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Renal social workers play an extremely important role in the lives of patients who have kidney disease and kidney conditions. These patients often have to undergo a variety of procedures, and renal social workers help them obtain education and treatment, often serving as a support for both the patient and the family. According to the American Association of Kidney Patients, a renal social worker may offer assistance with insurance coverage, providing referrals, offering counseling, evaluating patients regarding their ability to participate in work, school, or other activities, and educating patients about rights and responsibilities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that renal social workers may work for hospitals, government agencies, nursing care facilities or family services agencies.

Renal social worker salary: 2009 information

While the BLS does not provide information about the average renal social worker salary in 2009, it does offer statistics about wages for medical and public health social workers. The mean annual wage for medical and public health social workers as of May 2009 was $48,340. Wages can vary widely, however, since the 10th percentile earned a mean wage of $28,600, and the 90th percentile earned an mean wage of $71,190. The Journal of Nephrology Social Work reports that in 2010, dialysis social workers who worked 40 hours per week earned a mean hourly wage of $26.93, while transplant social workers who worked 40 hours per week earned $29.79.

If you're interested in working in one the top-paying states with the lowest relative costs of living, you could consider starting your career in Nevada (with a mean salary of $63,720), Connecticut ($61,290) or Maryland ($58,590). The highest-paying metropolitan areas relative to state cost of living, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, were:

1. Las Vegas-Paradise, Nevada: $66,550
2. New Bedford, Massachusetts: $68,160
3. New Haven, Connecticut: $66,700

The three top-paying industries for medical and public health social workers in 2009 were as follows:

• Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers: $61,650
• Elementary and secondary schools: $56,050
• Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals: $55,280

Renal social worker training and job outlook

Most entry-level jobs in social work require a bachelor's degree in social work (BSW), but some jobs and most supervisory positions require a master's degree in social work (MSW). Because most BSW programs require at least 400 hours of supervised field experience, it is not common to get renal social worker training online. There are few online BSW programs, and most online social worker programs are master's degree programs or continuing education units for those who already have a BSW. The good news is that an MSW can lead to more advancement opportunities, making it an excellent way to prepare oneself for career advancement. All states and the District of Columbia require registration, licensure or certification for social workers.

According to the BLS, the employment of medical and public health social workers is expected to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is much faster than the average, thanks in part to the increasing number of baby boomers reaching retirement age.

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