Healthcare Social Workers Salary
In Texas, healthcare social workers earn $69,990 at the mean, or about $33.65 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. BLS does not publish the median for this occupation because wages exceed the reportable ceiling. The figure shown is the mean (average). Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $76,500 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $70K (mean) get you in Texas?
About healthcare social workers
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What this looks like in Texas
Healthcare social workers pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $70K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,415/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level healthcare social workers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Healthcare Social Workers salary by metro in Texas
25 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa | $81K | +16% | 40 |
| Midland | $79K | +13% | 30 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $76K | +9% | 1,010 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $76K | +8% | 2,630 |
| San Angelo | $73K | +5% | 80 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $72K | +3% | 2,660 |
| College Station-Bryan | $72K | +2% | 70 |
| Texarkana | $70K | +1% | 40 |
| Waco | $69K | -1% | 120 |
| Lubbock | $68K | -3% | 160 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $68K | -3% | 1,130 |
| Corpus Christi | $67K | -4% | 170 |
| Victoria | $67K | -4% | 40 |
| Wichita Falls | $66K | -6% | 80 |
| Sherman-Denison | $66K | -6% | 40 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $66K | -6% | 100 |
| Longview | $65K | -8% | 70 |
| Killeen-Temple | $65K | -8% | 160 |
| Amarillo | $64K | -8% | 80 |
| Laredo | $62K | -12% | 80 |
| Tyler | $61K | -12% | 140 |
| Abilene | $61K | -13% | 60 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $60K | -14% | 330 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen | $60K | -15% | 150 |
| El Paso | $56K | -20% | 450 |
Showing 1–10 of 25 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a healthcare social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 29.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for healthcare social workers in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new healthcare social workers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,413/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $70K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for healthcare social workers?
Texas pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do healthcare social workers make in Texas?
BLS reports a mean (average) wage of $69,990 a year for this occupation in Texas. The median is not published because wages exceed the BLS reportable ceiling. Entry-level workers start around $40,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,802/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 29.5% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $76,500 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.