Salary Outlook for Military Social Workers
Military social workers assist members of the armed forces in reintegrating into professional or civilian life after they are deployed, injured, or endure a personal crisis. These social work professionals offer social service support to active-duty and retired military personnel and their families.
They also provide counseling services and case management as they advocate for their clients in the Veteran Affairs system. These professionals also connect their clients with services and resources in their state and local communities.
Military social workers often help veterans who need psychological and emotional support. Military deployments and exposure to violence can lead to serious mental health problems, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and even suicide. Social workers working with military personnel receive specialized training to help their clients get their lives back and under control.
Military social workers are often employed by the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), the biggest employer of social workers with advanced degrees in the US.
So how much do military social workers make? If you are interested in being a military social worker, it is critical to understand the field’s salary outlook. Below is detailed salary information for military social workers.
Salary Outlook For Military Social Workers
Active duty members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families face unique mental health challenges that come with their jobs. And these are on top of the challenges faced by every family.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) keeps statistics on many different occupations, including social workers.
While it doesn’t track military social workers specifically, it does maintain detailed data on two classifications of social workers whose duties generally encompass what it means to be a military social worker: child, family and school social workers, and mental health and substance abuse social workers. Here’s their salary breakdowns:
| Bottom 25% Salary | Median Salary | Average Salary | Top 25% Salary | Top 10% Salary | |
| Child, family, and school social workers | $45,120 | $53,940 | $59,190 | $68,450 | $85,590 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | $43,750 | $55,960 | $63,870 | $74,810 | $100,090 |
The BLS also tracks data for these two social worker specializations according to work location. Average salaries are listed here for sectors that are most applicable for military social workers:
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | |
| Federal, state, and local government, including schools and hospitals | $64,910 | $69,260 |
| Educational support services | $59,120 | $78,940 |
| Local government educational services | $70,520 | $61,690 |
| State government educational services | $62,370 | $62,040 |
| Elementary and secondary schools | $70,070 | $60,590 |
| Individual and family services | $50,780 | $55,220 |
| Community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services | $47,820 | $47,190 |
| Social advocacy organizations | $50,980 | $45,950 |
| Outpatient care centers | $53,150 | $60,710 |
| Residential intellectual and developmental disability, mental health, and substance abuse facilities | $48,900 | $49,150 |
| Home health care services | $93,400 | $75,440 |
Military Social Work Job Outlook
The social work profession has a good outlook going forward. Between 2023 and 2033 the BLS reports a national general job growth rate of 4%. Jobs for these social work specializations are forecast to do even better over that time span:
- Child, family, and school social workers – 4.9% increase
- Mental health and substance abuse social workers – 11.6% increase
Also, healthcare social workers should see an increase of 9.7% between 2023 and 2033, which is also much faster than average. Today, these professionals are needed as the elderly population needs treatment as they get older and live longer than in the past.
It is expected that clinical social workers will see a rise in employment as well, with some of them working in the VA. Clinical social workers are the most often-used provider of mental health services in the country. More people are using mental health services to deal with personal and mental health issues as they live longer.
Summary
Working as a military social worker lets you make a substantial salary and transform the lives of people who have served our country. Job demand for social workers is rising, so becoming a military social worker is an excellent career choice.
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and labor market information for Child, Family, and School Social Workers and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.