The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) published data earlier this year indicating that, as of May 2022, there were over 182,400 healthcare social workers (HSWs) employed in the United States.  More than 39,000 of those HSW jobs were in the five-state Mid-Eastern U.S. region.  BLS data revealed the Mid-Eastern U.S. to be a rather weak one for healthcare social worker pay.  Although New Jersey recorded an annual mean wage level for healthcare social workers that was the 6th highest in the nation, more than 90% of the Mid-Eastern region's HSW jobs were in states where that pay metric was below the national average for the profession. An examination of BLS data from May 2022 produced the following details about healthcare social worker pay in the Mid-Eastern U.S.

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Mid-Eastern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
DE	590	$58,100	34th
MD	4,690	$58,980	31st
NJ	3,010	$71,660	6th
NY	25,210	$60,440	23rd
PA	5,870	$62,410	19th
U.S.	182,420	$62,760	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on January 15, 2024.