All careersEducation, law & social work

Healthcare Social Worker

$68,090
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Help patients and families handle the practical and emotional sides of illness, care, and discharge.

Where you work

Hospitals, clinics, and hospice programs.

The hours

Full-time, with some on-call

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$68,090
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~18,400
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+8%
Faster than average
Working in the U.S.
193,200
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Master's degree

Training path: Master's degree + license.

License or certification

Clinical roles require a master's in social work and a state license.

What it takes

Case managementCounselingResource coordinationDocumentation

The honest take

Steady demand across hospitals and hospice, with a heavy caseload behind the paycheck.

Standard Occupational Classification 21-1022. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.