Healthcare Social Workers
Healthcare Social Workers (SOC 21-1022) earn a median $67,880 a year ($32.63 an hour) in the United States, with 187,630 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What healthcare social workers do
Healthcare social workers give individuals, families, and groups the psychosocial support they need to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illness. Typical tasks include advocating for patients or clients to resolve crises, educating clients about end-of-life symptoms and options so they can make informed choices, collaborating with doctors, nurses, and other professionals to evaluate a patient's medical and physical condition and plan care, and referring patients and families to community resources that aid recovery. They counsel patients and family caregivers and may provide case and care management. The occupation differs from mental health and substance abuse social workers, who treat those specific problems, from child, family, and school social workers, who focus on children and family well-being, and from registered nurses and physicians, who provide medical care. Recording client progress against measurable treatment goals, and identifying environmental impediments to that progress through interviews and record review, are further duties.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a master's degree.
Also called: Case Manager, Bereavement Counselor, AIDS Social Worker, Case Worker, Caseworker.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.22 | $27.27 | $32.63 | $39.54 | $48.25 | $34.51 | 187,630 |
| Annual | $46,220 | $56,710 | $67,880 | $82,240 | $100,360 | $71,790 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where healthcare social workers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $29.31 | $36.23 | $45.24 | $51.69 | $59.73 | $44.77 | 420 | 0.60 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $60,970 | $75,360 | $94,100 | $107,500 | $124,230 | $93,120 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $26.07 | $32.52 | $43.11 | $57.09 | $64.85 | $45.11 | 17,690 | 0.97 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $54,220 | $67,630 | $89,660 | $118,740 | $134,880 | $93,840 | ||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $24.79 | $33.89 | $41.07 | $46.24 | $49.36 | $39.60 | 660 | 1.05 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $51,570 | $70,500 | $85,420 | $96,190 | $102,670 | $82,370 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $29.08 | $32.29 | $40.55 | $48.86 | $53.71 | $41.26 | 2,320 | 1.18 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $60,480 | $67,170 | $84,350 | $101,640 | $111,720 | $85,830 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $26.42 | $32.74 | $39.76 | $47.85 | $56.87 | $41.03 | 4,310 | 1.01 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $54,950 | $68,090 | $82,690 | $99,530 | $118,300 | $85,340 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $22.96 | $27.71 | $35.13 | $44.21 | $49.87 | $36.14 | 20,440 | 2.11 | 1.75 |
| Annual | $47,750 | $57,630 | $73,070 | $91,950 | $103,730 | $75,170 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $26.07 | $32.52 | $43.11 | $57.09 | $64.85 | $45.11 | 17,690 | 0.97 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $54,220 | $67,630 | $89,660 | $118,740 | $134,880 | $93,840 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $19.33 | $25.46 | $33.65 | $38.90 | $47.19 | $33.65 | 10,880 | 0.77 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $40,210 | $52,950 | $69,990 | $80,910 | $98,150 | $69,990 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $22.00 | $27.81 | $31.16 | $36.67 | $42.54 | $32.17 | 10,520 | 1.06 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $45,760 | $57,840 | $64,820 | $76,280 | $88,470 | $66,920 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $22.48 | $27.50 | $29.76 | $36.56 | $40.01 | $31.58 | 9,630 | 1.59 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $46,770 | $57,200 | $61,900 | $76,040 | $83,220 | $65,690 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $39.75 | $60.58 | $68.72 | $68.73 | $68.73 | $62.08 | 160 | 2.03 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $82,670 | $126,010 | $142,940 | $142,950 | $142,970 | $129,130 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Hourly | $32.45 | $41.44 | $64.11 | $64.63 | $64.64 | $54.21 | 170 | 1.38 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $67,490 | $86,190 | $133,340 | $134,440 | $134,450 | $112,750 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $29.51 | $38.83 | $58.87 | $72.43 | $73.45 | $54.19 | 160 | 1.13 | 0.93 |
| Annual | $61,370 | $80,760 | $122,450 | $150,640 | $152,780 | $112,700 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $29.48 | $37.02 | $52.18 | $63.82 | $67.97 | $51.33 | 280 | 1.35 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $61,320 | $77,010 | $108,530 | $132,750 | $141,390 | $106,760 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $31.83 | $38.24 | $51.52 | $63.47 | $75.45 | $52.06 | 770 | 0.68 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $66,210 | $79,550 | $107,170 | $132,020 | $156,940 | $108,280 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $24.07 | $28.76 | $37.80 | $47.63 | $52.05 | $38.67 | 17,250 | 1.82 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $50,060 | $59,820 | $78,610 | $99,060 | $108,260 | $80,430 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $25.35 | $30.30 | $38.38 | $49.74 | $63.20 | $42.87 | 6,340 | 1.01 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $52,720 | $63,020 | $79,830 | $103,470 | $131,450 | $89,170 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $26.99 | $29.46 | $37.70 | $45.17 | $49.86 | $38.03 | 4,950 | 1.83 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $56,140 | $61,270 | $78,410 | $93,950 | $103,700 | $79,100 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $24.44 | $27.50 | $31.72 | $38.21 | $44.45 | $33.61 | 4,190 | 1.44 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $50,820 | $57,200 | $65,990 | $79,470 | $92,450 | $69,910 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $21.99 | $26.25 | $31.39 | $37.98 | $44.47 | $32.52 | 4,130 | 1.43 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $45,730 | $54,600 | $65,280 | $79,010 | $92,500 | $67,630 | ||||
Top industries employing healthcare social workers
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 26.3% of healthcare social workers nationally (49,320 jobs) at a median $78,320 a year ($37.65 an hour), followed by Home Health Care Services (14.1%) and Individual and Family Services (11.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 49,320 | 26.3% | $78,320 | $37.65 |
| Home Health Care Services NAICS 621600 | 26,430 | 14.1% | $70,680 | $33.98 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 21,680 | 11.6% | $58,030 | $27.90 |
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 13,920 | 7.4% | $60,630 | $29.15 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 12,320 | 6.6% | $74,530 | $35.83 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (187,630). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $60,840 for healthcare social workers in May 2021 and $67,880 in May 2025, with employment of 173,860 and 187,630.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $60,840 | $29.25 | 173,860 |
| May 2022 | $60,280 | $28.98 | 182,420 |
| May 2023 | $62,940 | $30.26 | 185,020 |
| May 2024 | $68,090 | $32.74 | 185,940 |
| May 2025 | $67,880 | $32.63 | 187,630 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $45.24 | $94,100 | $60,970 | $124,230 | 420 | 0.60 | 0.50 |
| 2 | California profile | $43.11 | $89,660 | $54,220 | $134,880 | 17,690 | 0.97 | 0.80 |
| 3 | Hawaii profile | $41.07 | $85,420 | $51,570 | $102,670 | 660 | 1.05 | 0.87 |
| 4 | Oregon profile | $40.55 | $84,350 | $60,480 | $111,720 | 2,320 | 1.18 | 0.98 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $39.76 | $82,690 | $54,950 | $118,300 | 4,310 | 1.01 | 0.83 |
| 6 | Vermont profile | $39.01 | $81,140 | $61,760 | $102,820 | 250 | 0.84 | 0.70 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $38.41 | $79,900 | $59,100 | $104,900 | 1,650 | 0.97 | 0.80 |
| 8 | Washington profile | $37.77 | $78,570 | $48,390 | $124,360 | 5,180 | 1.46 | 1.21 |
| 9 | Nevada profile | $37.73 | $78,470 | $51,890 | $101,380 | 1,160 | 0.75 | 0.62 |
| 10 | New Hampshire profile | $37.63 | $78,260 | $60,200 | $98,930 | 590 | 0.86 | 0.71 |
| 11 | Utah profile | $37.57 | $78,150 | $44,410 | $109,270 | 1,750 | 1.01 | 0.84 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $36.75 | $76,440 | $40,210 | $96,340 | 4,750 | 1.72 | 1.42 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | $36.75 | $76,440 | $51,270 | $102,070 | 7,220 | 1.98 | 1.64 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $36.25 | $75,390 | $48,070 | $96,840 | 630 | 1.26 | 1.04 |
| 15 | Idaho profile | $35.82 | $74,500 | $50,950 | $97,670 | 750 | 0.87 | 0.72 |
| 16 | Minnesota profile | $35.56 | $73,970 | $51,720 | $95,200 | 2,430 | 0.82 | 0.68 |
| 17 | New York profile | $35.13 | $73,070 | $47,750 | $103,730 | 20,440 | 2.11 | 1.75 |
| 18 | Maine profile | $34.43 | $71,610 | $55,770 | $85,640 | 790 | 1.23 | 1.02 |
| 19 | Texas profile | $33.65 | $69,990 | $40,210 | $98,150 | 10,880 | 0.77 | 0.64 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $32.50 | $67,600 | $47,640 | $91,190 | 4,860 | 1.10 | 0.91 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $32.17 | $66,910 | $50,280 | $91,040 | 3,770 | 1.28 | 1.06 |
| 22 | Virginia profile | $31.99 | $66,550 | $47,530 | $91,060 | 3,070 | 0.75 | 0.62 |
| 23 | New Mexico profile | $31.70 | $65,930 | $45,780 | $90,020 | 1,200 | 1.38 | 1.14 |
| 24 | Florida profile | $31.16 | $64,820 | $45,760 | $88,470 | 10,520 | 1.06 | 0.88 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $31.07 | $64,620 | $47,550 | $88,760 | 780 | 1.61 | 1.34 |
| 26 | Indiana profile | $31.05 | $64,580 | $48,050 | $93,510 | 3,890 | 1.22 | 1.01 |
| 27 | Kansas profile | $30.98 | $64,440 | $46,300 | $79,680 | 1,360 | 0.95 | 0.78 |
| 28 | Illinois profile | $30.90 | $64,270 | $47,290 | $96,970 | 4,910 | 0.81 | 0.67 |
| 29 | Kentucky profile | $30.81 | $64,080 | $43,010 | $86,240 | 1,980 | 0.99 | 0.82 |
| 30 | Arizona profile | $30.79 | $64,030 | $44,620 | $96,470 | 3,100 | 0.96 | 0.79 |
| 31 | Ohio profile | $30.58 | $63,610 | $45,150 | $84,050 | 8,930 | 1.61 | 1.33 |
| 32 | Colorado profile | $30.52 | $63,480 | $45,810 | $95,230 | 3,670 | 1.28 | 1.06 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | $30.42 | $63,280 | $40,650 | $85,070 | 5,120 | 1.04 | 0.86 |
| 34 | Iowa profile | $30.31 | $63,050 | $46,140 | $80,360 | 1,550 | 0.99 | 0.82 |
| 35 | North Dakota profile | $30.22 | $62,860 | $51,260 | $78,040 | 330 | 0.76 | 0.63 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $30.01 | $62,420 | $43,260 | $86,990 | 6,970 | 1.43 | 1.18 |
| 37 | Nebraska profile | $30.01 | $62,420 | $46,040 | $82,780 | 980 | 0.96 | 0.80 |
| 38 | Wyoming profile | $29.93 | $62,260 | $42,380 | $93,150 | 180 | 0.64 | 0.53 |
| 39 | Mississippi profile | $29.93 | $62,250 | $39,770 | $78,520 | 1,890 | 1.62 | 1.34 |
| 40 | Alaska profile | $29.81 | $62,000 | $47,000 | $97,810 | 480 | 1.47 | 1.22 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.76 | $61,900 | $46,770 | $83,220 | 9,630 | 1.59 | 1.32 |
| 42 | Tennessee profile | $29.44 | $61,240 | $41,120 | $83,280 | 5,970 | 1.82 | 1.51 |
| 43 | Louisiana profile | $29.37 | $61,080 | $43,830 | $79,170 | 1,970 | 1.02 | 0.84 |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $29.25 | $60,840 | $40,450 | $83,990 | 3,100 | 1.35 | 1.12 |
| 45 | West Virginia profile | $28.92 | $60,140 | $46,120 | $79,800 | 1,100 | 1.57 | 1.30 |
| 46 | Alabama profile | $28.85 | $60,000 | $40,020 | $74,440 | 2,850 | 1.35 | 1.12 |
| 47 | Missouri profile | $28.79 | $59,870 | $39,180 | $79,560 | 4,430 | 1.51 | 1.25 |
| 48 | South Dakota profile | $27.65 | $57,510 | $43,750 | $78,420 | 790 | 1.72 | 1.42 |
| 49 | Montana profile | $27.45 | $57,090 | $46,330 | $77,730 | 840 | 1.63 | 1.35 |
| 50 | Oklahoma profile | $26.98 | $56,120 | $36,920 | $81,650 | 2,310 | 1.35 | 1.12 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $26.75 | $55,640 | $38,110 | $76,850 | 1,250 | 0.96 | 0.80 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (21-1020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Community and Social Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 21-1022 Healthcare Social Workers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 21-1022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 21-1022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.