Salary Outlook for Healthcare Social Workers
A healthcare social worker helps people access vital services and education related to health problems. The goal of these social work professionals is to help clients obtain the best possible health so they can function better in their lives.
Healthcare social workers usually help people do things such as find quality medical care, pay for medical care, and recover from an injury or illness. This work can involve providing advice, being a patient advocate, or referring patients to programs or healthcare facilities.
These social workers also coordinate services, including:
- Home healthcare
- Transportation for doctor visits
- Medical equipment rentals
They also help clients gain admission to healthcare services, find funding sources, complete paperwork, and locate support for families. They may help educate patients on childcare, dementia, living with HIV or cancer, and more.
If you want to be a healthcare social worker, it is vital to understand the salary potential before you get your social work degree. This page has detailed salary information for healthcare workers to make the best choice for your future career.
Salary Outlook for Healthcare Social Workers
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks detailed salary data for healthcare social workers. Their salary breakdown nationally is as follows:
- Bottom 25% salary – $50,190 and lower
- Median salary – $62,940
- Average salary – $67,430
- Top 25% salary – $78,710 and above
- Top 10% salary – $97,790 and above
As a general rule, more education and experience means higher salaries. The sectors offering the highest average salaries for healthcare social workers are:
- Specialty hospitals, except for psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals – $79,160
- Childcare services – $77,390
- General medical and surgical hospitals – $76,520
- Outpatient care centers – $74,240
- Scientific research and development services – $73,830
The sectors employing the largest numbers of healthcare social workers are listed here along with their average salaries:
- General medical and surgical hospitals – $76,520
- Home health care services – $72,990
- Individual and family services – $55,590
- Nursing care/skilled nursing facilities – $58,230
- Outpatient care centers – $74,240
The BLS also tracks healthcare social workers’ average salaries by state:
| Hourly | Annual | |
| California | $44.81 | $93,200 |
| District of Columbia | $42.24 | $87,860 |
| New Jersey | $39.43 | $82,010 |
| Oregon | $39.13 | $81,390 |
| Connecticut | $38.16 | $79,360 |
| Rhode Island | $36.52 | $75,950 |
| New Hampshire | $35.94 | $74,750 |
| Hawaii | $35.20 | $73,210 |
| Vermont | $34.87 | $72,520 |
| Nevada | $33.90 | $70,500 |
| Washington | $33.84 | $70,390 |
| Utah | $33.60 | $69,880 |
| Alaska | $33.57 | $69,820 |
| Massachusetts | $33.54 | $69,770 |
| Minnesota | $33.29 | $69,250 |
| Idaho | $32.51 | $67,620 |
| Maine | $31.79 | $66,130 |
| Arizona | $31.78 | $66,110 |
| Maryland | $31.26 | $65,030 |
| Ohio | $31.08 | $64,650 |
| North Carolina | $31.05 | $64,590 |
| Texas | $30.83 | $64,120 |
| New York | $30.79 | $64,050 |
| Delaware | $30.73 | $63,920 |
| Pennsylvania | $30.71 | $63,870 |
| Michigan | $30.70 | $63,860 |
| Illinois | $30.67 | $63,790 |
| Indiana | $30.55 | $63,540 |
| Wyoming | $30.52 | $63,480 |
| Colorado | $30.36 | $63,160 |
| Florida | $30.29 | $62,990 |
| Wisconsin | $30.22 | $62,860 |
| Louisiana | $30.06 | $62,520 |
| Virginia | $29.91 | $62,200 |
| New Mexico | $29.89 | $62,160 |
| Kentucky | $29.83 | $62,040 |
| South Carolina | $29.40 | $61,150 |
| Kansas | $29.33 | $61,010 |
| North Dakota | $29.11 | $60,540 |
| Iowa | $28.90 | $60,100 |
| Georgia | $28.89 | $60,080 |
| Montana | $28.47 | $59,210 |
| Arkansas | $28.36 | $58,990 |
| West Virginia | $28.15 | $58,560 |
| Nebraska | $27.81 | $57,840 |
| Tennessee | $27.79 | $57,810 |
| Mississippi | $26.86 | $55,860 |
| Oklahoma | $26.50 | $55,130 |
| Alabama | $26.27 | $54,650 |
| Missouri | $25.51 | $53,060 |
| South Dakota | $24.82 | $51,630 |
Healthcare Social Worker Job Outlook
The BLS reports jobs for healthcare social workers will rise by 9.7% between 2023 and 2033. That’s more than double the average general rate of 4% for all jobs nationally, and higher than the rate for all social workers in general of 7%.
At the state level, healthcare social worker jobs are forecast to increase at the following rates between 2022 and 2032:
| Utah | 26.9% |
| Arizona | 26.2% |
| New York | 25.3% |
| Tennessee | 22.3% |
| Idaho | 22.2% |
| New Mexico | 22.1% |
| South Carolina | 21.5% |
| Montana | 19.4% |
| Colorado | 18.2% |
| California | 17.9% |
| North Carolina | 16.6% |
| Iowa | 16.3% |
| Wyoming | 16% |
| Florida | 15.5% |
| Georgia | 15% |
| Texas | 14.7% |
| Oregon | 14.1% |
| Alaska | 12.5% |
| Delaware | 12.5% |
| Washington | 12.5% |
| Maryland | 11.9% |
| Virginia | 11.9% |
| Arkansas | 11.8% |
| Nevada | 11.8% |
| Mississippi | 11.3% |
| Indiana | 11.2% |
| West Virginia | 11.1% |
| Vermont | 10.9% |
| Rhode Island | 10.8% |
| Missouri | 10.6% |
| Louisiana | 10.2% |
| Nebraska | 10.2% |
| Massachusetts | 9.7% |
| Connecticut | 9.5% |
| Kentucky | 9.3% |
| New Jersey | 9.1% |
| South Dakota | 9.1% |
| Kansas | 8.7% |
| Oklahoma | 8.7% |
| North Dakota | 8.6% |
| Michigan | 8.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 7.4% |
| Alabama | 7% |
| New Hampshire | 6.7% |
| Ohio | 6.1% |
| Minnesota | 5.8% |
| Illinois | 4.7% |
| Maine | 4.2% |
| Wisconsin | 3.7% |
Rising demand for healthcare and social services will increase demand for all social workers. These social workers are needed to assist older populations, and their loved ones adjust to new healthcare treatments, lifestyles, and medications.
Summary
The salary and job outlook for healthcare social workers are healthy, so getting your social work degree could be a real benefit for your future career. For the best average salaries, the data shows that states on the West Coast and in New England offer the highest wages.
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary for Healthcare Social Workers. National labor market information and state labor market information also sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor. Information based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.