Help patients and families handle the practical and emotional sides of illness, care, and discharge.
You may also see this posted as: Clinical Social Worker, Hospice Social Worker, Medical Social Worker, Social Worker, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker), Nephrology Social Worker.
Hospitals, clinics, and hospice programs.
Full-time, with some on-call
Social
helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people
Investigative
solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
O*NET job zone 5 of 5
Extensive preparation—often graduate education and significant experience—is common.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
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.
BLS estimates 0.3% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Master's degree
Training path: Master's degree + license.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: Internship/residency.
Clinical roles require a master's in social work and a state license.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Steady demand across hospitals and hospice, with a heavy caseload behind the paycheck.
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Standard Occupational Classification 21-1022. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.