Social Worker, Cancer Center - Full Time

Social WorkerNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

PAY RANGE: $25.60–$83K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 57m ago · Verified live

Job Description

The Social Worker provides counseling, information, and direction to obtain community resources when needed for patients of the medical oncology and their families, while collaborating with physicians, nurses and the allied health team.

Schedule: 32 hours/week - full time

Shift: Days

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Assess patients for continuing care needs, creates plan for providing continuing care, and confers with physician and team members as needed.

Refers patient or patient's family to other community resources as is indicated; assists patients and families to complete advance directives.

Educates patients about resources, options and documents all activities in a timely manner.

The BSW provides emotional support, helps patients and families understand and accept their condition as well as accepting medical recommendations; utilizes community resources to assist patients to live in the community; responsible for travel arrangements for patients; responsible for arranging changes in levels of care and settings

May be required to work flexible hours.

Education and Experience

  • Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) from an approved graduate school of social work
  • One year social work experience in a healthcare setting preferred
  • Experience and ability to facilitate groups

Certification and Licensure

  • Licensed to practice in the State of Illinois or registry eligible
  • Approved CPR or BLS certification required within 90 days

Special Physical Demands

The Special Physical Demands are considered Essential Job Functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk; use hands to handle, finger and feel; and reach. The employee must exert up to 25 pounds of force occasionally. Specific vision abilities required by this job include frequent close vision. Occasional distance vision and ability to adjust focus.

Level of Supervision

Independent judgement is required. General procedures and regulations are available to guide work

Supervises

No supervisory responsibilities.

Pay Range

$25.60 - $82,545.03

Mercyhealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

  • Mercyhealth offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package including:
  • Medical, Dental, Vision
  • Life & Disability Insurance
  • FSA/HSA Options
  • Generous, accruing paid time off
  • Paid Parental and caregiver leave
  • Career advancement and educational opportunities
  • Tuition and certification reimbursement
  • Certification Reimbursement
  • Well-being Programs
  • Employee Discounts
  • On-Demand Pay
  • Financial Education
  • Annual recognition/awards events
  • Partner appreciation days
  • Family entertainment/attractions discount

Community Service/improvement Opportunities

Click here for more details regarding Mercyhealth Careers Benefit Information.

At Mercyhealth, we don’t simply hire people, we empower employee-partners who are passionate about making lives better. As an integrated health system, we deliver exceptional, coordinated across seven hospitals, 85 primary and specialty clinics, and a team of over 7,500 professionals serving northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Mercyhealth has been nationally recognized for our commitment to our people and culture, including:

#1 in the nation on AARP's Best Employers for Workers Over 50

  • One of Working Mother magazine's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers
  • A Top 50 Company and Top 10 Nonprofit for Executive Women

Key Responsibilities

Assess oncology patients’ continuing care needs, develop care plans, and coordinate with physicians and the healthcare team. Provide counseling and emotional support, connect patients and families with community resources, assist with advance directives and travel arrangements, and coordinate changes in care settings.

Requirements

A Bachelor of Social Work from an approved school is required; one year of healthcare social work experience is preferred, along with the ability to facilitate groups. Applicants must be licensed to practice in Illinois or registry eligible and obtain approved CPR or BLS certification within 90 days.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient AssessmentContinuing Care PlanningCommunity Resource ReferralAdvance Directives AssistancePatient and Family EducationGroup FacilitationCare CoordinationLevel-of-Care TransitionsInterdisciplinary Collaboration

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 56% are remote, 28% have no call, 80% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Social Work by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedSocial Work median $70k (middle half $65k–$78k)25 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost of livingIllinois index 100.0US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Social Work listings in Illinois238 active6,586 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 56% remote · 28% no call · 80% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Social Worker Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

39 jobs · 18 employers
13
<$85k
8
$85k-100k
6
$100k-115k
10
$115k-130k
2
$134k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

37 jobs · 18 employers
401k / retirement match
89%
Sign-on bonus
54%
CME allowance
32%
Loan repayment
14%
PSLF eligible
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · San Diego, California

$117k-$134k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Ventura, California

$117k-$134k
#3

LICSW - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

$73k-$126k
#4

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

$74k-$126k
+ 37 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 5.1
Better work-life than 40% of Social Work listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,515 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
Mercyhealth Wisconsin and Illinois logo

About Mercyhealth Wisconsin and Illinois

Hospitals and Health Care
Rockford, Illinois
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, Vision
Life & Disability Insurance
FSA/HSA Options
Generous, accruing paid time off
Paid Parental and caregiver leave
Career advancement and educational opportunities
Tuition and certification reimbursement
Certification Reimbursement

Living in Freeport

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$168k≈ 2.0× annual pay
Typical market rent
$926/mo≈ 13% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
16 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.