Per diemPosted yesterday
Medical Social Worker
CommonSpirit Health · Elizabethtown, KY
$26.70–$39.71/ hour
New this week
Clinical Social Worker jobs in Louisville, KY
The median clinical social worker pay in the Louisville area is $35.28 per hour ($73,380 a year), with the typical range running from $29.11 to $38.63. That ranks 78th of 370 U.S. metro areas for clinical social worker pay, and 41st of 333 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 8 hospitals in Louisville. The free report below lists employers near Louisville and what they pay.
- $35.28median pay per hour, Louisville/Jefferson County
- $29–$39typical range per hour
- 680clinical social workers employed in the metro area
- 93cost of living index (U.S. = 100)
Clinical Social Worker pay in Louisville, KY
The metro median is 13% above the Kentucky statewide median of $31.18 per hour. Nationally the median is $32.74 per hour. BLS counts about 680 healthcare social workers employed in the Louisville/Jefferson County metro area, 1.0 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.83).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $22.69 | $47,200 | 31% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $29.11 | $60,550 | 11% below U.S. median |
| Median | $35.28 | $73,380 | 8% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $38.63 | $80,350 | 18% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $43.84 | $91,190 | 34% above U.S. median |
How Louisville ranks
- 78th of 370 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 41st of 333 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st of 6 Kentucky 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 Louisville
- Overall prices in Louisville/Jefferson County run 7% below the U.S. average (index 93.1, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 21% below the U.S. average (index 78.6).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $35.28 median hour buys what $37.91 buys at the national price level, 16% 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.
Get the Louisville Clinical Social Worker pay report
Named employers near Louisville, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportEstimate your Louisville paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,270
- Per year: $63,504
- Per month: $5,292
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Louisville/Jefferson County metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Louisville
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $142 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $80 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,554 |
| 13-week assignment | $20,202 |
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).
Open Clinical Social Worker roles in Kentucky
Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Louisville as they open.
PermanentPosted 17 days ago
Medical Social Worker - Hospice
CommonSpirit Health · Bardstown, KY
$26.70–$39.71/ hour
For youUpdated weekly
55+ more Clinical Social Worker roles for you in Kentucky
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Per diemPosted 30+ days ago
Medical Social Worker
CommonSpirit Health · Florence, KY
$28.10–$41.80/ hour
Hospitals in Louisville
CMS lists 8 hospitals in Louisville, 2 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of clinical social workers.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville Va Medical Center Louisville, KY | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Baptist Health Louisville Louisville, KY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Norton Hospitals, Inc Louisville, KY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Uofl Health - Jewish Hospital And Mary & Elizabeth Hospital Louisville, KY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| University Of Louisville Hospital Louisville, KY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 1 of 5 | Yes |
| Central State Hospital Louisville, KY | Psychiatric | Government and federal | Not rated | No |
| The Brook Hospital - Dupont Louisville, KY | Psychiatric | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
| The Brook Hospital - Kmi Louisville, KY | Psychiatric | Government and federal | Not rated | Yes |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Mental health shortage areas in Jefferson County
HRSA lists 4 active mental health shortage designations that include Jefferson County (1 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 22 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
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffersonville, IN | 12 mi | $35.28/hr | 52,912 |
| Lexington, KY | 65 mi | $33.96/hr | 329,437 |
| Columbus, IN | 74 mi | $29.17/hr | 51,970 |
| Bloomington, IN | 84 mi | $30.98/hr | 79,986 |
| Owensboro, KY | 85 mi | $29.14/hr | 60,675 |
| Cincinnati, OH | 91 mi | $32.05/hr | 314,915 |
Clinical Social Worker jobs in Kentucky · Clinical Social Worker jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in Kentucky
MSW degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Kentucky requires for your role with the Kentucky licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
Kentucky taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Louisville
Louisville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do clinical social workers make in Louisville, KY?
Clinical Social Workers in the Louisville/Jefferson County metro area have a median pay of $35.28 per hour, about $73,380 a year. The middle half earn between $29.11 and $38.63 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Louisville a good place for clinical social workers once cost of living is counted?
Louisville/Jefferson County ranks 41st of 333 metro areas for clinical social worker pay after adjusting for local prices, and 78th of 370 before adjusting. Overall prices run 7% below the U.S. average.
Where do clinical social workers work in Louisville?
CMS lists 8 hospitals in Louisville, led by Louisville Va Medical Center. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.
Do I need a Kentucky license to work in Louisville as a clinical social worker?
MSW degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Kentucky requires for your role with the Kentucky licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is Louisville in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 4 active mental health shortage designations that include Jefferson 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 Louisville?
The federal per diem benchmark in Louisville is $142 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,554 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 Louisville?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Louisville and across Kentucky. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Louisville.
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What do employers near Louisville pay clinical social workers? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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55+ Clinical Social Worker roles in Kentucky, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Social Worker pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Kentucky list by name comes with the full report
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- CommonSpirit HealthElizabethtown, KY · 3 postings$33.20/ hr$27–$42
- El Camino HealthMountain View, CA · 4 postings$66.11/ hr$57–$75
- Veterans Health AdministrationLos Angeles, CA · 13 postings$63.41/ hr$32–$77
- Stanford Children's HealthPALO ALTO, CA · 4 postings$63.02/ hr$59–$68
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Kentucky list
2What they are offering now
Low$27Median$33.20High$42
3 Social Worker postings with published pay in Kentucky, 2 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 3 Social Worker roles
- Medical Social WorkerPer diem$26.70–$39.71/ hour
- Medical Social Worker - HospicePermanent$26.70–$39.71/ hour
+ 1 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.