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Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salary in the United States

How much does a Medical Social Worker (MSW) make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Medical Social Worker (MSW) in the United States is $65,898 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, a Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $79,502
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $58,825 to $73,019
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,385
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salaries

A Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $63,576
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $63,787
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $66,429
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $69,405
  • Expert (over 8 years): $69,618
Levels Salary
Entry Level Medical Social Worker (MSW)$63,576
Intermediate Level Medical Social Worker (MSW)$63,787
Senior Level Medical Social Worker (MSW)$66,429
Specialist Level Medical Social Worker (MSW)$69,405
Expert Level Medical Social Worker (MSW)$69,618
View as Graph

How Do Medical Social Worker (MSW)s Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Medical Social Worker (MSW)s. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $72,962.
  • California: $72,685.
  • Massachusetts: $71,717.

Top Paying Cities for Medical Social Worker (MSW)

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $83,117
  • San Francisco: $82,207
  • Oakland: $80,475

What Skills Can Increase a Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 5.26% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Discharge Planning (Mentioned in 2.67% Job Postings): Developing a personalized plan to ensure the smooth transition of a patient from a health organization to the patient's home or residential care.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 1.52% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 5.26%
Discharge Planning 2.67%
Acute Care 1.52%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s salary.

  • Resident Service: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Clinical Social Work: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Care Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Resident Service $69,852
6%
Clinical Social Work $68,534
4%
Care Management $68,534
4%
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Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Medical Social Worker (MSW) salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $69,899. While startup companies pay approximate $59,564.

Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $59,564
Growth Stage 51~500 $62,878
Established 501~5000 $67,614
Enterprise 5000+ $69,899

Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Medical Social Worker (MSW) roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Medical Social Worker (MSW) positions in Healthcare typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Medical Social Worker (MSW) as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Medical Social Worker (MSW)

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$79,078$38.020%

How Education impacts an Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Medical Social Worker (MSW) enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Medical Social Worker (MSW) with a Bachelor's Degree is between $0 and $0.

Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Medical Social Worker (MSW)
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 0.2%
Associates 1.4%
Bachelors 7.4%
Masters 89.3%
Doctorate 1.8%
View as Graph

Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$58,825
Average $65,898/year
$73,019
$4,902
Average $5,492/month
$6,085
$1,131
Average $1,267/week
$1,404
$28
Average $32/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $73,019 $6,085 $1,404 $35
Average $65,898 $5,492 $1,267 $32
25th Percentile $58,825 $4,902 $1,131 $28

Medical Social Worker (MSW) Salary Growth & Career Path

Medical Social Worker (MSW)

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Advancement

For a Medical Social Worker (MSW), the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $81,887 - a projected growth of 24% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Medical Social Worker (MSW)

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Medical Social Worker (MSW)

Here are companies hiring for Medical Social Worker (MSW) and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Medical Social Worker (MSW)

1. Where can a Medical Social Worker (MSW) earn the most?

A Medical Social Worker (MSW)'s earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Medical Social Worker (MSW) earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Medical Social Worker (MSW) is $83,117.

2. What is the highest pay for Medical Social Worker (MSW)?

The highest pay for Medical Social Worker (MSW) is $79,502.

3. What is the lowest pay for Medical Social Worker (MSW)?

The lowest pay for Medical Social Worker (MSW) is $52,385.

4. What are the responsibilities of Medical Social Worker (MSW)?

Provides social work services to hospital patients and their families. Counsels and provides crisis intervention for patients, including assessment and treatment of emotional and behavioral problems related to hospitalization. Participates as a member of multi-disciplinary team and may assist patients in treatment planning. May contribute to the formulation of discharge plans. May take a leadership role on more complex cases. Requires a master's degree of social work. Typically reports to a manager. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Medical Social Worker (MSW)?

The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Medical Social Worker (MSW) roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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