MI · Detroit · Updated October 15, 2026

Clinical Social Worker jobs in Detroit, MI

Clinical Social Workers in the Detroit area earn a median of $32.66 per hour, about $67,930 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $27.71 and $37.47. That ranks 123rd of 370 U.S. metro areas for clinical social worker pay, and 207th of 333 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 10 hospitals in Detroit. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Detroit.

More open Clinical Social Worker roles in Detroit

1 more open role from employers in Detroit. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted today

Social Worker

Acadia Healthcare · Detroit, MI

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 112262
New this week
View role

Clinical Social Worker pay in Detroit, MI

The metro median is 2% above the Michigan statewide median of $31.94 per hour. Nationally the median is $32.74 per hour. BLS counts about 2,170 healthcare social workers employed in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area, 1.1 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.94).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$22.82$47,47030% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$27.71$57,64015% below U.S. median
Median$32.66$67,930in line with U.S. median
Upper quartile$37.47$77,94014% above U.S. median
Top 10%$43.46$90,40033% above U.S. median

How Detroit ranks

  • 123rd of 370 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 207th of 333 after adjusting for local prices
  • 6th of 13 Michigan 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.

Get the Detroit Clinical Social Worker pay report

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

Get my free pay report

What your pay buys in Detroit

  • Overall prices in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn run in line with the U.S. average (index 100.3, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 5% below the U.S. average (index 94.7).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $32.66 median hour buys what $32.56 buys at the national price level, 1% below 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 Detroit paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,176
  • Per year: $58,788
  • Per month: $4,899

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Detroit

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$152
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,582
13-week assignment$20,566

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 Michigan

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Detroit as they open.

PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Clinical Social Worker

Acadia Healthcare · New Baltimore, MI

$30.00–$35.00/ hour
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 112002
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 16 days ago

Social Worker - PCMHI

Veterans Health Administration · Clare, MI

$87k–$113k/ year
  • Full-time
  • Req 886705000
View role

All Clinical Social Worker jobs in Michigan

Hospitals in Detroit

CMS lists 10 hospitals in Detroit, 1 of the 7 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of clinical social workers.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Detroit (John D. Dingell) Va Medical Center
Detroit, MI
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Henry Ford Health Hospital
Detroit, MI
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Karmanos Cancer Center
Detroit, MI
Acute careFor-profit3 of 5No
Detroit Receiving Hospital
Detroit, MI
Acute careFor-profit1 of 5Yes
Harper University Hospital
Detroit, MI
Acute careFor-profit1 of 5Yes
Henry Ford Health St John Hospital
Detroit, MI
Acute careNonprofit1 of 5Yes
Sinai-Grace Hospital
Detroit, MI
Acute careFor-profit1 of 5Yes
Children's Hospital Of Michigan
Detroit, MI
Children'sFor-profitNot ratedYes
Bca Stonecrest Center
Detroit, MI
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Samaritan Behavioral Center
Detroit, MI
PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

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

Mental health shortage areas in Wayne County

HRSA lists 19 active mental health shortage designations that include Wayne County (7 population-group, 12 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

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Dearborn, MI7 mi$32.66/hr106,377
Warren, MI9 mi$32.66/hr137,686

Clinical Social Worker jobs in Michigan · Clinical Social Worker jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Michigan

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

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

Michigan state guide

Other healthcare roles in Detroit

Detroit city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do clinical social workers make in Detroit, MI?

Clinical Social Workers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area have a median pay of $32.66 per hour, about $67,930 a year. The middle half earn between $27.71 and $37.47 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn ranks 207th of 333 metro areas for clinical social worker pay after adjusting for local prices, and 123rd of 370 before adjusting. Overall prices run in line with the U.S. average.

Where do clinical social workers work in Detroit?

CMS lists 10 hospitals in Detroit, led by Detroit (John D. Dingell) Va Medical Center. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Michigan license to work in Detroit as a clinical social worker?

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

Is Detroit in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 19 active mental health shortage designations that include Wayne 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 Detroit?

The federal per diem benchmark in Detroit is $152 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,582 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 Detroit?

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

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Detroit 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.

  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

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

70+ Clinical Social Worker roles in Michigan, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

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 Detroit, MI
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Social Worker pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Michigan list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Veterans Health AdministrationClare, MI · 2 postings$45.77/ hr$34–$54
  • 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 Michigan list

2What they are offering now

Low$30Median$41.22High$54

4 Social Worker postings with published pay in Michigan, 4 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 4 Social Worker roles

  1. Clinical Social WorkerPermanent
    $30.00–$35.00/ hour
    Acadia Healthcare · New Baltimore, MI · posted 2 days ago
  2. Social Worker - PCMHIPermanent
    $87k–$113k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Clare, MI · posted 16 days ago

+ 2 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