The 10 Best Careers in Social Work
- Substance Use and Recovery Treatment Counselor. Median Salary: $42,170.
- Mental Health Counselor. Median Salary: $42,170.
- Marriage and Family Counselor.
- Medical Social Worker.
- School Social Worker.
- Foster Care Social Worker.
- Child and Family Therapist.
- Corporate Social Responsibility.
In this post
Highest Paid Social Workers
| Job Title | Median Salary | Career Outlook |
|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $48,430 | 14% |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $58,470 | 20% |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $49,630 | 19% |
| All Other Social Workers | $60,900 | 8% |
Top 5 Social Work Specializations
- Social Work Administration.
- Disaster, Crisis, and Intervention.
- Medical Social Work.
- Children, Families, and Couples.
- Forensic Populations and Settings.
5 Easy Entry-Level Social Work Jobs
- Group Home Workers.
- Substance Abuse Counselors.
- Community Social Workers.
- Healthcare Social Workers.
- Case Managers.
Alternative jobs for social workers
- Career counselor. National average salary: $32,980 per year.
- Paralegal. National average salary: $48,905 per year.
- High school teacher. National average salary: $49,419 per year.
- Outreach coordinator.
- Mediator.
- Human resources manager.
- Educational consultant.
- Real estate agent.
5 Specializations in Social Work Careers
- Community Social Work.
- Child, Family, and School Social Work.
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Work.
- Social Work with Military Members and Veterans.
- Social Work Administration.
- Complete Your Education to Pursue a Specialization.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that social work will grow by 12 percent between 2020 and 2030. That means an average of 78,300 job openings each year as workers retire or change careers. Not all social work jobs grow at the same rate; many are outpacing the industry.
And, it is one of the most flexible careers today. According to the Bureau of labor statistics, the job outlook for social workers is expected to increase by 12 percent from 2020 to 2030. This increase is faster than the average and is one of the top pros of being a social worker.
#1) Home Healthcare Social Worker
As the population ages, the number of individuals living with multiple chronic illness and functional disability will continue to grow.
Social work jobs without a degree
- Teacher’s aid.
- Childcare provider.
- Community health worker.
- Case manager.
- Substance abuse counselor.
- Social service assistant.
Yes, earning a master’s in social work is demanding. It’s also rewarding, not in spite of, but because of its level of difficulty. A social work master’s program will challenge you in ways that prepare you for the challenges of daily life as an effective, fulfilled professional social worker.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average weekly earnings for those with a master’s degree are $1,497, compared to $1,248 per week for those with a bachelor’s. That’s a potential difference of $12,948 a year or more than half a million dollars over a lifetime career.
As per the statistics to determine the most stressful professional, human health and social work activities rank higher than any other profession with a stress score of 83%. This alarmingly high-stress rate is due to many reasons.
8 years
In fact, social workers stay in the profession for an average of 8 years, a significantly lower number in comparison to doctors or nurses (Curtis et al., 2010) .
Social work has three main fields, each a bit different: with families, children and schools; in the medical and public health fields; or in the mental health and substance abuse areas.
- Child Welfare Social Workers. Child welfare social workers help resolve conflict in households with children.
- Clinical Social Workers.
- Forensic Social Workers (Criminal Justice)
- Gerontological Social Workers.
- Hospice and Palliative Social Workers.
- Medical Social Workers.
- Military Social Workers.
- Pediatric Social Workers.
10 Characteristics and Skills of Successful Social Workers
- Empathy. Empathy is the ability to identify with and understand another person’s experience and point of view.
- Communication.
- Organization.
- Critical thinking.
- Active listening.
- Self-care.
- Cultural competence.
- Patience.
The challenges social workers face are many, varied and serious. They range from the emotional impact of dealing with troubles like abuse, substance use, criminal activities and severe health issues to the challenges of working with marginalized client populations and the common experience of job burnout.
Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. About 78,300 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Social workers help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges: poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, physical illness, divorce, loss, unemployment, educational problems, disability, and mental illness.
You could be meant for a social work career if …
- You are eager to help when others are struggling.
- You thrive during one-on-one interactions.
- You have a creative side.
- You’re patient.
- You know how to set boundaries.
- You’re perceptive.
- You’re incredibly organized.
- You’re sensitive to cultural differences.