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:
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| 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







