21 Series · SOC 21-1022

Healthcare Social Workers Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$67,880
Median / year
-0.3%
2024→2025
$100,360
Top 10% earn
+7.7%
Growth '24–'34
187,630
Estimated US jobs

Healthcare Social Workers earn a median of $67,880 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $67,880, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $46,220 (10th percentile) to $100,360 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 187,630 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is District of Columbia ($94,100).

21 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Healthcare Social Workers earn a median of $67,880, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 59% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Community and Social Service, it ranks #2 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 7.7% by 2034.

$67,880
Median annual wage
Top 41%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#2 of 17
in Community and Social Service
2.2×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $94,100. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Healthcare Social Workers moved from $56,750 in May 2019 to $67,880 in May 2025 (+19.6%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Healthcare Social Workers sits -4.8 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Healthcare Social Workers (SOC 21-1022) has a national median of $67,880 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $46,220 to $100,360, and the published mean is $71,790. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 187,630 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 505 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $68,090 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $67,880 in May 2025, a fall of $210 (-0.3%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +7.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 18,400 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Master's degree as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as internship/residency. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Community and Social Service Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $94,100, which is +39% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Napa, CA at $142,940. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 187,630 jobs Median $67,880/yr

Median Salary

$67,880

per year

Median Hourly

$32.63/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$71,790

average

Employment

187,630

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Healthcare Social Workers pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$67,880 Top 41% higher than 59% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 (this entry) 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$67,880 · 59th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 21-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Healthcare Social Workers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 17 21-series occupations with growth data, Healthcare Social Workers sits on the faster-growing side at +7.7% growth and $67,880 median pay. Scatter plot of 17 data points. $40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 0%5%10%15%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Substance Abuse, Beh… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 16.8% · Median annual wage: $59350Social and Human Ser… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.4% · Median annual wage: $45930Child, Family, and S… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $59550Educational, Guidanc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $64330Healthcare Social Wo… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 7.7% · Median annual wage: $67880Mental Health and Su… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 9.7% · Median annual wage: $60280Community and Social… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $56730Rehabilitation Couns… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.4% · Median annual wage: $46850Probation Officers a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.6% · Median annual wage: $66270Marriage and Family … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.6% · Median annual wage: $66940Health Education Spe… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $64070Social Workers, All … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.9% · Median annual wage: $71900Community Health Wor… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.3% · Median annual wage: $51850Clergy - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $60810Counselors, All Other - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.6% · Median annual wage: $50860Directors, Religious… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.1% · Median annual wage: $52100Religious Workers, A… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $45280
Among 17 21-series occupations with growth data, Healthcare Social Workers sits on the faster-growing side at +7.7% growth and $67,880 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Substance Abuse, Beh…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 16.8%, Median annual wage $59350
  • Social and Human Ser…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $45930
  • Child, Family, and S…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $59550
  • Educational, Guidanc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $64330
  • Healthcare Social Wo…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.7%, Median annual wage $67880
  • Mental Health and Su…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.7%, Median annual wage $60280
  • Community and Social…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $56730
  • Rehabilitation Couns…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.4%, Median annual wage $46850
  • Probation Officers a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.6%, Median annual wage $66270
  • Marriage and Family …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $66940
  • Health Education Spe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $64070
  • Social Workers, All …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.9%, Median annual wage $71900
  • Community Health Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.3%, Median annual wage $51850
  • Clergy: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $60810
  • Counselors, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.6%, Median annual wage $50860
  • Directors, Religious…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.1%, Median annual wage $52100
  • Religious Workers, A…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $45280

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+7.7%

Faster than average

Annual Openings

18,400

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+14,800

193,200 (2024) → 208,100 (2034)

Typical Education

Master's degree

On-the-Job Training

Internship/residency

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Community and Social Service Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

0.3/100K

Injury Rate

0.5/100

Danger Index

2.2/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Healthcare Social Workers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Social Perceptiveness 4.3
Speaking 4.1
Service Orientation 4.1
Reading Comprehension 4.0
Active Listening 4.0
Critical Thinking 4.0
Coordination 4.0
Writing 3.9
Complex Problem Solving 3.9
Active Learning 3.8

Knowledge Areas

Psychology 4.9
Therapy and Counseling 4.7
Sociology and Anthropology 4.4
English Language 4.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.9
Education and Training 3.5
Philosophy and Theology 3.1
Administrative 3.0
Law and Government 3.0
Administration and Management 2.9

Key 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.
  • Investigate child abuse or neglect cases and take authorized protective action when necessary.
  • 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.
  • Plan discharge from care facility to home or other care facility.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$46,220
25th$56,710
Median$67,880
75th$82,240
90th$100,360

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$22.22
25th$27.27
Median$32.63
75th$39.54
90th$48.25

Healthcare Social Workers pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$50,000$55,000$60,000$65,000$70,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $52,380National median - 2016: $53,760National median - 2017: $54,870National median - 2018: $56,200National median - 2019: $56,750National median - 2020: $57,630National median - 2021: $60,840National median - 2022: $60,280National median - 2023: $62,940National median - 2024: $68,090National median - 2025: $67,880$67,880
National median annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $52,380
2016 $53,760
2017 $54,870
2018 $56,200
2019 $56,750
2020 $57,630
2021 $60,840
2022 $60,280
2023 $62,940
2024 $68,090
2025 $67,880

2015 median

$52,380

2025 median

$67,880

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$11,130 (+19.6%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Healthcare Social Workers by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $52,380 First banked release 155,590
May 2016 $53,760 +2.6% 159,310
May 2017 $54,870 +2.1% 167,730
May 2018 $56,200 +2.4% 168,190
May 2019 $56,750 Classification break 174,890
May 2020 $57,630 +1.6% 176,110
May 2021 $60,840 +5.6% 173,860
May 2022 $60,280 -0.9% 182,420
May 2023 $62,940 +4.4% 185,020
May 2024 $68,090 +8.2% 185,940
May 2025 $67,880 -0.3% 187,630

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $52,380 in May 2015 to $67,880 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 174,890 in May 2019 to 187,630 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 District of Columbia $94,100 +39% above national
2 California $89,660 +32% above national
3 Hawaii $85,420 +26% above national
4 Oregon $84,350 +24% above national
5 New Jersey $82,690 +22% above national
6 Vermont $81,140 +20% above national
7 Connecticut $79,900 +18% above national
8 Washington $78,570 +16% above national
9 Nevada $78,470 +16% above national
10 New Hampshire $78,260 +15% above national
11 Utah $78,150 +15% above national
12 Maryland $76,440 +13% above national
13 Massachusetts $76,440 +13% above national
14 Rhode Island $75,390 +11% above national
15 Idaho $74,500 +10% above national
16 Minnesota $73,970 +9% above national
17 New York $73,070 +8% above national
18 Maine $71,610 +5% above national
19 Texas $69,990 +3% above national
20 Michigan $67,600 same as national
21 Wisconsin $66,910 1% below national
22 Virginia $66,550 2% below national
23 New Mexico $65,930 3% below national
24 Florida $64,820 5% below national
25 Delaware $64,620 5% below national
26 Indiana $64,580 5% below national
27 Kansas $64,440 5% below national
28 Illinois $64,270 5% below national
29 Kentucky $64,080 6% below national
30 Arizona $64,030 6% below national
31 Ohio $63,610 6% below national
32 Colorado $63,480 6% below national
33 North Carolina $63,280 7% below national
34 Iowa $63,050 7% below national
35 North Dakota $62,860 7% below national
36 Georgia $62,420 8% below national
37 Nebraska $62,420 8% below national
38 Wyoming $62,260 8% below national
39 Mississippi $62,250 8% below national
40 Alaska $62,000 9% below national
41 Pennsylvania $61,900 9% below national
42 Tennessee $61,240 10% below national
43 Louisiana $61,080 10% below national
44 South Carolina $60,840 10% below national
45 West Virginia $60,140 11% below national
46 Alabama $60,000 12% below national
47 Missouri $59,870 12% below national
48 South Dakota $57,510 15% below national
49 Montana $57,090 16% below national
50 Guam $56,990 16% below national
51 Oklahoma $56,120 17% below national
52 Arkansas $55,640 18% below national
53 Puerto Rico $36,050 47% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 374 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Napa, CA $142,940 +111% above national
2 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $133,340 +96% above national
3 Vallejo, CA $122,450 +80% above national
4 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $108,530 +60% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $107,170 +58% above national
6 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $99,640 +47% above national
7 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $97,070 +43% above national
8 Visalia, CA $96,790 +43% above national
9 Modesto, CA $95,250 +40% above national
10 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $93,200 +37% above national
11 Salinas, CA $92,540 +36% above national
12 Stockton-Lodi, CA $91,820 +35% above national
13 Longview-Kelso, WA $89,650 +32% above national
14 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $89,430 +32% above national
15 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $87,570 +29% above national
16 Urban Honolulu, HI $86,970 +28% above national
17 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $85,790 +26% above national
18 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $85,360 +26% above national
19 Fresno, CA $84,860 +25% above national
20 Chico, CA $84,810 +25% above national
21 Hanford-Corcoran, CA $83,940 +24% above national
22 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $83,550 +23% above national
23 New Haven, CT $83,340 +23% above national
24 Eugene-Springfield, OR $83,040 +22% above national
25 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $82,630 +22% above national
26 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $82,190 +21% above national
27 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $81,610 +20% above national
28 Odessa, TX $81,310 +20% above national
29 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $81,270 +20% above national
30 Redding, CA $81,220 +20% above national
31 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $81,110 +19% above national
32 El Centro, CA $80,710 +19% above national
33 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $80,710 +19% above national
34 Medford, OR $80,590 +19% above national
35 Rochester, MN $80,590 +19% above national
36 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $80,550 +19% above national
37 Reno, NV $80,330 +18% above national
38 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $80,140 +18% above national
39 Pocatello, ID $80,090 +18% above national
40 Salem, OR $80,020 +18% above national
41 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $79,830 +18% above national
42 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $79,800 +18% above national
43 Bend, OR $79,090 +17% above national
44 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $79,090 +17% above national
45 Grants Pass, OR $79,050 +16% above national
46 Bloomington, IL $78,960 +16% above national
47 Midland, TX $78,900 +16% above national
48 Mankato, MN $78,800 +16% above national
49 Paducah, KY-IL $78,660 +16% above national
50 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $78,610 +16% above national
51 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $78,410 +16% above national
52 Kennewick-Richland, WA $78,360 +15% above national
53 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $78,280 +15% above national
54 Barnstable Town, MA $78,160 +15% above national
55 Boulder, CO $77,820 +15% above national
56 Rapid City, SD $77,790 +15% above national
57 Carson City, NV $77,540 +14% above national
58 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $77,450 +14% above national
59 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $77,390 +14% above national
60 Corvallis, OR $77,270 +14% above national
61 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $77,160 +14% above national
62 Manchester-Nashua, NH $76,840 +13% above national
63 Madison, WI $76,720 +13% above national
64 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $76,020 +12% above national
65 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $75,930 +12% above national
66 Albany, OR $75,880 +12% above national
67 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $75,870 +12% above national
68 Coeur d'Alene, ID $75,780 +12% above national
69 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $75,720 +12% above national
70 Ogden, UT $75,700 +12% above national
71 Walla Walla, WA $75,610 +11% above national
72 Grand Junction, CO $75,560 +11% above national
73 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $75,550 +11% above national
74 Bellingham, WA $75,470 +11% above national
75 Kingston, NY $75,300 +11% above national
76 Ann Arbor, MI $75,070 +11% above national
77 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $74,940 +10% above national
78 Merced, CA $74,880 +10% above national
79 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $74,720 +10% above national
80 Portland-South Portland, ME $74,650 +10% above national
81 Boise City, ID $74,570 +10% above national
82 Worcester, MA $74,520 +10% above national
83 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $74,350 +10% above national
84 Yuba City, CA $74,310 +9% above national
85 Flagstaff, AZ $74,290 +9% above national
86 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $74,140 +9% above national
87 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $73,970 +9% above national
88 Logan, UT-ID $73,910 +9% above national
89 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $73,810 +9% above national
90 Lexington Park, MD $73,770 +9% above national
91 Santa Fe, NM $73,610 +8% above national
92 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $73,600 +8% above national
93 San Angelo, TX $73,410 +8% above national
94 Wildwood-The Villages, FL $73,200 +8% above national
95 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $72,720 +7% above national
96 Colorado Springs, CO $72,670 +7% above national
97 Idaho Falls, ID $72,490 +7% above national
98 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $72,180 +6% above national
99 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $71,900 +6% above national
100 Richmond, VA $71,690 +6% above national
101 College Station-Bryan, TX $71,670 +6% above national
102 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $71,630 +6% above national
103 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $71,430 +5% above national
104 Bay City, MI $70,960 +5% above national
105 Battle Creek, MI $70,820 +4% above national
106 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $70,670 +4% above national
107 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $70,600 +4% above national
108 Texarkana, TX-AR $70,390 +4% above national
109 Flint, MI $70,380 +4% above national
110 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $69,960 +3% above national
111 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $69,810 +3% above national
112 Bangor, ME $69,550 +2% above national
113 Hammond, LA $69,500 +2% above national
114 Gainesville, FL $69,330 +2% above national
115 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $69,330 +2% above national
116 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $69,180 +2% above national
117 Raleigh-Cary, NC $69,090 +2% above national
118 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $68,970 +2% above national
119 Waco, TX $68,960 +2% above national
120 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $68,920 +2% above national
121 Salisbury, MD $68,670 +1% above national
122 Charlottesville, VA $68,370 +1% above national
123 Naples-Marco Island, FL $68,310 +1% above national
124 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $68,230 +1% above national
125 Springfield, MA $68,150 same as national
126 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $68,140 same as national
127 Punta Gorda, FL $68,140 same as national
128 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $68,040 same as national
129 Lubbock, TX $67,930 same as national
130 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $67,860 same as national
131 Iowa City, IA $67,820 same as national
132 Corpus Christi, TX $67,260 1% below national
133 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $67,190 1% below national
134 Gainesville, GA $67,180 1% below national
135 Victoria, TX $67,180 1% below national
136 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $67,090 1% below national
137 Green Bay, WI $67,080 1% below national
138 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $67,060 1% below national
139 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $67,030 1% below national
140 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $66,900 1% below national
141 Midland, MI $66,760 2% below national
142 Columbus, IN $66,590 2% below national
143 Goldsboro, NC $66,470 2% below national
144 Fond du Lac, WI $66,420 2% below national
145 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $66,410 2% below national
146 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $66,380 2% below national
147 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $66,360 2% below national
148 Jacksonville, FL $66,300 2% below national
149 Grand Island, NE $66,280 2% below national
150 Kansas City, MO-KS $66,260 2% below national
151 Cleveland, OH $66,230 2% below national
152 Ocala, FL $66,200 2% below national
153 Harrisonburg, VA $66,190 2% below national
154 Port St. Lucie, FL $66,190 2% below national
155 Fort Wayne, IN $66,090 3% below national
156 Grand Forks, ND-MN $66,080 3% below national
157 Wichita Falls, TX $66,000 3% below national
158 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $65,990 3% below national
159 St. Cloud, MN $65,970 3% below national
160 Sheboygan, WI $65,940 3% below national
161 Las Cruces, NM $65,890 3% below national
162 Sherman-Denison, TX $65,850 3% below national
163 Sumter, SC $65,850 3% below national
164 Topeka, KS $65,740 3% below national
165 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $65,710 3% below national
166 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $65,680 3% below national
167 Rocky Mount, NC $65,550 3% below national
168 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $65,450 4% below national
169 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $65,280 4% below national
170 Columbus, OH $65,280 4% below national
171 Albuquerque, NM $65,200 4% below national
172 Eau Claire, WI $65,200 4% below national
173 Lake Charles, LA $65,120 4% below national
174 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $65,090 4% below national
175 Bloomington, IN $65,080 4% below national
176 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $65,070 4% below national
177 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $65,040 4% below national
178 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $64,940 4% below national
179 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $64,930 4% below national
180 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $64,790 5% below national
181 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $64,790 5% below national
182 Wichita, KS $64,650 5% below national
183 Longview, TX $64,520 5% below national
184 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $64,510 5% below national
185 Killeen-Temple, TX $64,500 5% below national
186 Reading, PA $64,490 5% below national
187 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $64,430 5% below national
188 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $64,390 5% below national
189 Syracuse, NY $64,310 5% below national
190 Amarillo, TX $64,120 6% below national
191 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $64,100 6% below national
192 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $64,080 6% below national
193 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $64,070 6% below national
194 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $64,040 6% below national
195 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA $63,940 6% below national
196 Spartanburg, SC $63,940 6% below national
197 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $63,880 6% below national
198 Johnstown, PA $63,800 6% below national
199 Janesville-Beloit, WI $63,750 6% below national
200 Baton Rouge, LA $63,720 6% below national
201 Terre Haute, IN $63,700 6% below national
202 Duluth, MN-WI $63,590 6% below national
203 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $63,510 6% below national
204 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $63,480 6% below national
205 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV $63,460 7% below national
206 Springfield, IL $63,370 7% below national
207 Omaha, NE-IA $63,360 7% below national
208 Traverse City, MI $63,360 7% below national
209 Akron, OH $63,130 7% below national
210 Winchester, VA-WV $63,110 7% below national
211 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $63,080 7% below national
212 Rockford, IL $63,070 7% below national
213 Lincoln, NE $63,020 7% below national
214 Lawrence, KS $63,010 7% below national
215 Wausau, WI $63,000 7% below national
216 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $62,870 7% below national
217 Champaign-Urbana, IL $62,860 7% below national
218 Fargo, ND-MN $62,860 7% below national
219 Glens Falls, NY $62,850 7% below national
220 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $62,840 7% below national
221 York-Hanover, PA $62,690 8% below national
222 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $62,640 8% below national
223 Yakima, WA $62,640 8% below national
224 Ithaca, NY $62,570 8% below national
225 Huntsville, AL $62,560 8% below national
226 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $62,560 8% below national
227 Cedar Rapids, IA $62,400 8% below national
228 St. George, UT $62,400 8% below national
229 State College, PA $62,380 8% below national
230 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $62,360 8% below national
231 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $62,310 8% below national
232 Lancaster, PA $62,300 8% below national
233 Charleston, WV $62,260 8% below national
234 Dubuque, IA $62,240 8% below national
235 Farmington, NM $62,220 8% below national
236 St. Louis, MO-IL $62,200 8% below national
237 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $62,170 8% below national
238 Jackson, MI $62,160 8% below national
239 Saginaw, MI $62,150 8% below national
240 Columbia, SC $62,130 8% below national
241 Pueblo, CO $62,030 9% below national
242 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $61,980 9% below national
243 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $61,980 9% below national
244 Fayetteville, NC $61,930 9% below national
245 Laredo, TX $61,930 9% below national
246 Jackson, MS $61,890 9% below national
247 Morristown, TN $61,840 9% below national
248 Springfield, OH $61,830 9% below national
249 Ames, IA $61,760 9% below national
250 Canton-Massillon, OH $61,760 9% below national
251 Appleton, WI $61,680 9% below national
252 Asheville, NC $61,650 9% below national
253 Bowling Green, KY $61,610 9% below national
254 Rochester, NY $61,610 9% below national
255 Lafayette, LA $61,590 9% below national
256 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $61,590 9% below national
257 Evansville, IN $61,560 9% below national
258 Knoxville, TN $61,560 9% below national
259 Kenosha, WI $61,550 9% below national
260 Burlington, NC $61,470 9% below national
261 Elizabethtown, KY $61,450 9% below national
262 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $61,390 10% below national
263 Bismarck, ND $61,360 10% below national
264 Tyler, TX $61,320 10% below national
265 Lima, OH $61,290 10% below national
266 Wilmington, NC $61,290 10% below national
267 Lynchburg, VA $61,190 10% below national
268 Winston-Salem, NC $61,030 10% below national
269 Jefferson City, MO $61,000 10% below national
270 Birmingham, AL $60,980 10% below national
271 Rome, GA $60,980 10% below national
272 Williamsport, PA $60,970 10% below national
273 Greenville, NC $60,880 10% below national
274 Mobile, AL $60,880 10% below national
275 Wheeling, WV-OH $60,830 10% below national
276 Greensboro-High Point, NC $60,820 10% below national
277 Abilene, TX $60,800 10% below national
278 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC $60,750 11% below national
279 Warner Robins, GA $60,690 11% below national
280 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $60,680 11% below national
281 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $60,570 11% below national
282 Columbia, MO $60,540 11% below national
283 Toledo, OH $60,540 11% below national
284 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $60,470 11% below national
285 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $60,460 11% below national
286 Hot Springs, AR $60,430 11% below national
287 Muncie, IN $60,430 11% below national
288 Pittsburgh, PA $60,430 11% below national
289 Roanoke, VA $60,430 11% below national
290 Erie, PA $60,390 11% below national
291 Tallahassee, FL $60,390 11% below national
292 Youngstown-Warren, OH $60,300 11% below national
293 Savannah, GA $60,200 11% below national
294 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $60,070 12% below national
295 Tucson, AZ $60,030 12% below national
296 Alexandria, LA $60,000 12% below national
297 Dothan, AL $60,000 12% below national
298 Altoona, PA $59,970 12% below national
299 Chattanooga, TN-GA $59,950 12% below national
300 Billings, MT $59,910 12% below national
301 St. Joseph, MO-KS $59,840 12% below national
302 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $59,680 12% below national
303 Morgantown, WV $59,660 12% below national
304 Columbus, GA-AL $59,650 12% below national
305 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $59,650 12% below national
306 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $59,610 12% below national
307 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY $59,370 13% below national
308 Casper, WY $59,360 13% below national
309 Beckley, WV $59,350 13% below national
310 Lexington-Fayette, KY $59,340 13% below national
311 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $59,290 13% below national
312 Athens-Clarke County, GA $59,280 13% below national
313 Macon-Bibb County, GA $59,270 13% below national
314 Clarksville, TN-KY $59,210 13% below national
315 Peoria, IL $59,210 13% below national
316 Pittsfield, MA $59,110 13% below national
317 Oklahoma City, OK $58,940 13% below national
318 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $58,920 13% below national
319 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $58,900 13% below national
320 Utica-Rome, NY $58,780 13% below national
321 Chambersburg, PA $58,580 14% below national
322 Lawton, OK $58,570 14% below national
323 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $58,510 14% below national
324 Dover, DE $58,470 14% below national
325 Albany, GA $58,460 14% below national
326 Niles, MI $58,420 14% below national
327 Montgomery, AL $58,410 14% below national
328 Kankakee, IL $58,400 14% below national
329 Mansfield, OH $58,350 14% below national
330 Florence, SC $58,260 14% below national
331 Lebanon, PA $58,260 14% below national
332 Cleveland, TN $58,240 14% below national
333 Monroe, LA $58,200 14% below national
334 Gadsden, AL $58,190 14% below national
335 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $58,140 14% below national
336 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $58,080 14% below national
337 Anniston-Oxford, AL $58,030 15% below national
338 Missoula, MT $57,860 15% below national
339 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $57,750 15% below national
340 Yuma, AZ $57,570 15% below national
341 Great Falls, MT $57,430 15% below national
342 Springfield, MO $57,220 16% below national
343 Dalton, GA $57,200 16% below national
344 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $57,200 16% below national
345 Tuscaloosa, AL $56,860 16% below national
346 Tulsa, OK $56,670 17% below national
347 Owensboro, KY $56,560 17% below national
348 Auburn-Opelika, AL $56,430 17% below national
349 Anchorage, AK $56,160 17% below national
350 El Paso, TX $55,680 18% below national
351 Joplin, MO-KS $55,510 18% below national
352 Jacksonville, NC $55,470 18% below national
353 Hattiesburg, MS $55,330 18% below national
354 Decatur, AL $55,310 19% below national
355 Jackson, TN $54,520 20% below national
356 Greeley, CO $53,660 21% below national
357 Jonesboro, AR $52,710 22% below national
358 Decatur, IL $52,680 22% below national
359 Johnson City, TN $52,020 23% below national
360 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $51,910 24% below national
361 Binghamton, NY $51,290 24% below national
362 Fort Smith, AR-OK $50,970 25% below national
363 Valdosta, GA $50,680 25% below national
364 Helena, MT $50,410 26% below national
365 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $49,570 27% below national
366 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $49,490 27% below national
367 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ $49,130 28% below national
368 Cheyenne, WY $49,070 28% below national
369 Elmira, NY $48,970 28% below national
370 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $36,670 46% below national
371 Arecibo, PR $30,320 55% below national
372 Aguadilla, PR $28,700 58% below national
373 Mayaguez, PR $28,660 58% below national
374 Ponce, PR $27,840 59% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 21 (Community and Social Service Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Community and Social Service Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($67,880 here) and reported employment (187,630 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Healthcare Social Workers make?
The median annual salary for Healthcare Social Workers is $67,880 ($32.63/hour). The salary range spans from $46,220 at the 10th percentile to $100,360 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Healthcare Social Workers pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $67,880, Healthcare Social Workers pay is higher than 59% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Healthcare Social Workers the most?
District of Columbia pays the highest median salary for Healthcare Social Workers at $94,100/year, which is +39% above the national median.
What education do Healthcare Social Workers need?
BLS assigns Healthcare Social Workers to Master's degree for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Internship/residency.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Healthcare Social Workers?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Healthcare Social Workers in this release. WageDex shows the Community and Social Service Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Healthcare Social Workers a good career?
Employment for Healthcare Social Workers is projected to grow 7.7% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average. About 18,400 openings are projected each year.
How does Healthcare Social Workers pay vary by state?
Healthcare Social Workers salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is District of Columbia at $94,100/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $36,050/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Healthcare Social Workers?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Napa, CA at $142,940/year. BLS reports a median for 374 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Healthcare Social Workers pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $82,240/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $94,100/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.