There were approximately 185,000 healthcare social workers at work in the U.S. as of May 2023 according to reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Healthcare social workers are found in varied healthcare settings, including hospitals, individual family service providers, home healthcare agencies, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient care centers. Healthcare social work professionals generally earn slightly higher salaries and wages than workers in most other occupations. Per BLS estimates, as of May 2023, the national mean wage for healthcare social workers was $67,430 per year. Although healthcare social workers realize modestly better than average pay in comparison to most workers, there is considerable variation from state to state in how much healthcare social workers earn. Per BLS data, as of May 2023, these were the ten best and worst states for healthcare social worker pay based on annual mean wage levels:
The Best and Worst States for Healthcare Social Worker Pay
| Best Paying States | |
| California | $93,200 |
| District of Columbia | $87,860 |
| New Jersey | $82,010 |
| Oregon | $81,390 |
| Connecticut | $79.360 |
| Rhode Island | $75,950 |
| New Hampshire | $74,750 |
| Hawaii | $73,210 |
| Vermont | $72,520 |
| Nevada | $70,500 |
| Worst Paying States | |
| Montana | $59,210 |
| Arkansas | $58,990 |
| West Virginia | $58,560 |
| Nebraska | $57,840 |
| Tennessee | $57,810 |
| Mississippi | $55,860 |
| Oklahoma | $55,130 |
| Alabama | $54,650 |
| Missouri | $53,060 |
| South Dakota | $51,630 |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on June 9, 2024
