Social Workers, All Other Salary
The median pay for a social workers, all other in Raleigh-Cary, NC is $53,560/year ($25.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.16), that's roughly $54,564 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,750/month, about 48.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Raleigh-Cary?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Raleigh-Cary’s Regional Price Parity (98.16). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About social workers, all others
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What this looks like in Raleigh-Cary
Pay for social workers, all other in Raleigh-Cary runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $72K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,750/month, which is 49.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.16) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for social workers, all others.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for social workers, all others in metros near Raleigh-Cary, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $69K | $71K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $91K | $93K |
| Asheville | $95K | $98K |
| Winston-Salem | $86K | $94K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Raleigh-Cary, NC
Entry-level social workers, all others (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Social Workers, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Social Workers, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $122K | +69% | 370 |
| Hawaii | $116K | +62% | 200 |
| Rhode Island | $112K | +55% | 90 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | +44% | 100 |
| Washington | $103K | +43% | 790 |
| Oklahoma | $102K | +42% | 320 |
| Massachusetts | $101K | +41% | 540 |
| Missouri | $99K | +37% | 590 |
| District of Columbia | $96K | +34% | 350 |
| South Carolina | $96K | +34% | 440 |
| Alabama | $94K | +31% | 400 |
| South Dakota | $94K | +30% | 130 |
| Delaware | $93K | +30% | 130 |
| Virginia | $93K | +29% | 860 |
| Mississippi | $92K | +27% | 280 |
| Iowa | $91K | +27% | 230 |
| New Mexico | $91K | +26% | 250 |
| Idaho | $89K | +23% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $85K | +18% | 610 |
| Indiana | $85K | +18% | 460 |
| Texas | $84K | +17% | 2,880 |
| New York | $84K | +17% | 2,470 |
| North Dakota | $81K | +13% | 110 |
| Minnesota | $80K | +11% | 7,270 |
| Georgia | $78K | +9% | 1,510 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +7% | 640 |
| Nebraska | $77K | +6% | 220 |
| Maryland | $76K | +5% | 1,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $74K | +4% | 1,730 |
| Vermont | $73K | +2% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $69K | -4% | 850 |
| Connecticut | $69K | -4% | 460 |
| Wyoming | $69K | -4% | 160 |
| Oregon | $68K | -6% | 3,710 |
| Utah | $66K | -8% | 660 |
| Illinois | $64K | -11% | 1,910 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -12% | 1,670 |
| California | $63K | -12% | 6,430 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -13% | 1,860 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -13% | 680 |
| Arizona | $62K | -14% | 2,850 |
| Michigan | $62K | -14% | 1,700 |
| Colorado | $62K | -14% | 2,190 |
| Alaska | $61K | -15% | 330 |
| Maine | $60K | -16% | 470 |
| Ohio | $60K | -17% | 3,250 |
| Florida | $59K | -19% | 4,800 |
| Montana | $52K | -28% | 540 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -28% | 1,910 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -34% | 690 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track social workers, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Raleigh-Cary numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a social workers, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Raleigh-Cary?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 49.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,750/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for social workers, all others in Raleigh-Cary?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new social workers, all others typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,640/month. At HUD’s $1,750/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is social workers, all other a high-paying job in Raleigh-Cary?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $54K here vs. $72K nationally.
How does Raleigh-Cary compare to the national average for social workers, all others?
Raleigh-Cary pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $72K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do social workers, all others make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?
The median is $53,560 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,000, and experienced social workers, all others can clear $108,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Raleigh-Cary?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,555/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,750/month, which eats 49.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a social workers, all other salary go in Raleigh-Cary?
Raleigh-Cary has a Regional Price Parity of 98.16 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median social workers, all other salary is worth about $54,564 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do social workers, all others get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.