In a December commentary we discussed Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Top 20 Metro Areas. U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest populations naturally employ far more healthcare social workers than do smaller metro areas. However, for healthcare social workers interested in maximizing their earnings potential, better compensation opportunities may await in smaller metro markets. According to May 2019 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), only three of the 20 largest metro areas in the U.S. were among the 20 best metropolitan markets for healthcare social worker pay:
| Metropolitan Area | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 130 | $90,120 | ||
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | 900 | $89,620 | ||
| 3 | Salinas, CA | 130 | $89,500 | ||
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward (#) | 2,520 | $86,560 | ||
| 5 | Napa, CA | N/A | $84,370 | ||
| 6 | Fresno, CA | 390 | $83,550 | ||
| 7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (#) | 7,600 | $83,430 | ||
| 8 | Springfield, OH | 60 | $83,000 | ||
| 9 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 450 | $82,930 | ||
| 10 | Laredo, TX | 60 | $81,610 | ||
| 11 | Santa Rosa, CA | 260 | $81,290 | ||
| 12 | Valdosta, GA | 40 | $80,950 | ||
| 13 | Bakersfield, CA | 270 | $79,870 | ||
| 14 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 100 | $78,300 | ||
| 15 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV | 580 | $77,960 | ||
| 16 | Modesto, CA | 200 | $76,230 | ||
| 17 | Las Cruces, NM | 150 | $76,130 | ||
| 18 | Riverside-San Bernardino (#) | 1,560 | $75,900 | ||
| 19 | Eugene, OR | 180 | $75,720 | ||
| 20 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,220 | $75,440 | ||
| National | 174,890 | $59,300 | |||
(#) a top 20 U.S metro population area
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on December 5, 2020