How To Become A Health Care Social Worker: What It Is and Career Path

What is a health care social worker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Virginia Schwindt

The average health care social worker salary is $42,237. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an social work major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a health care social worker. Health care social workers with a Medical Assistant certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 9% and produce 64,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a health care social worker?

Virginia Schwindt

MSW Field Director/Associate Professor, Union University

Take the licensing test as soon as you are able to, and be open to where you work. It is great to want a specific population or employer, but being open to other experiences may be where God wants you to be. Don't limit yourself because, as a social worker, you can do so many different things.

ScoreHealth Care Social WorkerUS Average

Salary

3.3

Avg. Salary $42,237

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.4

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.60%

Asian 3.32%

Black or African American 19.92%

Hispanic or Latino 12.27%

Unknown 5.43%

White 58.45%

Gender

female 78.78%

male 21.22%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

9.4

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.5

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a health care social worker

Explore health care social worker education requirements

Most common health care social worker degrees

Bachelor's

31.5 %

Associate

20.1 %

High School Diploma

17.9 %

Start to develop specific health care social worker skills

Skills	Percentages
Social Work	25.96%
Patients	23.67%
Meal Preparation	5.24%
Community Resources	4.39%
Patient Care	3.94%

Complete relevant health care social worker training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New health care social workers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a health care social worker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real health care social worker resumes.

Research health care social worker duties and responsibilities

Respond to and assist in behavioral codes working as a team member to successfully manage patient using methods obtain in CPI training
Assist in coordinating health care benefits with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers.
Work with clients for fill basic home cleaning, cooking, and healthcare needs.
Aid in completion of any forms such as Medicaid, food stamps, etc.

Prepare your health care social worker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your health care social worker resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a health care social worker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable health care social worker resume templates

Build a professional health care social worker resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your health care social worker resume.