Healthcare Social Workers Salary
In Louisiana, healthcare social workers earn $61,080 at the median, or about $29.37 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $69,982 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 29.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Louisiana?
About healthcare social workers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Healthcare social workers pay in Louisiana tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,191/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level healthcare social workers (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Healthcare Social Workers salary by metro in Louisiana
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond | $70K | +14% | 40 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $66K | +8% | 400 |
| Lake Charles | $65K | +7% | 30 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $64K | +5% | 110 |
| Baton Rouge | $64K | +4% | 470 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $62K | +1% | N/A |
| Lafayette | $62K | +1% | 120 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $60K | -1% | 360 |
| Alexandria | $60K | -2% | 70 |
| Monroe | $58K | -5% | 100 |
Compare to other states
Track healthcare social workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a healthcare social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 29.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for healthcare social workers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new healthcare social workers typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,630/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Louisiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for healthcare social workers?
Louisiana pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do healthcare social workers make in Louisiana?
The median is $61,080 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,830, and experienced healthcare social workers can clear $79,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,092/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 29.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a healthcare social workers salary go in Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median healthcare social workers salary is worth about $69,982 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.