Healthcare Social Workers Salary
Community and Social Service Occupations · 188K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$67,880
Median hourly
$33
Average annual
$71,790
Typical range
$46,220–$100,360
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Healthcare Social Workers is $67,880 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $33 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers.
Most earn between $46,220 and $100,360 a year. There are roughly 188K people employed as healthcare social workers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Healthcare Social Workers.
- Hourly
- $32.63
- Daily
- $261
- Weekly
- $1,305
- Bi-weekly
- $2,611
- Monthly
- $5,657
- Annual
- $67,880
$67,880 a year is around the 50th percentile for Healthcare Social Workerss. The median is $67,880.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1District of Columbia$94,100
- 2California$89,660
- 3Hawaii$85,420
- 4Oregon$84,350
- 5New Jersey$82,690
- 6Vermont$81,140
- 7Connecticut$79,900
- 8Washington$78,570
- 9Nevada$78,470
- 10New Hampshire$78,260
- 11Utah$78,150
- 12Maryland$76,440
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Napa, CA$142,940
- 2San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$133,340
- 3Vallejo, CA$122,450
- 4Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$108,530
- 5San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$107,170
- 6San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$99,640
- 7Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$97,070
- 8Visalia, CA$96,790
- 9Modesto, CA$95,250
- 10Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$93,200
- 11Salinas, CA$92,540
- 12Stockton-Lodi, CA$91,820
Related job titles
Employers advertise Healthcare Social Workers roles under these titles.
- AIDS Social Worker
- Bereavement Counselor
- Certified Health Care Social Worker
- Clinical Social Worker
- Disability Advocate
- Disability Coordinator
- Elder Counselor
- Geriatric Social Worker
- Group Social Worker
- Health Care Social Worker
- Healthcare Advocate
- Healthcare Social Worker
- Home Health Care Social Worker
- Hospice Home Care Social Worker
- Hospice Medical Social Worker
- Hospice Social Worker
Related occupations
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$60,280
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$59,550
- Marriage and Family Therapists$66,940
- Rehabilitation Counselors$46,850
- Social and Human Service Assistants$45,930
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$100,580
- Community Health Workers$51,850
- Health Education Specialists$64,070
What a Healthcare Social Workers does
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Healthcare Social Workers make?
- The median annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers is $67,880 ($33 per hour). Pay ranges from about $46,220 at the 10th percentile to $100,360 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Healthcare Social Workers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $71,790, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Healthcare Social Workerss the most?
- District of Columbia has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $94,100.
- Is Healthcare Social Workers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 188K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Healthcare Social Workers do?
- 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..