Jobs Similar to Healthcare Social Workers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to healthcare social workers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers, Child, Family, and School Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists.
Healthcare Social Workers: $67,880 median pay · usual preparation: Graduate degree.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Healthcare Social Workers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersSame group | 87% | $60,280−11% | Graduate degree |
| 2 | Child, Family, and School Social WorkersSame group | 85% | $59,550−12% | Bachelor's degree |
| 3 | Marriage and Family TherapistsSame group | 85% | $66,940−1% | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Rehabilitation CounselorsSame group | 85% | $46,850−31% | Graduate degree |
| 5 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 85% | $100,580+48% | Graduate degree |
| 6 | School Psychologists | 83% | $95,990+41% | Graduate degree |
| 7 | Recreational Therapists | 83% | $61,960−9% | Bachelor's degree |
| 8 | Patient Representatives | 83% | $50,290Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 9 | Social and Human Service AssistantsSame group | 83% | $45,930−32% | Bachelor's degree |
| 10 | Community Health WorkersSame group | 82% | $51,850−24% | Bachelor's degree |
| 11 | Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | 81% | $77,570+14% | Graduate degree |
| 12 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsSame group | 81% | $64,330−5% | Graduate degree |
| 13 | Nurse Midwives | 81% | $134,040+97% | Graduate degree |
| 14 | Psychiatric Technicians | 81% | $45,130−34% | Training or associate |
| 15 | Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 80% | $74,260+9% | Bachelor's degree |
| 16 | Health Education SpecialistsSame group | 80% | $64,070−6% | Bachelor's degree |
| 17 | Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 80% | $97,550Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
| 18 | Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | 80% | $80,340+18% | Graduate degree |
| 19 | Occupational Therapists | 80% | $100,330+48% | Graduate degree |
| 20 | Clinical Nurse Specialists | 79% | $97,550Broader BLS group · not compared | Graduate degree |
- 1Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
87% similar · $60,280 (−11%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 2Child, Family, and School Social Workers
85% similar · $59,550 (−12%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 3Marriage and Family Therapists
85% similar · $66,940 (−1%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 4Rehabilitation Counselors
85% similar · $46,850 (−31%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 5Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
85% similar · $100,580 (+48%) · Graduate degree
- 6School Psychologists
83% similar · $95,990 (+41%) · Graduate degree
- 7Recreational Therapists
83% similar · $61,960 (−9%) · Bachelor's degree
- 8Patient Representatives
83% similar · $50,290 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 9Social and Human Service Assistants
83% similar · $45,930 (−32%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 10Community Health Workers
82% similar · $51,850 (−24%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 11Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
81% similar · $77,570 (+14%) · Graduate degree
- 12Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
81% similar · $64,330 (−5%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 13Nurse Midwives
81% similar · $134,040 (+97%) · Graduate degree
- 14Psychiatric Technicians
81% similar · $45,130 (−34%) · Training or associate
- 15Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
80% similar · $74,260 (+9%) · Bachelor's degree
- 16Health Education Specialists
80% similar · $64,070 (−6%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 17Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
80% similar · $97,550 (broader group) · Graduate degree
- 18Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary
80% similar · $80,340 (+18%) · Graduate degree
- 19Occupational Therapists
80% similar · $100,330 (+48%) · Graduate degree
- 20Clinical Nurse Specialists
79% similar · $97,550 (broader group) · Graduate degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than healthcare social workers.
- Nurse Midwives81% similar · $134,040 (+97%)
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists85% similar · $100,580 (+48%)
- Occupational Therapists80% similar · $100,330 (+48%)
- School Psychologists83% similar · $95,990 (+41%)
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary80% similar · $80,340 (+18%)
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary81% similar · $77,570 (+14%)
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers85% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Recreational Therapists83% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Patient Representatives83% similar · Training or associate
- Social and Human Service Assistants83% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Community Health Workers82% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Psychiatric Technicians81% similar · Training or associate
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for healthcare social workers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where healthcare social workers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Clergy (81)
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (81)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (80)
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary (80)
- Art Therapists (79)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (79)
- Clinical Neuropsychologists (78)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (78)
- Hospitalists (78)
- Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (78)
Questions about jobs like healthcare social workers
What jobs are most similar to healthcare social workers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (87% similar), Child, Family, and School Social Workers (85% similar), Marriage and Family Therapists (85% similar), Rehabilitation Counselors (85% similar) and Clinical and Counseling Psychologists (85% similar).
Which jobs like healthcare social workers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Nurse Midwives ($134,040, +97%; usually a graduate degree), Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($100,580, +48%; usually a graduate degree) and Occupational Therapists ($100,330, +48%; usually a graduate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with healthcare social workers ($67,880). Without more preparation than healthcare social workers usually need: Nurse Midwives, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists and Occupational Therapists.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.