Healthcare Social Workers Salary
In Chico, CA, healthcare social workers earn $84,810 at the median, or about $40.77 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.2), that's roughly $83,804 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,625/month, about 30.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $85K get you in Chico?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chico’s Regional Price Parity (101.2). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About healthcare social workers
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What this looks like in Chico
Chico sits well above the national pay line for healthcare social workers, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,625/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 101.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for healthcare social workers in metros near Chico, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $80K | $70K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $100K | $86K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $83K | $74K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $85K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chico, CA
Entry-level healthcare social workers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $53K spread from bottom to top.
Healthcare Social Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Healthcare Social Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $94K | +39% | 420 |
| California | $90K | +32% | 17,690 |
| Hawaii | $85K | +26% | 660 |
| Oregon | $84K | +24% | 2,320 |
| New Jersey | $83K | +22% | 4,310 |
| Vermont | $81K | +20% | 250 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +18% | 1,650 |
| Washington | $79K | +16% | 5,180 |
| Nevada | $78K | +16% | 1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $78K | +15% | 590 |
| Utah | $78K | +15% | 1,750 |
| Massachusetts | $76K | +13% | 7,220 |
| Maryland | $76K | +13% | 4,750 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +11% | 630 |
| Idaho | $75K | +10% | 750 |
| Minnesota | $74K | +9% | 2,430 |
| New York | $73K | +8% | 20,440 |
| Maine | $72K | +5% | 790 |
| Texas | $70K | +3% | 10,880 |
| Michigan | $68K | -0% | 4,860 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | -1% | 3,770 |
| Virginia | $67K | -2% | 3,070 |
| New Mexico | $66K | -3% | 1,200 |
| Florida | $65K | -5% | 10,520 |
| Delaware | $65K | -5% | 780 |
| Indiana | $65K | -5% | 3,890 |
| Kansas | $64K | -5% | 1,360 |
| Illinois | $64K | -5% | 4,910 |
| Kentucky | $64K | -6% | 1,980 |
| Arizona | $64K | -6% | 3,100 |
| Ohio | $64K | -6% | 8,930 |
| Colorado | $63K | -6% | 3,670 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -7% | 5,120 |
| Iowa | $63K | -7% | 1,550 |
| North Dakota | $63K | -7% | 330 |
| Georgia | $62K | -8% | 6,970 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -8% | 980 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -8% | 180 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -8% | 1,890 |
| Alaska | $62K | -9% | 480 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | -9% | 9,630 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -10% | 5,970 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -10% | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -10% | 3,100 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $60K | -12% | 2,850 |
| Missouri | $60K | -12% | 4,430 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -15% | 790 |
| Montana | $57K | -16% | 840 |
| Oklahoma | $56K | -17% | 2,310 |
| Arkansas | $56K | -18% | 1,250 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track healthcare social workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a healthcare social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chico?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 30.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,625/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for healthcare social workers in Chico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new healthcare social workers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,829/month. At HUD’s $1,625/month FMR, rent would take 57% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is healthcare social worker a high-paying job in Chico?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $85K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Chico compare to the national average for healthcare social workers?
Chico pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do healthcare social workers make in Chico, CA?
The median is $84,810 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,150, and experienced healthcare social workers can clear $100,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Chico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,335/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,625/month, which eats 30.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a healthcare social workers salary go in Chico?
Chico has a Regional Price Parity of 101.2 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median healthcare social workers salary is worth about $83,804 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do healthcare social workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.