Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Great Plains Region

Earlier this year the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released May 2024 data indicating that there were over 185,000 healthcare social workers (HSWs) employed in the United States.  The seven-state Great Plains regions accounted for 11,740 of those healthcare social worker jobs.  BLS data reveals the region to be a rather poor one for healthcare social worker pay, as only one Great Plains state registered a HSW annual mean wage level that topped the national average of $69,904. Moreover, four states in the region ranked among the ten worst states in the nation for HSW annual mean wages. BLS data from May 2024 reveals the following details about healthcare social worker pay in the Great Plains region:

Healthcare Social Worker Pay in the Great Plains Region

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
IA	1,180	$64,410	39th
KS	1,420	$64,570	38th
MN	2,530	$73,400	15th
MO	4,630	$57,660	47th
NE	990	$61,540	45th
ND	310	$63,810	42nd
SD	680	$56,520	50th
U.S.	185,940	$69,904	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on December 10, 2025

In the 25-26 U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) survey of American hospitals, nearly 820 hospitals were rated for their effectiveness at delivering care to adult heart patients.  The hospitals surveyed were scored on various measures related to heart patient outcomes, the breadth of their heart program and services, and the amount of recognition earned by these hospitals from their peers within the cardiology community.  In the 25-26 survey, a score of at least 63.0 out of 100 was required to earn a spot among the top 50 ranked U.S. hospitals for adult heart care. No hospitals in the Rocky Mountain region made the top 50 list and only four hospitals in the region scored more than 50 out of 100 in the 25-26 survey.  The four top-ranked heart hospitals in the Rocky Mountain region in the 25-26 USNWR survey were:

The Top-Ranked Heart Hospitals in the Rocky Mountain Region

UC Health University of Colorado Hospital

Location:  Aurora, CO

National Rank:  N/R

Cardiology & Heart Surgery Score:  52.9 out of 100 

(See ranking details)

Providence St. Patrick Hospital
Location:  Missoula, MT

National Rank:  N/R

Cardiology & Heart Surgery Score:  52.8 out of 100 

(See ranking details)

University of Utah Hospital
Location:  Salt Lake City, UT

National Rank:  N/R

Cardiology & Heart Surgery Score:  51.4 out of 100 

(See ranking details)

Intermountain Healthcare Intermountain Medical Center

Location:  Murray, UT

National Rank:  N/R

Cardiology & Heart Surgery Score:  50.7 out of 100 

(See ranking details)

For more insight into the metrics used to rate heart hospitals in the 25-26 USNWR survey, or to find the cardiology rating of other hospitals in the Rocky Mountain region, visit Best Hospitals for Adult Cardiology Care and Heart Surgery.

Recreational Therapist Pay in the U.S. Mid-East

The most recent occupational employment data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that over14,000 recreational therapists were employed in the United States as of May 2024.  Just under 3,000 of those recreational therapist jobs were in the five-state U.S. Mid-East region, which encompasses the District of Columbia and five states.  Relative to the rest of the country, BLS data shows the region to be one of much disparity for recreational therapist pay.  The District of Columbia and two states, which collectively hold about 55% of the region's recreational therapist jobs, all ranked among the top eleven states in the country for recreational therapist annual mean wage levels.  However, the remaining 45% of region's employed recreational therapists lived in states where the annual mean wage level for recreational therapists was below the national average.  A closer examination of May 2024 BLS data details the following about recreational therapist pay in the U.S. Mid-East region:

Recreational Therapist Pay in the U.S. Mid-East

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
DC	60	$88,810	2nd
DE	70	$50,940	40th
MD	340	$59,600	22nd
NJ	360	$68,570	7th
NY	1,310	$66,270	11th
PA	750	$56,600	29th
U.S.	14,620	$62,644	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on December 5, 2025

In the 25-26 U.S. News & World Report survey of American hospitals, more than 800 hospitals were examined for their capabilities in delivering care to adult heart patients.  Hospitals in the survey were measured on the clinical outcomes of their adult heart patients, the scale of their heart care programs, and the level of recognition earned by these hospitals from other members of the cardiology care community.  Among the top 50 rated U.S. hospitals for adult heart care in the 25-26 survey, eight were based in the five-state Great Lakes region, with the region's top-ranked heart hospital, Cleveland Clinic, being rated as the third best adult heart hospital in the United States.  Here's a summary look at the top-ranked heart hospitals in the Great Lakes region and where they ranked nationally for adult heart care in the 25-26 survey:

The Top-Ranked Heart Hospitals in the Great Lakes Region

Cleveland Clinic

Location:  Cleveland 

National Rank:  #3 (See ranking details)

Northwestern Memorial Hospital

Location:  Chicago 

National Rank:  #7 (See ranking details)

Rush University Medical Center

Location:  Chicago

National Rank:  #13 (See ranking details)

University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers

Location:  Ann Arbor, MI

National Rank:  #21 (See ranking details)

Advocate Christ Medical Center

Location:  Oak Lawn, IL

National Rank:  #23 (See ranking details)

Corewell Health Beaumont University Hospital

Location:  Royal Oaks, MI

National Rank:  #25 (See ranking details)

University of Chicago Medical Center

Location:  Chicago

National Rank:  #33 (See ranking details)

Ohio State Wexner Medical Center

Location:  Columbus, OH

National Rank:  #47 (See ranking details)

For more insight into the metrics used to score adult cardiology and heart surgery hospitals in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, or to learn more about the adult heart care rating of other Great Lakes region hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Adult Cardiology Care and Heart Surgery.

General Dentist Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

There were almost 122,000 general dentists at work in the U.S. as of May 2024 according to the latest occupational statistical information published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  Just over 12,400 general dentists were employed in the four-state Southwestern U.S.  For general dentists, on the whole the region was a good one in terms of pay, as all of the region's practitioners lived in a state where the general dentist annual mean wage level topped the national average.  Further examination of May 2024 BLS data reveals the following details about general dentist pay in the Southwestern U.S.:

General Dentist Pay in the Southwestern U.S.

State	# Employed	Annual Mean Wages	Wage Rank*
AZ	2,930	$201,240	19th
NM	660	$191,570	23rd
OK	1,150	$201,720	18th
TX	7,690	$207,300	11th
U.S.	121,940	$188,952	-------

(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on December 3, 2025

Over 800 hospitals were evaluated for their effectiveness in providing adult heart care in the most recent (25-26) U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) rankings of American hospitals.  In this analysis, hospitals were scored on multiple metrics related to their adult heart patient outcomes, the scope of their adult heart programs, and the degree of recognition they've earned from the wider cardiac care community.  Among the top 50 ranked U.S. hospitals for adult cardiac care in 25-26, eight were based in six-state Far Western region of the United States.  This included Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, which was rated #6 nationally for adult heart care.  Here's a summary look at the top-ranked heart hospitals in the Far West and where they rated nationally for adult heart care in the 25-26 USNWR survey:

The Top-Ranked Heart Hospitals in the Far West

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Location:  Los Angeles 
National Rank:  #6 (See ranking details)

Stanford Hospital
Location:  Palo Alto, CA
National Rank:  #11 (See ranking details)

UCLA Medical Center
Location:  Los Angeles

National Rank:  #17 (See ranking details)

UCSF Medical Center
UCSF Heart and Vascular Center
Location:  San Francisco
National Rank:  #22 (See ranking details)

Scripps La Jolla Hospitals

Location: La Jolla, CA

National Rank:  #24 (See ranking details)

Cardiovascular Institute at UC San Diego Health

Location: San Diego

National Rank:  #27 (See ranking details)

Keck Hospital of USC
Location:  Los Angeles

National Rank:  #35 (See ranking details)

UC Davis Medical Center

Location: Sacramento, CA

National Rank:  #46 (See ranking details)

To further examine the metrics used to score adult cardiology and heart surgery hospitals in the 25-26 U.S. News survey, or to find the heart care ratings of other Far West hospitals, visit Best Hospitals for Adult Cardiology Care and Heart Surgery