IL · Elgin · Updated October 15, 2026

Clinical Social Worker jobs in Elgin, IL

Pay for clinical social workers in the Elgin area centers on $35.91 per hour, or about $74,700 a year. The lower quarter earns under $29.20 and the upper quarter over $38.77. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Elgin. That ranks 68th of 370 U.S. metro areas for clinical social worker pay, and 115th of 333 once local prices are factored in. The free report below lists employers near Elgin and what they pay.

Open Clinical Social Worker roles near Elgin

Roles in other cities of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area.

PermanentPosted 9 days ago

Medical Social Worker

Silver Cross Hospital · New Lenox, IL

$32.65–$40.81/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req R-0012368
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 9 days ago

Medical Social Worker

Silver Cross Hospital · New Lenox, IL

$32.65–$40.81/ hour
  • Part time
  • Req R-0012369
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 20 days ago

Social Worker

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Des Plaines, IL

$28.42–$41.47/ hour
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 282675
View role
PermanentPosted 22 days ago

BH Social Worker I

Central Maine Healthcare Corporation · Joliet, IL

$24.86–$36.01/ hour
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 279778
View role

Get the Elgin Clinical Social Worker pay report

Named employers near Elgin, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring clinical social workers near Elgin

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Silver Cross Hospital2$36.73
Central Maine Healthcare Corporation2$32.69
AccentCare1$36.06

Clinical Social Worker pay in Elgin, IL

The metro median is 9% above the Illinois statewide median of $33.04 per hour. Nationally the median is $32.74 per hour. BLS counts about 3,950 healthcare social workers employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area, 0.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.73).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$23.60$49,09028% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$29.20$60,74011% below U.S. median
Median$35.91$74,70010% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$38.77$80,64018% above U.S. median
Top 10%$45.73$95,12040% above U.S. median

How Elgin ranks

  • 68th of 370 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 115th of 333 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st of 7 Illinois metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Healthcare Social Workers (SOC 21-1022), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Elgin

  • Overall prices in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin run 4% above the U.S. average (index 103.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 12% above the U.S. average (index 112.0).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $35.91 median hour buys what $34.66 buys at the national price level, 6% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Elgin paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,293
  • Per year: $64,638
  • Per month: $5,386

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Elgin

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$195
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,009
13-week assignment$26,117

Travel clinical social worker assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Elgin

CMS lists 3 hospitals in Elgin, 2 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of clinical social workers.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Advocate Sherman Hospital
Elgin, IL
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Saint Joseph Hospital-Elgin
Elgin, IL
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Elgin Mental Health Center
Elgin, IL
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedYes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Mental health shortage areas in Kane County

HRSA lists 2 active mental health shortage designations that include Kane County (1 population-group, 1 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 19 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.

Shortage areas are where demand for social workers and other mental health clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.

Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.

Clinical Social Worker pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Hoffman Estates, IL9 mi$35.91/hr50,920
Schaumburg, IL12 mi$35.91/hr77,099

Clinical Social Worker jobs in Illinois · Clinical Social Worker jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Illinois

MSW degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Illinois requires for your role with the Illinois licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Illinois taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Illinois state guide

Other healthcare roles in Elgin

Elgin city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do clinical social workers make in Elgin, IL?

Clinical Social Workers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area have a median pay of $35.91 per hour, about $74,700 a year. The middle half earn between $29.20 and $38.77 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Elgin a good place for clinical social workers once cost of living is counted?

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin ranks 115th of 333 metro areas for clinical social worker pay after adjusting for local prices, and 68th of 370 before adjusting. Overall prices run 4% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring clinical social workers in Elgin?

We list 5 open roles with published pay from 3 employers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Elgin.

Do I need a Illinois license to work in Elgin as a clinical social worker?

MSW degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Illinois requires for your role with the Illinois licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Elgin in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 2 active mental health shortage designations that include Kane County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Elgin?

The federal per diem benchmark in Elgin is $195 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,009 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place clinical social workers in Elgin?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Elgin and across Illinois. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Elgin.

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What do employers near Elgin pay clinical social workers? Get the report.

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  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · Social Worker near Elgin, IL
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Social Worker pay reportElgin, IL · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Silver Cross HospitalNew Lenox, IL · 2 postings$36.73/ hr$33–$41
  • Central Maine Healthcare CorporationDes Plaines, IL · 2 postings$32.69/ hr$25–$41
  • OSF Healthcare SystemPeoria, IL · 2 postings$31.88/ hr$29–$34

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$26Median$34.58High$42

10 Social Worker postings with published pay in Illinois, 10 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 10 Social Worker roles

  1. Social WorkerPermanent
    $24.60–$43.81/ hour
    Mercy · Illinois · posted today
  2. Social WorkerPermanent
    $29.30–$34.47/ hour
    OSF Healthcare System · Peoria, IL · posted today

+ 8 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay