Healthcare social workers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mean (average) | $71,790 | $34.51 |
| 90th percentile | $100,360 | $48.25 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Healthcare social workers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $60,000 | $40,020 | $74,440 | 2,850 | 1.12 |
| Alaska | $62,000 | $47,000 | $97,810 | 480 | 1.22 |
| Arizona | $64,030 | $44,620 | $96,470 | 3,100 | 0.79 |
| Arkansas | $55,640 | $38,110 | $76,850 | 1,250 | 0.8 |
| California | $89,660 | $54,220 | $134,880 | 17,690 | 0.8 |
| Colorado | $63,480 | $45,810 | $95,230 | 3,670 | 1.06 |
| Connecticut | $79,900 | $59,100 | $104,900 | 1,650 | 0.8 |
| Delaware | $64,620 | $47,550 | $88,760 | 780 | 1.34 |
| District of Columbia | $94,100 | $60,970 | $124,230 | 420 | 0.5 |
| Florida | $64,820 | $45,760 | $88,470 | 10,520 | 0.88 |
| Georgia | $62,420 | $43,260 | $86,990 | 6,970 | 1.18 |
| Guam | $56,990 | $41,930 | $75,400 | 100 | 1.28 |
| Hawaii | $85,420 | $51,570 | $102,670 | 660 | 0.87 |
| Idaho | $74,500 | $50,950 | $97,670 | 750 | 0.72 |
| Illinois | $64,270 | $47,290 | $96,970 | 4,910 | 0.67 |
| Indiana | $64,580 | $48,050 | $93,510 | 3,890 | 1.01 |
| Iowa | $63,050 | $46,140 | $80,360 | 1,550 | 0.82 |
| Kansas | $64,440 | $46,300 | $79,680 | 1,360 | 0.78 |
| Kentucky | $64,080 | $43,010 | $86,240 | 1,980 | 0.82 |
| Louisiana | $61,080 | $43,830 | $79,170 | 1,970 | 0.84 |
| Maine | $71,610 | $55,770 | $85,640 | 790 | 1.02 |
| Maryland | $76,440 | $40,210 | $96,340 | 4,750 | 1.42 |
| Massachusetts | $76,440 | $51,270 | $102,070 | 7,220 | 1.64 |
| Michigan | $67,600 | $47,640 | $91,190 | 4,860 | 0.91 |
| Minnesota | $73,970 | $51,720 | $95,200 | 2,430 | 0.68 |
| Mississippi | $62,250 | $39,770 | $78,520 | 1,890 | 1.34 |
| Missouri | $59,870 | $39,180 | $79,560 | 4,430 | 1.25 |
| Montana | $57,090 | $46,330 | $77,730 | 840 | 1.35 |
| Nebraska | $62,420 | $46,040 | $82,780 | 980 | 0.8 |
| Nevada | $78,470 | $51,890 | $101,380 | 1,160 | 0.62 |
| New Hampshire | $78,260 | $60,200 | $98,930 | 590 | 0.71 |
| New Jersey | $82,690 | $54,950 | $118,300 | 4,310 | 0.83 |
| New Mexico | $65,930 | $45,780 | $90,020 | 1,200 | 1.14 |
| New York | $73,070 | $47,750 | $103,730 | 20,440 | 1.75 |
| North Carolina | $63,280 | $40,650 | $85,070 | 5,120 | 0.86 |
| North Dakota | $62,860 | $51,260 | $78,040 | 330 | 0.63 |
| Ohio | $63,610 | $45,150 | $84,050 | 8,930 | 1.33 |
| Oklahoma | $56,120 | $36,920 | $81,650 | 2,310 | 1.12 |
| Oregon | $84,350 | $60,480 | $111,720 | 2,320 | 0.98 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,900 | $46,770 | $83,220 | 9,630 | 1.32 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,050 | $24,540 | $58,980 | 1,200 | 1.06 |
| Rhode Island | $75,390 | $48,070 | $96,840 | 630 | 1.04 |
| South Carolina | $60,840 | $40,450 | $83,990 | 3,100 | 1.12 |
| South Dakota | $57,510 | $43,750 | $78,420 | 790 | 1.42 |
| Tennessee | $61,240 | $41,120 | $83,280 | 5,970 | 1.51 |
| Texas | $69,990 | $40,210 | $98,150 | 10,880 | 0.64 |
| Utah | $78,150 | $44,410 | $109,270 | 1,750 | 0.84 |
| Vermont | $81,140 | $61,760 | $102,820 | 250 | 0.7 |
| Virginia | $66,550 | $47,530 | $91,060 | 3,070 | 0.62 |
| Washington | $78,570 | $48,390 | $124,360 | 5,180 | 1.21 |
| West Virginia | $60,140 | $46,120 | $79,800 | 1,100 | 1.3 |
| Wisconsin | $66,910 | $50,280 | $91,040 | 3,770 | 1.06 |
| Wyoming | $62,260 | $42,380 | $93,150 | 180 | 0.53 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for healthcare social workers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 16,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for healthcare social workers
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Thanatology CIP 30.5301
- Social Work CIP 44.0701
- Forensic Social Work CIP 44.0703
- Social Work, Other CIP 44.0799
- Clinical/Medical Social Work CIP 51.1503
- Medical Family Therapy/Therapist CIP 51.1511
- Hospice and Palliative Care CIP 51.1512
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
- Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
- Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
- Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
- Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
- Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
- Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Teams (in demand)
- Zoom (in demand)
- Google Meet (in demand)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Adobe PageMaker
- Automated clinical information systems
- Calendar software
- Command Systems ComServe
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Database software
- Email software
- Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Clinical Social Worker, Hospice Social Worker, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker), Medical Social Worker, Nephrology Social Worker, Oncology Social Worker, Psychosocial Coordinator, Renal Social Worker, Social Work Case Manager, Social Worker.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do healthcare social workers make?
The national median annual wage for healthcare social workers was $67,880 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $46,220 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $100,360. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do healthcare social workers need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is healthcare social workers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of healthcare social workers to change +8.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 16,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay healthcare social workers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($94,100), California ($89,660), Hawaii ($85,420). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.