NC · Charlotte · Updated October 15, 2026

Clinical Social Worker jobs in Charlotte, NC

The median clinical social worker pay in the Charlotte area is $32.14 per hour ($66,850 a year), with the typical range running from $27.64 to $37.65. 1 open role with published pay is listed for Charlotte. The CMS hospital directory lists 6 hospitals in Charlotte. The free report below lists employers near Charlotte and what they pay.

Open Clinical Social Worker roles in Charlotte

More open Clinical Social Worker roles in Charlotte

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

Get the Charlotte Clinical Social Worker pay report

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

Get my free pay report

Clinical Social Worker pay in Charlotte, NC

The metro median is 3% above the North Carolina statewide median of $31.32 per hour. Nationally the median is $32.74 per hour. BLS counts about 1,100 healthcare social workers employed in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area, 0.8 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.68).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$16.67$34,67049% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$27.64$57,49016% below U.S. median
Median$32.14$66,8502% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$37.65$78,31015% above U.S. median
Top 10%$40.18$83,57023% above U.S. median

How Charlotte ranks

  • 145th of 370 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 182nd of 333 after adjusting for local prices
  • 4th of 13 North Carolina 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 Charlotte

  • Overall prices in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia run 3% below the U.S. average (index 97.3, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $32.14 median hour buys what $33.02 buys at the national price level, 1% 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 Charlotte paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,157
  • Per year: $57,852
  • Per month: $4,821

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Charlotte

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$131
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,477
13-week assignment$19,201

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 Charlotte

CMS lists 6 hospitals in Charlotte, 3 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of clinical social workers.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center
Charlotte, NC
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
Charlotte, NC
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Carolinas Medical Center/Behav Health
Charlotte, NC
Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Atrium Health Pineville
Charlotte, NC
Acute careGovernment and federal3 of 5Yes
Atrium Health University City
Charlotte, NC
Acute careGovernment and federal3 of 5Yes
Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center
Charlotte, NC
Acute careNonprofitNot ratedYes

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

Mental health shortage areas in Mecklenburg County

HRSA lists 7 active mental health shortage designations that include Mecklenburg County (4 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

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Huntersville, NC14 mi$32.14/hr67,087
Concord, NC17 mi$32.14/hr112,395
Winston-Salem, NC70 mi$32.28/hr255,769
High Point, NC72 mi$29.93/hr118,601
Columbia, SC81 mi$31.05/hr144,788
Greensboro, NC83 mi$29.93/hr307,381

Clinical Social Worker jobs in North Carolina · Clinical Social Worker jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in North Carolina

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

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

North Carolina state guide

Other healthcare roles in Charlotte

Charlotte city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do clinical social workers make in Charlotte, NC?

Clinical Social Workers in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area have a median pay of $32.14 per hour, about $66,850 a year. The middle half earn between $27.64 and $37.65 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia ranks 182nd of 333 metro areas for clinical social worker pay after adjusting for local prices, and 145th of 370 before adjusting. Overall prices run 3% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring clinical social workers in Charlotte?

We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in Charlotte. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Charlotte.

Do I need a North Carolina license to work in Charlotte as a clinical social worker?

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

Is Charlotte in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 7 active mental health shortage designations that include Mecklenburg 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 Charlotte?

The federal per diem benchmark in Charlotte is $131 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,477 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 Charlotte?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Charlotte and across North Carolina. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Charlotte.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Charlotte 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

110+ Clinical Social Worker roles in North Carolina, 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 Charlotte, NC
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Social Worker pay reportCharlotte, NC · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Advocate HealthCharlotte, NC · 6 postings$38.38/ hr$29–$46
  • Military Treatment Facilities under DHAFort Bragg, NC · 2 postings$50.59/ hr$43–$58
  • AmedisysLeland, NC · 3 postings$29.25/ hr$25–$34

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

2What they are offering now

Low$27Median$38.38High$46

11 Social Worker postings with published pay in North Carolina, 11 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 11 Social Worker roles

  1. Social Worker (Clinical)Permanent
    $93k–$122k/ year
    Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · Fort Bragg, NC · posted today
  2. Social Worker LCSW Ambulatory - NorthPark - PTPermanent
    $28.55–$42.85/ hour
    Advocate Health · Charlotte, NC · posted today

+ 9 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