Social Worker.
Denver.
$76,000
median salary, 10% above the national average
$57,000 to $105,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Denver is 8% more expensive than the national average. For Social Workers, that shakes out to a median of $76,000, with the full range spanning $57,000 to $105,000. Licensure level creates the starkest pay divisions, with LCSW holders earning 25 to 40% more than BSW-level workers. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Social Worker in Denver, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $61,870 for Social Workers, All Other (SOC 21-1029) in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan area, based on 1,080 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$47,910
25th percentile
$50,940
Median
$61,870
75th percentile
$77,890
90th percentile
$105,390
Workers surveyed
1,080
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Social Workers, All Other (SOC 21-1029) rather than Social Worker specifically. The Denver range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 21-1029Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $69,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$49,000
to $61,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$65,000
to $80,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$84,000
to $99,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$95,000
to $118,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $18,000 to the total package.
Base
$76,000
Equity
$10,000
Bonus
$6,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $94,000
How Denver compares.
Denver, CO
$76,000
Cost of living: 8% above average
National Average
$69,000
Denver is $7,000 above
Social Worker salary by city.
Salary by role in Denver.
What you should know.
The Social Worker landscape in Denver is not what most salary sites will tell you. Denver has emerged as a secondary tech hub with strong aerospace, telecom, and outdoor industry employers. The city attracts remote workers and relocating companies seeking lower costs than the coasts. Salaries have climbed steadily as national employers open satellite offices and compete for Denver's growing talent pool. Licensure level creates the starkest pay divisions, with LCSW holders earning 25 to 40% more than BSW-level workers. Clinical social workers in private practice or healthcare settings significantly outearn child welfare and school social workers. Urban areas with higher costs of living generally offer better salaries but not always proportionally.
BSW-level social workers start at $40,000 to $45,000. Licensed MSWs earn $50,000 to $63,000 after three to five years. Clinical directors and program administrators reach $68,000 to $85,000, with private practice LCSWs earning $80,000 to $110,000 or more. In Denver, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Government and hospital social workers receive comprehensive benefits packages, pension contributions, and loan forgiveness eligibility through PSLF. Private practice LCSWs can earn substantially more through insurance billing but must cover their own benefits and overhead. And on the tax side: colorado has a flat 4.4% state income tax. Denver has no additional city income tax, making the overall tax burden lighter than most coastal metros. When someone quotes you $76,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Position yourself as a remote talent anchor. Many companies pay near coastal rates for Denver based employees to save on office costs while retaining top performers. The range for Social Workers in Denver runs from $57,000 to $105,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- An Executive Assistant in Denver earns $80,000 (5% more)
- The highest-paying role in Denver is CTO at $311,000
Common questions.
Social Worker salary in other cities.
Other salaries in Denver.
Related salary pages
Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Social Workers in Denver.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Social Worker Salary in Denver, CO." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/social-worker/denver
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