PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Social Worker
Veterans Health Administration · Buffalo, NY
$65k–$102k/ year
New this week
Clinical Social Worker jobs in Buffalo, NY
Clinical Social Workers in the Buffalo area earn a median of $29.04 per hour, about $60,410 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $24.14 and $34.80. That ranks 280th of 370 U.S. metro areas for clinical social worker pay, and 289th of 333 once local prices are factored in. 1 open role with published pay is listed for Buffalo. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Buffalo.
- $29.04median pay per hour, Buffalo
- $24–$35typical range per hour
- 1,110clinical social workers employed in the metro area
- 1open roles with published pay
Open Clinical Social Worker roles in Buffalo
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Get my free pay reportClinical Social Worker pay in Buffalo, NY
The metro median is 10% below the New York statewide median of $32.33 per hour. Nationally the median is $32.74 per hour. BLS counts about 1,110 healthcare social workers employed in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area, 2.1 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.73).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $20.96 | $43,600 | 36% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $24.14 | $50,210 | 26% below U.S. median |
| Median | $29.04 | $60,410 | 11% below U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $34.80 | $72,380 | 6% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $39.63 | $82,430 | 21% above U.S. median |
How Buffalo ranks
- 280th of 370 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 289th of 333 after adjusting for local prices
- 5th of 11 New York 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 Buffalo
- Overall prices in Buffalo-Cheektowaga run 4% below the U.S. average (index 95.8, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 19% below the U.S. average (index 81.0).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $29.04 median hour buys what $30.30 buys at the national price level, 7% 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 Buffalo paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,045
- Per year: $52,272
- Per month: $4,356
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Buffalo
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $128 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $80 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,456 |
| 13-week assignment | $18,928 |
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 Buffalo
CMS lists 7 hospitals in Buffalo, 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upstate New York Va Healthcare System (Western Ny Va Healthcare System) Buffalo, NY | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaleida Health Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Sisters Of Charity Hospital Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 3 of 5 | Yes |
| Erie County Medical Center Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Mercy Hospital Of Buffalo Buffalo, NY | Acute care | Nonprofit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
| Brylin Hosp Buffalo, NY | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
| Buffalo Psychiatric Center Buffalo, NY | Psychiatric | Government and federal | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Mental health shortage areas in Erie County
HRSA lists 6 active mental health shortage designations that include Erie County (1 population-group, 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester, NY | 66 mi | $24.97/hr | 207,282 |
| Erie, PA | 82 mi | $28.42/hr | 92,940 |
| Syracuse, NY | 138 mi | $30.35/hr | 146,097 |
| Youngstown, OH | 154 mi | $30.29/hr | 59,123 |
| Cleveland, OH | 174 mi | $33.08/hr | 365,379 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 179 mi | $29.38/hr | 307,668 |
Clinical Social Worker jobs in New York · Clinical Social Worker jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in New York
MSW degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what New York requires for your role with the New York licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
New York taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Buffalo
Buffalo city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do clinical social workers make in Buffalo, NY?
Clinical Social Workers in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area have a median pay of $29.04 per hour, about $60,410 a year. The middle half earn between $24.14 and $34.80 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Buffalo a good place for clinical social workers once cost of living is counted?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga ranks 289th of 333 metro areas for clinical social worker pay after adjusting for local prices, and 280th of 370 before adjusting. Overall prices run 4% below the U.S. average.
Who is hiring clinical social workers in Buffalo?
We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Buffalo. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Buffalo.
Do I need a New York license to work in Buffalo as a clinical social worker?
MSW degree. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what New York requires for your role with the New York licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is Buffalo in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 6 active mental health shortage designations that include Erie 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 Buffalo?
The federal per diem benchmark in Buffalo is $128 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,456 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 Buffalo?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Buffalo and across New York. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Buffalo.
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What do employers near Buffalo pay clinical social workers? Get the report.
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- 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
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Social Worker pay reportBuffalo, NY · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings
1Pay for your role at other employers
- NewYork-PresbyterianNew York · 5 postings$51.30/ hr$41–$65
- Garnet HealthMiddletown, NY · 2 postings$47.64/ hr$41–$54
- Maimonides Medical CenterBrooklyn, NY · 5 wage offers$47.03/ hr$38–$53
- Mount Sinai HospitalNew York, NY · 4 wage offers$43.00/ hr$40–$47
Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.
2What they are offering now
Low$31Median$39.95High$56
24 Social Worker postings with published pay in New York, 23 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 24 Social Worker roles
- Social Worker (Program Coordinator)Permanent$125k–$163k/ year
- Social Worker - Full Time- DaysPermanent$30.95–$49.03/ hour
+ 22 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.