Top Social Work Careers
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- Social work is a career that focuses on helping underresourced and marginalized communities.
- The U.S., however, is facing a social worker shortage.
- There are many different career paths for an aspiring social worker.
- Top skills for a successful social work career include communication and emotional intelligence.
The U.S. is in the midst of a social worker shortage, leaving many career options for aspiring social workers.
Just how dire is this shortage? The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) cited research that predicts a shortage of more than 195,000 social workers by 2030 in the U.S. This comes as the nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, grapple with rising homelessness, and manage the constant threat of gun violence at K-12 schools and universities.
Social workers are on the frontlines in many of these struggles.
As a social worker, you may work with the country's most neglected communities. Social workers don’t just uplift these communities but also give individuals the tools they need to succeed.
Why Pursue a Career in Social Work?
A core tenet of social work is relieving people’s suffering.
That means interactions with people who are often at their lowest points in life. However, many social workers find fulfillment in helping their clients out of bad situations and providing them with the tools they need to better their lives.
Social work is also a few career track that centers social justice in its philosophy, which is appealing to social workers who want to better the world.
Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people,
reads the NASW code of ethics. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity.
Featured Online Bachelor's in Social Work Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Career Outlook for Social Work Majors
Social workers are in high demand.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 7% job growth for the profession over the next decade, which is higher than the national average. Approximately 63,800 openings are projected each year over that period.
Social workers earned a median annual salary of $55,350 as of 2022, and a BestCollege analysis of income data found that it may be difficult to sustain a “comfortable living” for a large family on just a social worker’s income.
Healthcare social workers make slightly more ($62,940) than general social workers, according to the BLS.
Social Work Career Paths
Social work is often used as a catch-all term, but in practice, there are many different kinds of social workers. These sub-specialties often have different career requirements. Below are a few examples:
Case Manager
Think of case managers as shepherds of our social service systems.
As a case manager, you may work with various other types of social workers. It would be your job to review and evaluate a client's needs to match them with other social service agencies or social workers that can meet their needs. Case managers may continue to serve as a touchpoints for these clients as their situations change.
Case managers tend to have a bachelor’s of social work (BSW) degree.
Average Salary
$47,020 (Payscale)
Marriage and Family Counselor
No family or couple is without issues, and marriage and family counselors can help loved ones work through hard situations. As a counselor, you may also work with children, potentially individually or within a group setting.
You will need a master’s in social work (MSW) for this job.
Median Salary
$56,570 (BLS)
School Counselor
If you envision yourself working with children, a career as a school social worker may be for you. These social workers identify students whose home lives impact their academics and help them — and their families — overcome these obstacles. They may work for an individual school or a wider system.
The NASW recommends that school social workers earn an MSW, even for entry-level positions.
Average Salary
$53,110 (Payscale)
Probation Officer
While you don’t need a social work degree to become a probation officer, having a social work background can help you excel in this role. Probation officers work with people who have recently been incarcerated to help them meet court mandates, rehabilitate, and reintegrate into society.
You will need a bachelor’s degree in a field related to social services or criminal justice to become a probation officer.
Median Salary
$59,860 (BLS)
What Are the Top Skills for a Social Work Career?
Social workers help a wide range of clients and aim to address a virtually unlimited number of problems in their lives. So, it should come as no surprise that you’ll need a litany of skills to succeed in the profession.
The skills of validation; active listening; affirmation; normalizing thoughts, feelings, and experiences; and asking open-ended... questions were all gained from my time in my MSW program and the internship experiences,
Susan Youngsteadt, a licensed clinical social worker, told BestColleges.
Communication Skills
As noted above, communication skills are key in social work. Not only does the job require constant connection with clients, but those clients will come from various cultures and backgrounds. The most skilled social workers can navigate interpersonal communication differently, depending on the situation.
Organization and Time Management
The social worker shortage means those working in the industry may be spread thin.
This means organization and time management skills are paramount. As a social worker, you may be tasked with working with different kinds of clients with all types of obstacles in their lives. To be successful, you must prioritize your time and responsibilities.
Emotional Intelligence
People who work with social workers may be in some sort of distress, which means a good social worker will employ empathy when working with their clients. Many clients also manage trauma, so it’s vital for social workers to employ trauma-informed care techniques when applicable.
Problem-Solving
At its core, social work is about working with clients in need to overcome problems in their lives. The situations may vary, but the best social workers are not only great problem solvers but can teach clients to overcome future obstacles, too.
7 Resources for Social Work Majors
Professional organizations exist to help new professionals in many industries, including social work. These organizations can be especially helpful when you're searching for an entry-level job.
We were encouraged to reach out to the NASW staff, specifically the individual who provided resume assistance,
Youngsteadt said. She was a huge help in feeling prepared for the job search.
Professional organizations can also offer you the chance to network with like-minded social workers.
- National Association of Social Workers: NASW is the largest membership organization for social workers in the world. It keeps social workers updated on new research, trends, and policy issues that impact the profession.
- Society for Social Work and Research: Research is integral to the social work field, and SSWR helps highlight important research being done. It also provides resources for social work doctoral students.
- Clinical Social Work Association: CSWA advocates for clinical social workers and includes helpful resources to help you research the licensing requirements by state.
- Council on Social Work Education: CSWE sets accreditation standards for all U.S. social work college programs.
- School Social Work Association of America: SSWAA provides training for prospective school social workers and continuing education classes for those in the field who need to re-up their license.
- National Association of Black Social Workers: NABSW promotes anti-racist social work through advocacy, research, and other services. It is an international organization.
- Reddit - r/social work: While not a professional organization, Reddit offers you the chance to hear from and connect with current social workers for an unfiltered look into the profession.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an MSW for a career in social work?
You do not need an MSW for some entry-level social work positions. However, you may find that your career prospects top out fairly quickly without a master’s degree in social work. One reason is that you need an MSW to become a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
How much do social workers make?
In 2022, social workers made a median of $55,350 per year, according to BLS. However, annual salaries can vary depending on your location, experience level, and specialty. Per BLS, here’s what the three primary categories of social workers made in 2022:
How do I switch my career to social work?
It’s quite common for people to switch careers to social work, especially if a social worker positively impacts your life at some point.
The best way to pivot to a social work career is by returning to school to earn an MSW degree. This will set you on the path to eventually earning your license.
With Contributions From
Susan Youngsteadt, MSW, LCSW
Susan Youngsteadt graduated from North Carolina State University with a master's in social work in 2016. She has more than six years of experience working with youth and adults in various agency settings.
Youngsteadt is a licensed clinical social worker associate and currently practices as a family centered treatment (FCT) therapist for a private community mental health agency in Raleigh, NC.
Note: The insights on this page — excluding school descriptions — were reviewed by an independent third party compensated for their time by BestColleges. Page last reviewed March 18, 2024.
