Social Workers

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Summary

Social workers
Social workers help people in every stage of life cope with challenges, such as being diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Quick Facts: Social Workers
2010 Median Pay $42,480 per year
$20.42 per hour
Entry-Level Education See How to Become One
Work Experience in a Related Occupation None
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2010 650,500
Job Outlook, 2010-20 25% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20 161,200

What Social Workers Do

There are two main types of social workers: direct-service social workers, who help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives, and clinical social workers, who diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.

Work Environment

Social workers work in a variety of settings, including mental health clinics, schools, hospitals, and private practices. They generally work full time and may need to work evenings and weekends.

How to Become a Social Worker

A bachelor’s degree is required for most direct-service social work positions, but some positions and settings require a master’s degree. Clinical social workers must have a master’s degree. Licensure for social workers varies by state. Clinical social workers must be licensed.

Pay

The median annual wage of social workers was $42,480 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of social workers is expected to grow by 25 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will be due to an increase in demand for health care and social services but will vary by specialty.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of social workers with similar occupations.

O*NET

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about social workers by contacting these additional resources.

What Social Workers Do About this section

Social workers
Child and family social workers protect vulnerable children and support families in need of assistance.

There are two main types of social workers: direct-service social workers who help people solve and cope with problems in their everyday lives, and clinical social workers, who diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional issues.

Duties

Direct-service social workers typically do the following:

  • Identify people who need help
  • Assess clients’ needs, situations, strengths, and support networks to determine their goals
  • Develop plans to improve their clients’ well-being
  • Help clients adjust to changes and challenges in their lives, such as illness, divorce, or unemployment
  • Research and refer clients to community resources, such as food stamps, child care, and healthcare
  • Help clients work with government agencies to apply for and receive benefits such as Medicare
  • Respond to crisis situations, such as natural disasters or child abuse
  • Advocate for and help clients get resources that would improve their well-being
  • Follow up with clients to ensure that their situations have improved
  • Evaluate services provided to ensure that they are effective

Social workers help people cope with challenges in every stage of their lives. They help with a wide range of situations, such as adopting a child or being diagnosed with a terminal illness. Social workers work with many populations, including children, people with disabilities, and people with addictions.

Clinical social workers, also called licensed clinical social workers, typically do the following:

  • Diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders, including anxiety and depression
  • Provide individual, group, family, and couples therapy
  • Assess clients’ histories, backgrounds, and situations to understand their needs, as well as their strengths and weaknesses
  • Develop a treatment plan with the client, doctors, and other healthcare professionals
  • Encourage clients to discuss their emotions and experiences to develop a better understanding of themselves and their relationships
  • Help clients adjust to changes in their life, such as a divorce or being laid-off
  • Work with clients to develop strategies to change behavior or cope with difficult situations
  • Refer clients to other resources or services, such as support groups or other mental health professionals
  • Evaluate their clients’ progress and, if necessary, adjust the treatment plan

Many clinical social workers work in private practice. Some work in a group practice with other social workers or mental health professionals. Others work alone in a solo practice. In private practice, clinical social workers often do administrative and recordkeeping tasks. Among these tasks is working with clients and insurance companies to receive payment for their services. In addition, social workers market their practice to bring in new clients and to network with other professionals who may recommend them.

Direct-service social workers and clinical social workers often focus on a particular population or work environment. The following are some types of workers in this occupation:

Child and family social workers protect vulnerable children and help families in need of assistance. They help parents find services, such as child care, or apply for benefits, such as food stamps. They intervene when children are in danger of neglect or abuse. Some help arrange adoptions, locate foster families, or work to get families back together. Clinical social workers provide mental health care to help children and families cope with changes in their lives, such as divorce or other family problems.

School social workers work with teachers, parents, and school administrators to develop plans and strategies to improve students’ academic performance and social development. Students and their families are often referred to social workers to deal with problems such as aggressive behavior, bullying, or frequent absences from school.

Healthcare social workers help patients understand their diagnosis and make the necessary adjustments to their lifestyle, housing, or healthcare. They provide information on services, such as home health care or support groups, to help patients manage their illness or disease. Social workers help doctors and other healthcare professionals understand the effects diseases and illnesses have on patients’ mental and emotional health.

Some healthcare social workers specialize in gerontological social work or hospice and palliative care social work.

  • Gerontological social workers help senior citizens and their families. They help clients find services such as programs that provide older adults with meals or with home health care. In some cases, they provide information about assisted living facilities or nursing homes or work with older adults in those settings. They help clients and their families make plans for possible health complications or where clients will live if they can no longer care for themselves.
  • Hospice and palliative care social workers help patients adjust to serious, chronic, or terminal illnesses. Palliative care focuses on relieving or preventing pain and other symptoms associated with serious illness. Hospice is a type of palliative care for people who are dying. Social workers in this setting provide and find services, such as support groups or grief counselors, to help patients and their families cope with the illness or disease.

Mental health and substance abuse social workers help clients with mental illnesses or addictions. They provide information on services, such as support groups or 12-step programs, to help clients cope with their illness.

Work Environment About this section

Social workers
Although most social workers work in an office, they may spend a lot of time away from the office visiting clients.

Social workers held 650,500 jobs in 2010. They work in the following settings:

  • Hospitals and clinics
  • Nursing homes
  • Community mental health clinics
  • Private practices
  • State and local governments
  • Schools
  • Colleges and universities
  • Substance abuse clinics
  • Military bases and hospitals

Although most social workers work in an office, they may spend a lot of time away from the office visiting clients. School social workers may be assigned to multiple schools and travel around the school district to see students. Understaffing and large case loads may make the work stressful.

In 2010, the industries employing the most child, family and school social workers were as follows:

Individual and family services21%
State government, excluding education and hospitals21
Local government, excluding education and hospitals19
Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private12
Health care9

In 2010, the industries employing the most healthcare social workers were as follows: 

Hospitals; state, local, and private31%
Nursing and residential care facilities13
Individual and family services11
Home health care services10
Local government, excluding education and hospitals6

In 2010, the industries employing the most mental health substance abuse social workers were as follows: 

Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers17%
Individual and family services16
Hospitals; state, local, and private14
Local government, excluding education and hospitals10
Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals; state, local, and private8

Work Schedules

Social workers generally work full time. They may sometimes work evenings and weekends to see clients or attend meetings.

How to Become a Social Worker About this section

Social workers
Clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives and social workers must listen to and understand their clients’ needs.

A bachelor’s degree is required for most direct-service social work positions, but some positions and settings require a master’s degree. Clinical social workers must have a master’s degree. Licensure varies by state. Clinical social workers must be licensed.

Education

A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) is the most common requirement for entry-level positions. However, some employers may hire workers who have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as psychology or sociology.

BSW programs prepare students for direct-service positions such as caseworker or mental health assistant. These programs teach students about diverse populations, human behavior, and social welfare policy. All programs require students to complete supervised fieldwork or an internship.

Some positions, including those in schools and in healthcare, frequently require a master’s degree in social work (MSW). All clinical social workers must have an MSW.

MSWs generally take 2 years to complete. Some programs allow those with a BSW to earn their MSW in 1 year. MSW programs prepare students for work in their chosen specialty and develop the skills to do clinical assessments, manage a large number of clients, and take on supervisory duties. All programs require students to complete supervised fieldwork or an internship.

A BSW is not required to enter MSW programs. In fact, a degree in almost any major is acceptable. However, coursework in psychology, sociology, economics, and political science are recommended.

Licenses

Licensure varies by state. All states have some type of licensure or certification requirement. All states require clinical social workers to be licensed. However, some states provide exemptions for clinical social workers who work in government agencies.

Becoming a licensed clinical social worker usually requires a master’s degree in social work and 2 years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience after graduation. After completing their supervised experience, clinical social workers must pass an exam to be licensed.

Although most states also have licenses for nonclinical social workers, these licenses are often optional. For more information about licensure by state, contact the Association of Social Work Boards.

Important Qualities

Compassion. Social workers often work with people who are in stressful and difficult situations. To develop strong relationships, they must have compassion and empathy for their clients.

Listening skills. Clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives. To effectively help, social workers must listen to and understand their clients’ needs.

Organizational skills. Helping and managing multiple clients, often assisting with their paperwork or documenting their treatment, requires good organizational skills.

People skills. Being able to work with different groups of people is essential for social workers. They need strong people skills to foster healthy and productive relationships with their clients and colleagues.

Problem-solving skills. Social workers need to develop practical and innovative solutions to their clients’ problems.

Time-management skills. Social workers often have many clients. They must manage their time well to provide adequate service to all of their clients.

Pay About this section

Social Workers

Median annual wages, May 2010

Social Workers

$42,480

Counselors, Social Workers, and Other Community and Social Service Specialists

$39,250

Total, All Occupations

$33,840

 

The median annual wage of social workers was $42,480 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,710 and the top 10 percent earned more than $70,390.

The median annual wages of social workers in May 2010 were the following:

  • $47,230 for healthcare social workers
  • $40,210 for child, family, and schools social workers
  • $38,600 for mental health and substance abuse social workers
  • $51,500 for all other social workers

In May 2010, the median annual wages of child, family and school social workers in the industries employing the most of these workers were as follows:

Elementary and secondary schools$54,260
Local government, excluding education and hospitals47,130
State government, excluding education and hospitals39,750
Individual and family services35,120

In May 2010, the median annual wages of healthcare social workers in the industries employing the most of these workers were as follows: 

Hospitals$53,400
Home health care services48,530
Local government, excluding education and hospitals44,810
Nursing and residential care facilities41,860
Individual and family services39,310

In May 2010, the median annual wages of mental health and substance abuse social workers in the industries employing the most of these workers were as follows: 

Hospitals$48,010
Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals47,710
Local government45,210
Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers36,780
Individual and family services36,740

Social workers generally work full time. They may sometimes work evenings and weekends to see clients or attend meetings.

Job Outlook About this section

Social Workers

Percent change in employment, projected 2010-20

Counselors, Social Workers, and Other Community and Social Service Specialists

26%

Social Workers

25%

Total, All Occupations

14%

 

Employment of social workers is expected to grow by 25 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will be due to an increase in demand for health care and social services but will vary by specialty.

Employment of child, family, and school social workers is expected to grow by 20 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for child and family social workers should continue to grow because they will be needed to investigate child abuse cases and to place children in foster care and with adoptive families. However, growth in this occupation may be limited by budget constraints at all levels of government. In schools, more social workers will be needed to respond to rising student enrollments. The availability of federal, state, and local funding will be a major factor in determining the actual employment growth in schools.

Employment of healthcare social workers is expected to grow by 34 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations. As baby boomers age, they and their families will require help from social workers to find care, which will increase demand for healthcare social workers.

Employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers is expected to grow by 31 percent, much faster than the average for  all occupations. Growth is expected as more people seek treatment for mental illness and addiction. In addition, drug offenders are increasingly being sent to treatment programs rather than to jail. As a result, use of substance abuse treatment programs is expected to grow, increasing demand for mental health and substance abuse social workers.

Employment projections data for social workers, 2010-20
Occupational Title SOC Code Employment, 2010 Projected Employment, 2020 Change, 2010-20 Employment by Industry
Percent Numeric

SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program

Social Workers

21-1020 650,500 811,700 25 161,200 [XLS]

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

21-1021 295,700 353,900 20 58,200 [XLS]

Healthcare Social Workers

21-1022 152,700 203,900 34 51,200 [XLS]

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

21-1023 126,100 165,600 31 39,500 [XLS]

Social Workers, All Other

21-1029 76,000 88,300 16 12,300 [XLS]

Similar Occupations About this section

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of social workers.

Occupation Job Duties ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION Help 2010 MEDIAN PAY Help
Health educators

Health Educators

Health educators teach people about behaviors that promote wellness. They develop programs and materials to encourage people to make healthy decisions.

Bachelor’s degree $45,830
Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists

Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists

Mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists help people manage or overcome mental and emotional disorders and problems with their family and relationships. They listen to clients and ask questions to help the clients understand their problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.

Master’s degree $39,710
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists work with and monitor offenders to prevent them from committing new crimes.

Bachelor’s degree $47,200
Psychologists

Psychologists

Psychologists study mental processes and human behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people and other animals relate to one another and the environment.

See How to Become One $68,640
Rehabilitation counselors

Rehabilitation Counselors

Rehabilitation counselors help people with emotional and physical disabilities live independently. They help their clients overcome personal, social, and professional effects of disabilities as they relate to employment or independent living.

Master’s degree $32,350
School and career counselors

School and Career Counselors

School counselors help students develop social skills and succeed in school. Career counselors assist people with the process of making career decisions by helping them choose a career or educational program.

Master’s degree $53,380
Social and community service managers

Social and Community Service Managers

Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise social service programs and community organizations. They direct and lead staff who provide services to the public.

Bachelor’s degree $57,950
Social and human service assistants

Social and Human Service Assistants

Social and human service assistants help people get through difficult times or get additional support. They help other workers, such as social workers, and they help clients find benefits or community services.

High school diploma or equivalent $28,200
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors advise people who have alcoholism or other types of addiction, eating disorders, or other behavioral problems. They provide treatment and support to help the client recover from addiction or modify problem behaviors.

High school diploma or equivalent $38,120
Suggested citation:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Social Workers,
on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm (visited October 02, 2012).

Publish Date: Thursday, March 29, 2012