Side-by-side distribution
Public Affairs
$149,205
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 40.4%
- Live roles
- 89
Social Worker
$80,441
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 48.2%
- Live roles
- 3,247
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Manager, Diagnostics Public Affairs (Public Relations)
Senior Strategy Manager, Government Affairs | Housing
Senior Manager, Government & Regulatory Affairs
Government and Public Affairs: Community Engagement Manager
Manager, Public Affairs
Sr. Government Affairs Manager (National Security)
Senior Manager, Government Affairs & Policy Communications
Senior Manager, Global Oncology Communications, Bladder Cancer and GU Public Affairs
Senior Public Relations Manager - Corporate Affairs & Public Policy
Government Affairs Manager II, Northwest
Highest-paying jobs
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Social Worker (Community Outreach)
Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) - Part-Time + Up to $1k Bonus
Licensed Clinical Social Worker III, Women's Health
Supervisor, Care Management (Social Worker)
Clinical Social Worker - Care Coordination (Per Diem)
Medical Social Worker II, Per-Diem
Medical Social Worker II
Medical Social Worker II
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Instacart
|
$196,250 | 2 |
|
Abbott
|
$182,500 | 2 |
|
Johnson & Johnson
|
$167,375 | 2 |
Booz Allen Hamilton
|
$108,700 | 2 |
|
EliseAI
|
$225,000 | 1 |
|
GEICO
|
$203,463 | 1 |
|
Higgsfield
|
$195,000 | 1 |
|
SpaceX
|
$187,500 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| LP Liquid Personnel | $87,563 | 218 |
Greenlife Healthcare Staffing
|
$76,000 | 206 |
Thriveworks
|
$100,300 | 190 |
|
Gotham Enterprises Ltd
|
$117,500 | 142 |
Lifestance
|
$93,600 | 138 |
CenterWell
|
$75,750 | 38 |
University of Rochester
|
$74,131 | 34 |
Advocate Health
|
$79,820 | 29 |
Social Worker salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $109,509 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $109,026 | 6 |
| Chicago | $88,750 | 14 |
| Boston | $82,888 | 15 |
| New York | $76,003 | 55 |
| Los Angeles | $76,000 | 5 |
| Denver | $76,000 | 8 |
| Atlanta | $76,000 | 7 |
| Austin | $70,375 | 6 |
| London | $64,990 | 10 |
Public Affairs vs Social Worker: which pays more?
The median for Public Affairs is $149,205 per year (typically $116,189–$174,071), versus $80,441 for Social Worker ($67,450–$95,000). That puts Public Affairs about 85% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Public Affairs and Social Worker are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.