National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Social Workers earn a national median of $54,150/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Registered Nurses earn 73% more nationally. The gap is $39,450 per year — or $3,288 per month.
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Social Worker
$54,150
national median/year
$4,513/mo • $26/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$39,450
Registered Nurses earn 73% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $447,177.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Social Workers
California+$64,980
Hawaii+$54,480
Oregon+$54,080
Washington+$52,080
Nevada+$48,080
Best states for Social Workers
vs Registered Nurses
West Virginia+$-25,680
Mississippi+$-26,880
North Dakota+$-26,880
Arkansas+$-27,680
Kentucky+$-28,080
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Social Workers is $54,150 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $39,450 per year or $3,288 per month.
The national median salary gap between Social Workers and Registered Nurses is $39,450 per year. Registered Nurses earn 73% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $447,177.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Social Workers the highest median salary at $68,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 per year.
Salary is one factor — Registered Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Child, Family, and School Social Workers and Registered Nurses both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Social Workers earn approximately $26 per hour nationally and Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
