Social workers work with patients who have a variety of disabilities and illnesses in hospitals.
Social workers are employed by both public and private organizations, including the government at all levels, schools, and medical facilities. All types of social workers, including those who focus on families, mental health, or healthcare, may find work in hospitals. The salary of a hospital social worker depends both on the worker's area of specialty and the type of hospital in which she is employed.
Child and Family Social Workers
Social workers who specialize in working with children and their families earned an average of $46,830 working in general medical and surgical hospitals as of May 2010, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those working in psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals earned an average of $50,230 a year, and those in specialty hospitals, including children's hospitals, earned an average of $48,330. Privately owned hospitals offered an average salary of $46,840 for child and family social workers, while hospitals owned by the local or state government offered averages of $41,610 and $53,130, respectively.
Health Care Social Workers
Social workers trained to work with individuals suffering from disease or injury, as well as their families, earned an average of $54,550 working in general medical and surgical hospitals as of 2010, reports the bureau. Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals offered an average salary of $51,240, and specialty hospitals offered an average of $57,210. In privately owned hospitals, the average income of a health care social worker was $54,870, while in hospitals owned by the local or state government the averages were $51,290 and $53,990 respectively.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Social workers who work with patients with mental illness or substance abuse problems earned an average salary of $50,530 working in general medical and surgical hospitals as of 2010, reports the bureau. In psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals the average was $48,280, while in specialty hospitals the average was $42,440. These social workers earned an average of $48,120 working in privately owned hospitals, $50,580 working in hospitals owned by the local government, and $51,010 working in hospitals owned by the state government.
Other Social Workers
Social work administrators, researchers, planners and policymakers earned an average salary of $59,430 working in general medical and surgical hospitals as of 2010, according to the bureau. Those employed in psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals earned an average salary of $67,200, and those working in specialty hospitals earned an average of $63,510. Privately owned hospitals offered an average of $60,380 a year to these social workers, while hospitals owned by the state government offered an average of $68,940.
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