Healthcare Social Workers pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,140 a year or less, while the top 10% make $153,420 or more. The middle half of healthcare social workers in San Francisco earn between $78,370 and $128,230.
- $61K10th
- $78K25th
- $100KMedian
- $128K75th
- $153K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $104,710 | $8,726 | $50.34 |
| Median | $99,640 | $8,303 | $47.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $78,370 | $6,531 | $37.68 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $128,230 | $10,686 | $61.65 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Healthcare Social Workers pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Healthcare social workers in San Francisco earn 12% more than the California average ($93,840) and 46% more than the U.S. average ($71,790). At the median the gap is +47% against the U.S. median of $67,880.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $104,710 | $99,640 | $61,140 | $153,420 | 2,740 |
| California | $93,840 | $89,660 | $54,220 | $134,880 | 17,690 |
| United States | $71,790 | $67,880 | $46,220 | $100,360 | 187,630 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Healthcare Social Workers salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $104,710, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $76,847 a year, or $6,404 a month and $2,956 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for healthcare social workers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $104,710 buys what about $90,569 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 11.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Healthcare Social Workers salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 6th of 25 California metro areas for this job; Napa pays the most ($129,130).
- Napa$129,130
- San Luis Obispo$112,750
- Vallejo$112,700
- San Jose$108,280
- Santa Rosa$106,760
- San Francisco$104,710
- Sacramento$100,600
- Visalia$95,810
- Modesto$93,250
- Salinas$92,170
Highest-paying cities for healthcare social workers
Napa, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($129,130).
- Napa, CA$129,130
- San Luis Obispo, CA$112,750
- Vallejo, CA$112,700
- San Jose, CA$108,280
- Santa Rosa, CA$106,760
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Healthcare Social Workers salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do healthcare social workers make an hour in San Francisco?
$50.34 an hour on average, and $47.91 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level healthcare social workers salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,140 a year and the 25th percentile is $78,370, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the healthcare social workers take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $76,847 a year ($6,404 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $104,710. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do healthcare social workers earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 46% more than the U.S. average for this job ($71,790).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 21-1022; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.96, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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