Healthcare Social Worker Salary in Baltimore, MD
Healthcare Social Workers in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $75,720 a year — 12% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $58,866 take-home, or $4,905 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median healthcare social worker salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,828
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,695
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,098
- Maryland income tax$3,233
- Take-home pay$58,866
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $2,213 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $56,653 ($4,721 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Healthcare Social Worker pay by experience in Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,560 | $17.10 | $29,427 | $2,452 |
| 25th percentile | $53,580 | $25.76 | $43,050 | $3,588 |
| Median (50th) | $75,720 | $36.40 | $58,866 | $4,905 |
| 75th percentile | $83,990 | $40.38 | $64,291 | $5,358 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $96,110 | $46.21 | $72,242 | $6,020 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $75,720 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median healthcare social worker's $58,866 take-home pay has the buying power of $56,338 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Baltimore, MD has 1.8× the national concentration of healthcare social worker jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for healthcare social workers, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #5 of 13 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $99,640 | $72,594 | $62,791 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $83,550 | $67,607 | $60,835 |
| 3 | Dallas, TX | $75,930 | $62,247 | $60,381 |
| 4 | Houston, TX | $71,900 | $59,412 | $60,238 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $75,720 | $58,866 | $56,338 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $78,410 | $60,291 | $55,688 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $71,430 | $55,690 | $53,757 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $78,610 | $60,484 | $53,734 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 13 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a healthcare social worker make in Baltimore, MD?
The median healthcare social worker salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $75,720 a year, or about $36.40 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $53,580 and $83,990.
What is a healthcare social worker’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $75,720 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $58,866 a year ($4,905 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,233 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a healthcare social worker?
Pay here is 12% above the national median of $67,880. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $56,338 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #5 of 13 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a healthcare social worker afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 31% of a median healthcare social worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.