Prevailing Wage for Healthcare Social Workers
Prevailing wages for Healthcare Social Workers are set by DOL under SOC 21-1022, covering roles from Medical Social Worker to Clinical Social Worker and Hospice Social Worker. DOL publishes four experience-based wage levels, and the floor varies significantly by worksite city, so a sponsored position in California pays well above one in a lower-cost metro.
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Entry-level social workers new to healthcare settings with limited supervised experience. Typically holds a master's degree in social work but has not yet accumulated independent caseload management. Performs tasks under close direction with a narrow scope of decision-making.
Qualified social workers with two or more years of healthcare-specific experience handling routine patient cases with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Healthcare Social Workers, matching the typical profile of a licensed practitioner in an established hospital or clinic role.
Experienced social workers who manage complex cases independently, including oncology, nephrology, or palliative care caseloads. Typically holds an active clinical license (LMSW or higher), requires little supervision, and may coordinate care across interdisciplinary teams.
Fully competent senior practitioners or lead social workers setting departmental protocols, supervising junior staff, or directing a specialized program. Brings advanced expertise across multiple care settings and exercises full professional judgment without supervisory oversight.
Prevailing Wage for Healthcare Social Workers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Healthcare Social Workers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your license tier matches the filed level
Employers frequently file Healthcare Social Workers at Level 2 regardless of licensure. If you hold an LMSW or clinical license with active case autonomy, confirm the LCA level reflects that standing, because a Level 1 filing for a licensed clinician may understate the prevailing wage floor.
Account for California metro premiums in negotiation
Prevailing wages in Napa, San Jose, and Santa Rosa metros run substantially above the national median at every level. Healthcare Social Workers accepting offers in these markets should benchmark offers against the site-specific L2 or L3 floor, not the national figure, to avoid leaving salary on the table.
Watch for title aliasing in hospice and oncology roles
Job postings for Hospice Social Worker or Oncology Social Worker are sometimes filed under broader community social work SOC codes, which carry lower prevailing wages. Confirm the LCA lists SOC 21-1022 before signing, particularly when the posting emphasizes a specialty setting rather than a hospital system.
Find employers who sponsor Healthcare Social Workers on Migrate Mate
Migrate Mate filters visa-sponsored roles by occupation and shows each employer's historical sponsorship count for healthcare social work positions, helping you identify which hospital systems and healthcare networks have actually filed H-1B or green card petitions for this role before.
Jobs for Healthcare Social Workers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Healthcare Social WorkersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 21-1022.00 alongside Healthcare Social Workers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Clinical Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Clinical Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Clinical Social Worker positions fall under SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Hospice Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Hospice Social Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Hospice Social Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) Prevailing Wage
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) Prevailing Wage
LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Medical Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Medical Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Medical Social Worker positions fall under SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Nephrology Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Nephrology Social Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Nephrology Social Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Oncology Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Oncology Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Oncology Social Worker is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Psychosocial Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Psychosocial Coordinator Prevailing Wage
Psychosocial Coordinator positions fall under SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Renal Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Renal Social Worker Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Renal Social Worker for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Social Work Case Manager Prevailing Wage
Social Work Case Manager Prevailing Wage
Social Work Case Manager is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Social Worker Prevailing Wage
Social Worker positions fall under SOC 21-1022.00 (Healthcare Social Workers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Healthcare Social Workers?
DOL calculates prevailing wages using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metropolitan areas. For SOC 21-1022, OFLC translates those regional wage distributions into four wage levels. Employers file a Labor Condition Application certifying the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry-level workers with limited experience under close supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified practitioners with moderate experience, and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 covers experienced, largely independent clinicians. Level 4 applies to senior or lead roles with full professional autonomy. Match your licensure status, years of healthcare-specific experience, and supervisory independence to identify your correct level.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same social work role vary so much between cities?
OFLC derives wages from regional BLS surveys, so the prevailing wage is specific to the metropolitan statistical area listed on the LCA as the worksite. Employer density, local cost of labor, and concentration of healthcare systems all drive regional variation. A position filed for a California coastal metro will carry a significantly higher floor than the same title filed in a Puerto Rico metro, and the worksite address on the LCA controls which rate applies.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot legally certify an LCA at a wage below the applicable prevailing wage floor. If the offer is below that floor, DOL will not certify the LCA, and without a certified LCA, USCIS will not approve an H-1B or related petition. If you believe a filed LCA understates your level or worksite, you can request the public access file from the employer, which must contain the certified LCA and wage documentation.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Healthcare Social Workers in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 21-1022 by metropolitan area. Select the area matching your employer's worksite address and review all four wage levels. For historical context on what specific employers have filed for this occupation, O*NET provides occupational detail, and Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored Healthcare Social Workers roles by location so you can cross-reference offers against real filing patterns.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Healthcare Social Workers right now.
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