Travel Social Worker Jobs

A social worker's salary can vary significantly depending on their experience as well as the location, facility, and assignment. The median salary for a social worker was $57,630 in 2020 with most earning between $45,280 and $72,120 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Entry-level social workers or those with the lowest 10% salary earned around $36,110, while the highest 10% earned more than $87,150. Typically, social work travel opportunities will provide higher hourly and weekly pay than permanent positions in the same location, though this varies widely by travel social work jobs.

California pays the highest average salary to Healthcare Social Workers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics with an average annual wage of $83,000 and an hourly wage of $39.91 California is followed by the District of Columbia ($76,100 per year, $36.59 per hour), Oregon ($75,730 per year, $36.41 per hour), Hawaii ($73,410 per year, $35.29 per hour), and Connecticut ($71,850 per year, $34.54 per hour).

Seeking the highest-paying contract doesn't always mean that you should take assignments with the highest weekly pay. Factoring in the cost of living of each state can often give a better indication of what a travel social worker can expect to earn from an assignment. When comparing adjusted social worker salaries, Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas make up the top five highest paying states.

There are many different ways to become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in the healthcare field. One way is to earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited school. Once you have earned your MSW, you will need to pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Clinical exam.

To work in a healthcare setting as an LCSW, you will also need to have a license from the state in which you will be working. To get a license from a state, you will need to complete an application, pay a fee, and provide proof of your education and clinical experience.

Some states also require you to complete a background check and/or drug test. Once you have met all the requirements, your state will issue you a license to practice as an LCSW in the healthcare field

The exact responsibilities of a traveling social worker depend on the terms of your contract, but typically involve working with multiple families at once. Depending on their circumstances, you may help people address challenges like addiction or substance abuse, find housing, apply for social services, and provide feedback to courts, attorneys, and other interested parties. You may also be required to have knowledge of the local laws and regulations in the areas where you are assigned so that you can better serve your clients’ needs.

In addition to being able to handle challenging situations with grace and compassion, it is important for traveling social workers to be knowledgeable about relevant laws and regulations in order to best serve their clients’ needs. You will need to have an understanding of state-specific laws pertaining to child welfare as well as any special provisions related specifically to your client's case or situation. Understanding local regulations is especially important when working with vulnerable populations like foster children who may not have access to traditional resources such as financial assistance or medical care.

While compensation offers can vary greatly depending on the contract or agency offering, pay packages for travel social worker jobs typically have four major components: hourly taxable wages, meals and incidentals, housing, and travel.

Hourly Pay

Full-time social workers working at healthcare facilities receive a salary, but most traveling social worker jobs offer hourly wages. Every pay package must include a taxable hourly wage, and the amount can vary depending on the shift, location, and specialty required of the assignment.

Housing

Housing payments can be included in a payment from a staffing agency. This is typically offered in two ways. Either the company is providing housing, or the traveler is taking the housing stipend. It is more beneficial for the traveler to take the housing stipend for two primary reasons. First, they will have a choice in where they stay. Everyone’s definitions of comfortable and acceptable are different. The second reason the housing stipend is more beneficial for them is that it can be given as a nontaxable amount.

Meals and Incidentals

Also known as per diems, meal and incidental stipends provide a daily budget for daily living expenses. These standards vary depending on the cost of living in cities and states across the country.

Travel Expenses

Travel is the last portion of the pay package. While a travel stipend can be used to cover the cost of a flight for the traveler, it is more often than not used to subsidize the traveler’s expenses to and from an assignment. Travel expenses can be offered as a reimbursement rate per mile, though many agencies will opt to offer a flat rate to and from an assignment.