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Best states for a medical social worker
Quoted expert
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
- Rank 1 - 10
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Medical social worker opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for medical social workers, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for medical social workers.Although there are abundant medical social worker jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the Midwest. Idaho is the best state in the country for medical social worker jobs.
The median salary for medical social workers in Idaho is $63,889. Compare that to the median salary in North Carolina of $44,594, which ranked worst for medical social workers, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that Idaho is the best state for medical social worker jobs, whereas North Carolina is the worst.
10 best states for medical social workers in 2025
1. Idaho
Total medical social worker jobs: 588 Average annual salary: $63,889 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.78
2. California
Total medical social worker jobs: 9,155 Average annual salary: $72,521 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000 Location Quotient: 1.56
3. Oregon
Total medical social worker jobs: 855 Average annual salary: $70,531 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
4. New Hampshire
Total medical social worker jobs: 352 Average annual salary: $69,960 Lowest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1
5. Alaska
Total medical social worker jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $75,638 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
6. Connecticut
Total medical social worker jobs: 719 Average annual salary: $66,212 Lowest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
7. Washington
Total medical social worker jobs: 1,626 Average annual salary: $64,784 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
8. Nevada
Total medical social worker jobs: 431 Average annual salary: $61,315 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
9. District of Columbia
Total medical social worker jobs: 343 Average annual salary: $71,112 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
10. New Mexico
Total medical social worker jobs: 625 Average annual salary: $57,854 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
Medical social worker jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a medical social worker
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a medical social worker
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $63,889 | $50,000 | 1,716,943 | 588 |
| 2 | California | $72,521 | $52,000 | 39,536,653 | 9,155 |
| 3 | Oregon | $70,531 | $56,000 | 4,142,776 | 855 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $69,960 | $54,000 | 1,342,795 | 352 |
| 5 | Alaska | $75,638 | $68,000 | 739,795 | 159 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $66,212 | $49,000 | 3,588,184 | 719 |
| 7 | Washington | $64,784 | $52,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,626 |
| 8 | Nevada | $61,315 | $44,000 | 2,998,039 | 431 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $71,112 | $51,000 | 693,972 | 343 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $57,854 | $41,000 | 2,088,070 | 625 |
| 11 | Utah | $54,933 | $42,000 | 3,101,833 | 1,021 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $56,532 | $45,000 | 579,315 | 130 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $61,034 | $44,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,325 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $66,728 | $48,000 | 9,005,644 | 923 |
| 15 | Delaware | $56,536 | $40,000 | 961,939 | 345 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $52,339 | $38,000 | 1,815,857 | 496 |
| 17 | Vermont | $61,691 | $49,000 | 623,657 | 90 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $59,745 | $44,000 | 1,059,639 | 156 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $55,298 | $41,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,720 |
| 20 | Indiana | $58,219 | $44,000 | 6,666,818 | 615 |
| 21 | Ohio | $58,486 | $43,000 | 11,658,609 | 757 |
| 22 | Michigan | $55,955 | $43,000 | 9,962,311 | 978 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $51,920 | $35,000 | 4,684,333 | 665 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $61,102 | $54,000 | 1,427,538 | 132 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $50,951 | $35,000 | 2,984,100 | 432 |
| 26 | Arizona | $54,302 | $39,000 | 7,016,270 | 671 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $54,390 | $45,000 | 755,393 | 92 |
| 28 | Illinois | $50,631 | $39,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,886 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $49,685 | $35,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,023 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $47,879 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 582 |
| 31 | Maryland | $54,776 | $39,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,083 |
| 32 | Montana | $52,409 | $43,000 | 1,050,493 | 177 |
| 33 | Maine | $48,480 | $38,000 | 1,335,907 | 347 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $46,942 | $32,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,296 |
| 35 | Alabama | $45,875 | $32,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,120 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $47,861 | $39,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,637 |
| 37 | Colorado | $51,203 | $39,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,135 |
| 38 | Missouri | $46,194 | $34,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,860 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $47,062 | $38,000 | 869,666 | 206 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $48,040 | $38,000 | 1,920,076 | 445 |
| 41 | New York | $52,833 | $38,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,744 |
| 42 | Iowa | $49,415 | $39,000 | 3,145,711 | 343 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $45,609 | $33,000 | 4,454,189 | 814 |
| 44 | Virginia | $45,620 | $32,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,196 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $46,942 | $34,000 | 3,930,864 | 480 |
| 46 | Texas | $47,991 | $33,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,084 |
| 47 | Kansas | $48,968 | $37,000 | 2,913,123 | 250 |
| 48 | Florida | $44,664 | $29,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,178 |
| 49 | Georgia | $38,842 | $27,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,168 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $48,238 | $38,000 | 5,795,483 | 404 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $44,594 | $31,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,584 |
Highest paying states for medical social workers
| Rank | State | Avg. Medical Social Worker Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $63,889 |
| 2 | California | $72,521 |
| 3 | Oregon | $70,531 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $69,960 |
| 5 | Alaska | $75,638 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $66,212 |
| 7 | Washington | $64,784 |
| 8 | Nevada | $61,315 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $71,112 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $57,854 |
| 11 | Utah | $54,933 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $56,532 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $61,034 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $66,728 |
| 15 | Delaware | $56,536 |
| 16 | West Virginia | $52,339 |
| 17 | Vermont | $61,691 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $59,745 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $55,298 |
| 20 | Indiana | $58,219 |
| 21 | Ohio | $58,486 |
| 22 | Michigan | $55,955 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $51,920 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $61,102 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $50,951 |
| 26 | Arizona | $54,302 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $54,390 |
| 28 | Illinois | $50,631 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $49,685 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $47,879 |
| 31 | Maryland | $54,776 |
| 32 | Montana | $52,409 |
| 33 | Maine | $48,480 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $46,942 |
| 35 | Alabama | $45,875 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $47,861 |
| 37 | Colorado | $51,203 |
| 38 | Missouri | $46,194 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $47,062 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $48,040 |
| 41 | New York | $52,833 |
| 42 | Iowa | $49,415 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $45,609 |
| 44 | Virginia | $45,620 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $46,942 |
| 46 | Texas | $47,991 |
| 47 | Kansas | $48,968 |
| 48 | Florida | $44,664 |
| 49 | Georgia | $38,842 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $48,238 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $44,594 |
Expert opinions on the best states for medical social workers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for medical social workers to find work opportunities?
KJ Cerankowski Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Comparative American Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies, Oberlin College
One great thing about a degree in these interdisciplinary fields is that it opens many job possibilities. Graduates from these fields may do all sorts of different work for nonprofits or NGOs in the education sector, politics, research, writing and editing, and healthcare settings.
With the pandemic, there has been so much variability state-by-state in terms of spread, plans for reopening, and what remains closed, that it's hard to say which places may be better to look for work. I know some recent graduates are still landing jobs and making big moves all over the United States for those jobs, while others are taking on remote work and choosing where they will live. I recommend, if one is able, casting a wide net, being open to new places or job possibilities you might not have initially imagined for yourself.
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Updated January 8, 2025