PA · Philadelphia · Updated October 15, 2026

Clinical Social Worker jobs in Philadelphia, PA

Clinical Social Workers in the Philadelphia area earn a median of $34.24 per hour, about $71,220 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $29.29 and $38.15. That ranks 95th of 370 U.S. metro areas for clinical social worker pay, and 175th of 333 once local prices are factored in. 1 open role with published pay is listed for Philadelphia and its metro area. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Philadelphia.

Open Clinical Social Worker roles near Philadelphia

Roles in other cities of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area.

More open Clinical Social Worker roles in Philadelphia

4 more open roles from employers in Philadelphia. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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

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Clinical Social Worker pay in Philadelphia, PA

The metro median is 13% above the Pennsylvania statewide median of $30.30 per hour. Nationally the median is $32.74 per hour. BLS counts about 3,270 healthcare social workers employed in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington 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%$23.35$48,57029% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$29.29$60,92011% below U.S. median
Median$34.24$71,2205% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$38.15$79,35017% above U.S. median
Top 10%$44.52$92,60036% above U.S. median

How Philadelphia ranks

  • 95th of 370 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 175th of 333 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st of 15 Pennsylvania 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 Philadelphia

  • Overall prices in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington run 3% above the U.S. average (index 102.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 13% above the U.S. average (index 113.1).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $34.24 median hour buys what $33.39 buys at the national price level, 2% 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 Philadelphia paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,233
  • Per year: $61,632
  • Per month: $5,136

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Philadelphia

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$184
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,932
13-week assignment$25,116

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 Philadelphia

CMS lists 21 hospitals in Philadelphia, 5 of the 11 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of clinical social workers.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Hospital Of Univ Of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Philadelphia Va Medical Center
Philadelphia, PA
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Pennsylvania Hospital
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Temple University Hospital
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Jefferson Health- Northeast
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Nazareth Hospital
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Roxborough Memorial Hospital
Philadelphia, PA
Acute careFor-profit2 of 5Yes

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

Mental health shortage areas in Philadelphia County

HRSA lists 14 active mental health shortage designations that include Philadelphia County (14 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 15 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
Camden, NJ5 mi$34.24/hr71,749
Trenton, NJ25 mi$37.98/hr91,193
Wilmington, DE28 mi$34.24/hr73,176
Vineland, NJ38 mi$39.29/hr62,070
Allentown, PA44 mi$30.29/hr127,138
Bethlehem, PA44 mi$30.29/hr79,453

Clinical Social Worker jobs in Pennsylvania · Clinical Social Worker jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Pennsylvania

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

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

Pennsylvania state guide

Other healthcare roles in Philadelphia

Philadelphia city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do clinical social workers make in Philadelphia, PA?

Clinical Social Workers in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area have a median pay of $34.24 per hour, about $71,220 a year. The middle half earn between $29.29 and $38.15 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington ranks 175th of 333 metro areas for clinical social worker pay after adjusting for local prices, and 95th of 370 before adjusting. Overall prices run 3% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring clinical social workers in Philadelphia?

We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Philadelphia.

Do I need a Pennsylvania license to work in Philadelphia as a clinical social worker?

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

Is Philadelphia in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 14 active mental health shortage designations that include Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia?

The federal per diem benchmark in Philadelphia is $184 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,932 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 Philadelphia?

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

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

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

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Geisinger Medical CenterDanville, PA · 1 wage offer$27.81/ hr$28–$28
  • Wellspan HealthMount Gretna, PA · 1 wage offer$26.77/ hr$27–$27
  • El Camino HealthMountain View, CA · 4 postings$66.11/ hr$57–$75
  • Veterans Health AdministrationLos Angeles, CA · 13 postings$63.41/ hr$32–$77

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings. Request your Pennsylvania list

2What they are offering now

Low$29Median$43.00High$61

368 Social Worker postings with published pay in the US, 303 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 2 Social Worker roles

  1. Licensed Social Worker / LSWPermanent
    $44.00–$48.00/ hour
    BrightSpring Health Services · King of Prussia, PA · posted 15 days ago
  2. Medical Social WorkerPermanent
    $28.00–$35.00/ hour
    Amedisys · Lancaster, PA · posted 30 days ago

Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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