Healthcare Social Workers
SOC code 21-1022 · O*NET-SOC 21-1022.00 · Extensive preparation needed
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Healthcare Social Workers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$67,880
a year
Hourly
$32.63
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$71,790
$34.51 per hour
Middle 50%
$56,710 – $82,240
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$46,220 – $100,360
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
187,630
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $46,220
- $22.22/hr
- 25th percentile
- $56,710
- $27.27/hr
- Median percentile
- $67,880
- $32.63/hr
- 75th percentile
- $82,240
- $39.54/hr
- 90th percentile
- $100,360
- $48.25/hr
What does a healthcare social worker do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
- Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
- Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
- Investigate child abuse or neglect cases and take authorized protective action when necessary.
- Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
- Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
- Identify environmental impediments to client or patient progress through interviews and review of patient records.
How to become a healthcare social worker
Most people in this role hold master's degree — 70% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 5 — Extensive preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Master's Degree70%
- Bachelor's Degree15%
- Post-Master's Certificate11%
- First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.4%
Common questions
How much does a healthcare social worker earn?
The national median is $67,880 a year. The full range runs from $46,220 at the 10th percentile to $100,360 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a healthcare social worker without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 5, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Speaking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Writing3.9/5
- Active Learning3.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Psychology4.9/5
- Therapy and Counseling4.7/5
- Sociology and Anthropology4.4/5
- English Language4.4/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- Education and Training3.5/5
- Philosophy and Theology3.1/5
- Administrative3.0/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving.