Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$46,220
- 25th Percentile — Junior$56,710
- 50th Percentile — Median$67,880
- 75th Percentile — Senior$82,240
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$100,360
The top 10% of Healthcare Social Workers earn $100,360 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $46,220, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $93,840 | +30.7% |
| District of Columbia | $93,120 | +29.7% |
| Oregon | $85,830 | +19.6% |
| New Jersey | $85,340 | +18.9% |
| Connecticut | $83,290 | +16.0% |
| Vermont | $82,720 | +15.2% |
| Hawaii | $82,370 | +14.7% |
| Washington | $81,040 | +12.9% |
| New Hampshire | $80,160 | +11.7% |
| Utah | $78,270 | +9.0% |
| Nevada | $78,240 | +9.0% |
| Massachusetts | $77,000 | +7.3% |
| New York | $75,170 | +4.7% |
| Minnesota | $73,510 | +2.4% |
| Rhode Island | $73,020 | +1.7% |
| Maryland | $72,140 | +0.5% |
| Idaho | $71,470 | -0.4% |
| Maine | $70,860 | -1.3% |
| Texas | $69,990 | -2.5% |
| Michigan | $69,940 | -2.6% |
| Wisconsin | $69,510 | -3.2% |
| Virginia | $69,390 | -3.3% |
| Alaska | $68,370 | -4.8% |
| Indiana | $68,370 | -4.8% |
| Arizona | $68,330 | -4.8% |
| Illinois | $68,190 | -5.0% |
| Wyoming | $67,410 | -6.1% |
| Delaware | $67,360 | -6.2% |
| Colorado | $67,170 | -6.4% |
| New Mexico | $67,170 | -6.4% |
| Florida | $66,920 | -6.8% |
| Pennsylvania | $65,690 | -8.5% |
| Ohio | $65,350 | -9.0% |
| North Dakota | $65,300 | -9.0% |
| Kentucky | $64,960 | -9.5% |
| Georgia | $64,910 | -9.6% |
| Kansas | $64,860 | -9.7% |
| North Carolina | $64,720 | -9.8% |
| Nebraska | $63,680 | -11.3% |
| Iowa | $63,560 | -11.5% |
| Louisiana | $63,510 | -11.5% |
| West Virginia | $63,470 | -11.6% |
| Tennessee | $62,750 | -12.6% |
| South Carolina | $62,020 | -13.6% |
| Missouri | $60,560 | -15.6% |
| Mississippi | $60,300 | -16.0% |
| South Dakota | $59,640 | -16.9% |
| Montana | $59,510 | -17.1% |
| Alabama | $58,360 | -18.7% |
| Oklahoma | $57,480 | -19.9% |
| Arkansas | $56,980 | -20.6% |
What Factors Affect Healthcare Social Workers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Healthcare Social Workers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $93,840, while Arkansas pays $56,980 — a gap of $36,860 per year.
The middle half of Healthcare Social Workers earn between $56,710 and $82,240 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $46,220, while the top 10% earn more than $100,360.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Child Family and School Social Workers $64,000/yr United States 10.9% vs this role
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers $68,030/yr United States 5.2% vs this role
- Health Education Specialists $73,280/yr United States +2.1% vs this role
- Social and Human Service Assistants $47,690/yr United States 33.6% vs this role
- Community Health Workers $56,180/yr United States 21.7% vs this role
- Educational Guidance and Career Counselors $71,430/yr United States 0.5% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +41.3% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +91.3% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Healthcare Social Workers?
The average salary for Healthcare Social Workers in the United States is $71,790 per year, with a median of $67,880.
What is the starting salary for Healthcare Social Workers?
Entry-level Healthcare Social Workers typically earn between $46,220 and $56,710 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Healthcare Social Workers the most?
California pays Healthcare Social Workers the most at $93,840 per year on average, followed by District of Columbia ($93,120) and Oregon ($85,830).
How much do Healthcare Social Workers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $71,790, Healthcare Social Workers earn approximately $34.51 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Healthcare Social Workers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 187,630 Healthcare Social Workers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $71,790 and a median of $67,880 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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