Healthcare Social Worker salary in the U.S.
Healthcare Social Workers in the U.S. earn a median of $67,880 a year ($32.63 an hour), based on BLS data for 187,630 workers.
Pay ranges from $46,220 for the lowest-paid 10% to $100,360 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $71,790, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for healthcare social workers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $46,220 | $22.22 |
| 25th percentile | $56,710 | $27.27 |
| Median | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| 75th percentile | $82,240 | $39.54 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $100,360 | $48.25 |
| Average (mean) | $71,790 | $34.51 |
Half of healthcare social workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,656.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,828.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,610.77 |
| Weekly | $1,305.38 |
| Hourly | $32.63 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Healthcare Social Worker salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $94,100 | 420 |
| California | $89,660 | 17,690 |
| Hawaii | $85,420 | 660 |
| Oregon | $84,350 | 2,320 |
| New Jersey | $82,690 | 4,310 |
| Vermont | $81,140 | 250 |
| Connecticut | $79,900 | 1,650 |
| Washington | $78,570 | 5,180 |
| Nevada | $78,470 | 1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $78,260 | 590 |
| Utah | $78,150 | 1,750 |
| Maryland | $76,440 | 4,750 |
| Massachusetts | $76,440 | 7,220 |
| Rhode Island | $75,390 | 630 |
| Idaho | $74,500 | 750 |
| Minnesota | $73,970 | 2,430 |
| New York | $73,070 | 20,440 |
| Maine | $71,610 | 790 |
| Texas | $69,990 | 10,880 |
| Michigan | $67,600 | 4,860 |
| Wisconsin | $66,910 | 3,770 |
| Virginia | $66,550 | 3,070 |
| New Mexico | $65,930 | 1,200 |
| Florida | $64,820 | 10,520 |
| Delaware | $64,620 | 780 |
| Indiana | $64,580 | 3,890 |
| Kansas | $64,440 | 1,360 |
| Illinois | $64,270 | 4,910 |
| Kentucky | $64,080 | 1,980 |
| Arizona | $64,030 | 3,100 |
| Ohio | $63,610 | 8,930 |
| Colorado | $63,480 | 3,670 |
| North Carolina | $63,280 | 5,120 |
| Iowa | $63,050 | 1,550 |
| North Dakota | $62,860 | 330 |
| Georgia | $62,420 | 6,970 |
| Nebraska | $62,420 | 980 |
| Wyoming | $62,260 | 180 |
| Mississippi | $62,250 | 1,890 |
| Alaska | $62,000 | 480 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,900 | 9,630 |
| Tennessee | $61,240 | 5,970 |
| Louisiana | $61,080 | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $60,840 | 3,100 |
| West Virginia | $60,140 | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $60,000 | 2,850 |
| Missouri | $59,870 | 4,430 |
| South Dakota | $57,510 | 790 |
| Montana | $57,090 | 840 |
| Guam | $56,990 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $56,120 | 2,310 |
| Arkansas | $55,640 | 1,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,050 | 1,200 |
Best-paying metro areas for healthcare social workers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $142,940 | 160 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $133,340 | 170 |
| Vallejo, CA | $122,450 | 160 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $108,530 | 280 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $107,170 | 770 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $99,640 | 2,740 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $97,070 | 1,030 |
| Visalia, CA | $96,790 | 190 |
| Modesto, CA | $95,250 | 220 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $93,200 | 150 |
| Salinas, CA | $92,540 | 140 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $91,820 | 200 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $89,650 | 50 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $89,430 | 100 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $87,570 | 230 |
Metro areas with the most healthcare social workers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 17,250 | $78,610 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 6,340 | $79,830 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,950 | $78,410 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,190 | $65,990 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,130 | $65,280 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,770 | $71,430 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,440 | $64,510 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,060 | $83,550 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2,950 | $75,720 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2,810 | $60,430 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,740 | $99,640 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,660 | $71,900 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,630 | $75,930 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,300 | $63,480 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,240 | $67,090 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1022. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a healthcare social worker make in the U.S.?
The median salary for healthcare social workers in the U.S. is $67,880 a year, or $32.63 an hour. Pay ranges from $46,220 for the lowest-paid 10% to $100,360 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid healthcare social workers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of healthcare social workers in the U.S. earn at least $100,360 a year. The top 25% earn $82,240 or more.
What is the starting pay for healthcare social workers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $46,220 a year, and a quarter of healthcare social workers earn $56,710 or less.
How many healthcare social workers work in the U.S.?
About 187,630 healthcare social workers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.