

Regional New South Wales and central Queensland carry the highest advertised averages. Seek’s July 2026 location data puts Southern Highlands and Tablelands highest at about AU$137,500, then Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast at about AU$125,000, then Far West and North Central NSW, Newcastle, Maitland and Hunter, Port Macquarie and Mid North Coast, and Wollongong, Illawarra and South Coast at about AU$118,800 each.

Source: Seek social worker salary data, location averages, July 2026, retrieved 31 July 2026. These are averages for a location, drawn from advertised roles in that region. Seek publishes no seniority breakdown on this page.

These are averages for a location, not a seniority premium. Regional averages sit high partly because the roles advertised there are often harder to fill, and a small number of advertised jobs can move a regional average a long way.

Social worker salary by state and territory

Across the states and territories the spread is narrower than the regional figures suggest. The Australian Capital Territory carries the highest advertised average at about AU$115,900, and South Australia the lowest at about AU$91,800.

Source: Seek social worker salary data, state and territory averages, July 2026, retrieved 2 August 2026. Advertised salaries, not actual earnings.

Cost of living varies alongside these figures, so a higher advertised average does not always mean more in hand. A state’s average also moves with the mix of roles being advertised there at the time.

Is social work a good career in Australia?

Advertised pay sits above AU$85,000 across every sector Seek tracks, and the work spans community services, health, education and government, so there is room to move between settings without leaving the profession. It also asks a lot emotionally, and entry requires an AASW-accredited degree, usually about four years full time.

If you’d rather start in the sector sooner, a nationally recognised community services qualification is a shorter route into support and case work, and you can study it online while you work.

What does a social worker do?

A social worker is a university-qualified professional who provides counselling, advocacy and support to individuals, families and communities experiencing hardship or life transitions, across settings including mental health, family services, addiction, homelessness and housing insecurity. Social workers also work on systemic change, advocating for policy reform and better access to services.

What qualification do you need to be a social worker?

You need an AASW-accredited Bachelor of Social Work, usually about four years full time, or a Master of Social Work (Qualifying), usually about two years, if you already hold a relevant undergraduate degree, usually one that included study in the social and behavioural sciences. Accredited programs include 1,000 hours of professional practice learning across no more than three placements. Social work is self-regulated: the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) sets the standards for practice, ethics and education, and there is no national registration scheme for social workers.

For the full pathway, including field education and how AASW membership works, see our guide to how to become a social worker in Australia.

Social work pay vs community services pay

Social worker and community services worker are different occupations with different qualification requirements, and the pay reflects that. Social work requires an AASW-accredited degree. Community services roles are usually entered through a nationally recognised vocational qualification, and you can see what community services workers earn in Australia for that occupation’s own pay detail.

The two sit alongside each other in practice. Community services and development is the sector advertising the most social worker roles, and community services workers, case workers and support workers work in the same teams. A vocational qualification is not a substitute for a social work degree and does not lead to AASW membership on its own.

How a community services course can start your journey

Hader Institute of Education delivers nationally recognised community services qualifications online, so you can study around work and family commitments anywhere in Australia.

• CHC42021 Certificate IV in Community Services prepares you for entry-level roles such as community support worker, outreach officer and welfare support worker.
• CHC52025 Diploma of Community Services prepares you for roles including case manager and community services coordinator, and includes a 100-hour work placement coordinated near your home.

The Diploma’s work placement is a supervised training requirement, not a guarantee of employment. Before placement you’ll need a Police Check and a Working With Children Check, plus any immunisations required by the host organisation. See the course page for details. The Certificate IV has no mandatory work placement.

These are nationally recognised vocational qualifications. They are not a social work degree and not a pathway to AASW membership. If becoming a social worker is your goal, they are a way to build sector experience while you plan your degree. Some universities recognise prior study when you apply, though credit is always at the university’s discretion.

Hader Institute of Education, RTO 45162. Verify our registration at training.gov.au.

Salary figures on this page are from Seek’s social worker salary data, July 2026, and are based on full-time salary ranges disclosed by employers in job ads. They are advertised salaries, not a guarantee of what any individual will earn. Actual pay varies by employer, location, sector and experience, and some advertised figures include superannuation while others don’t.