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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

21-1022 Healthcare Social Workers

Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family caregivers. Provide patients with information and counseling, and make referrals for other services. May also provide case and care management or interventions designed to promote health, prevent disease, and address barriers to access to healthcare.


National estimates for Healthcare Social Workers
Industry profile for Healthcare Social Workers
Geographic profile for Healthcare Social Workers

National estimates for Healthcare Social Workers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Healthcare Social Workers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
182,420 0.8 % $ 30.17 $ 62,760 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Healthcare Social Workers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.52 $ 22.84 $ 28.98 $ 36.25 $ 42.23
Annual Wage (2) $ 38,520 $ 47,510 $ 60,280 $ 75,390 $ 87,830


Industry profile for Healthcare Social Workers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Healthcare Social Workers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Healthcare Social Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Healthcare Social Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 45,030 0.81 $ 35.09 $ 72,980
Home Health Care Services 22,890 1.49 $ 32.29 $ 67,160
Individual and Family Services 22,450 0.79 $ 24.84 $ 51,660
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 14,370 1.07 $ 26.93 $ 56,010
Outpatient Care Centers 13,450 1.32 $ 32.14 $ 66,850

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Healthcare Social Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Home Health Care Services 22,890 1.49 $ 32.29 $ 67,160
Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services 2,660 1.33 $ 22.53 $ 46,870
Outpatient Care Centers 13,450 1.32 $ 32.14 $ 66,850
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals 2,660 1.15 $ 28.50 $ 59,270
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 14,370 1.07 $ 26.93 $ 56,010

Top paying industries for Healthcare Social Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 110 0.01 $ 37.63 $ 78,270
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 2,760 1.02 $ 35.41 $ 73,640
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 45,030 0.81 $ 35.09 $ 72,980
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services 1,760 0.55 $ 33.41 $ 69,500
Home Health Care Services 22,890 1.49 $ 32.29 $ 67,160


Geographic profile for Healthcare Social Workers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Healthcare Social Workers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Healthcare Social Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of healthcare social workers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Healthcare Social Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 25,210 2.77 2.24 $ 29.06 $ 60,440
California 14,430 0.82 0.66 $ 42.49 $ 88,380
Massachusetts 11,630 3.26 2.64 $ 31.46 $ 65,440
Texas 11,350 0.87 0.71 $ 30.05 $ 62,500
Florida 10,680 1.16 0.94 $ 26.57 $ 55,270


Map of location quotient of healthcare social workers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Healthcare Social Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts 11,630 3.26 2.64 $ 31.46 $ 65,440
New York 25,210 2.77 2.24 $ 29.06 $ 60,440
Tennessee 7,660 2.45 1.99 $ 25.63 $ 53,320
Missouri 5,220 1.85 1.50 $ 24.80 $ 51,580
Maryland 4,690 1.78 1.44 $ 28.36 $ 58,980


Map of annual mean wages of healthcare social workers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Healthcare Social Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 14,430 0.82 0.66 $ 42.49 $ 88,380
Oregon 1,770 0.94 0.76 $ 37.09 $ 77,150
Rhode Island 620 1.28 1.04 $ 35.63 $ 74,110
Connecticut 1,930 1.19 0.96 $ 35.44 $ 73,720
Hawaii 810 1.36 1.11 $ 34.93 $ 72,660



Map of employment of healthcare social workers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Healthcare Social Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 20,230 2.20 1.79 $ 31.40 $ 65,320
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 6,950 2.57 2.08 $ 32.02 $ 66,590
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 5,600 0.92 0.74 $ 40.44 $ 84,110
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 3,330 0.75 0.61 $ 30.11 $ 62,640
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 3,050 1.10 0.89 $ 31.51 $ 65,540
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 3,010 1.10 0.89 $ 29.23 $ 60,800
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 2,950 0.78 0.63 $ 31.44 $ 65,390
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,860 0.94 0.76 $ 30.24 $ 62,910
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 2,710 2.09 1.70 $ 28.48 $ 59,230
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 2,680 2.58 2.09 $ 25.97 $ 54,010


Map of location quotient of healthcare social workers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Healthcare Social Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Bedford, MA 830 12.81 10.39 $ 32.25 $ 67,080
Pittsfield, MA 230 6.01 4.87 $ 28.47 $ 59,220
Springfield, MA-CT 1,630 5.12 4.15 $ 28.02 $ 58,280
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 160 4.03 3.27 $ 22.40 $ 46,590
Rochester, NY 1,890 3.90 3.16 $ 23.18 $ 48,210
Carson City, NV 110 3.81 3.09 $ 33.08 $ 68,810
Leominster-Gardner, MA 180 3.63 2.95 $ 31.25 $ 65,000
Gainesville, FL 500 3.61 2.92 $ 23.64 $ 49,170
Worcester, MA-CT 1,010 3.56 2.89 $ 33.17 $ 68,990
Binghamton, NY 300 3.18 2.57 $ 22.93 $ 47,700


Map of annual mean wages of healthcare social workers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Healthcare Social Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 770 0.68 0.55 $ 52.66 $ 109,530
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,930 0.81 0.65 $ 50.10 $ 104,200
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 100 0.75 0.61 $ 49.61 $ 103,180
Santa Rosa, CA 160 0.78 0.63 $ 48.14 $ 100,130
Yuba City, CA 30 0.61 0.50 $ 48.03 $ 99,910
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 1,010 0.98 0.79 $ 44.52 $ 92,600
Modesto, CA 180 0.93 0.76 $ 44.42 $ 92,380
Chico, CA 100 1.24 1.01 $ 44.17 $ 91,880
Fresno, CA 240 0.59 0.48 $ 43.60 $ 90,690
Stockton-Lodi, CA 140 0.49 0.40 $ 43.26 $ 89,990

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Healthcare Social Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 410 1.06 0.86 $ 26.07 $ 54,230
Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area 390 3.04 2.46 $ 21.02 $ 43,730
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 390 2.51 2.03 $ 25.18 $ 52,380
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 350 2.56 2.08 $ 25.24 $ 52,500
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 340 2.04 1.65 $ 23.74 $ 49,390

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Healthcare Social Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 260 4.19 3.39 $ 37.93 $ 78,890
Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area 390 3.04 2.46 $ 21.02 $ 43,730
Maryland nonmetropolitan area 160 2.83 2.30 $ 24.36 $ 50,680
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 350 2.56 2.08 $ 25.24 $ 52,500
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 390 2.51 2.03 $ 25.18 $ 52,380

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Healthcare Social Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Massachusetts nonmetropolitan area 260 4.19 3.39 $ 37.93 $ 78,890
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area 50 0.75 0.61 $ 36.25 $ 75,410
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 60 0.91 0.74 $ 35.61 $ 74,060
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 140 1.37 1.11 $ 35.50 $ 73,840
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 100 0.91 0.73 $ 35.27 $ 73,370


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023