Career comparison
Healthcare Social Worker vs. Social Worker
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Healthcare social workers earn more at the median ($67,880 vs. $59,550), while social workers usually get to work faster (4 years (BSW); 6 years for MSW of training). Healthcare social workers help patients and families cope with illness and plan care after the hospital. Social workers help children and families stay safe, get support and overcome hard times.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Healthcare Social Worker | Social Worker | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $67,880 ($32.63/hr) | $59,550 ($28.63/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $46,220 – $100,360 | $42,280 – $95,530 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +8.5% (much faster than average) | +4.4% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 16,900 | 33,900 |
| Typical entry education | Master's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 6 years (BSW + MSW) | 4 years (BSW); 6 years for MSW |
| Key credential | Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) | Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) |
| Work setting | Healthcare social workers work in hospitals, hospices, clinics and patients’ homes.. | Social workers work in offices, schools, homes, courts and the community, sometimes in tense situations.. |
What each job does
Healthcare Social Worker
- Assess patient and family needs
- Plan hospital discharges
- Arrange home care and placements
- Counsel patients and families
- Help with advance directives
Social Worker
- Assess client needs and risks
- Investigate child welfare reports
- Develop case and safety plans
- Connect clients to services and benefits
- Visit homes and schools
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, working with people, and high responsibility. Both are part of the community, social & government services field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose healthcare social worker if…
- I want to help patients and families
- I can handle illness and end-of-life conversations
- I like working with medical teams
Choose social worker if…
- I want to help families in crisis
- I can handle emotional situations
- I keep strong boundaries
Still torn? Take the Healthcare Social Worker fit quiz and the Social Worker fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, healthcare social worker or social worker?
Healthcare Social Workers earn more at the median: $67,880 versus $59,550 for social workers, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Social Workers typically train faster (4 years (BSW); 6 years for MSW) than healthcare social workers (6 years (BSW + MSW)).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects healthcare social workers to grow +8.5% from 2025–35, compared with +4.4% for social workers.