Social workers are vital professionals focused on improving the well-being of others at an individual and community level. Like many professions that deal with people and human behavior, social work is a complicated field that can be applied to many different sectors. A degree in social work, especially at the master’s level, can open the door to a wide range of career opportunities and disciplines. Master of social work jobs are diverse and rewarding, reflecting the depth of knowledge and skills gained during advanced studies.
What Can You Do With a Masters in Social Work?
The role of a social worker will change based on their industry and completed level of education. Jobs with a master’s in social work often encompass more specialized roles, diving deeper into therapy, counseling, and administrative tasks. Social workers are tasked with helping people face challenges in their lives. These challenges might include mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders as well as environmental challenges.
Generally, social workers assist their clients with mental health counseling at an individual, familial, or group level. They assess what is ailing their client and provide solutions like coordinating treatment plans, researching public programs and resources, and more.
How to Become a Social Worker
To begin entry-level work, social workers must finish at least their BSW (Bachelor in Social Work) degree. This degree can be completed at a traditional four-year institution and options exist for students who prefer to complete their degrees online.
In the coming years, the employment of social workers is projected to grow faster than average for other occupations according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With this in mind, now might be a great time to take steps that may advance your social work career. If you’re looking to level up after securing your bachelor’s, considering a master’s in social work could be pivotal for your future.
Whether you’re just starting your education or nearing the end, it’s always a good idea to consider your options for work post-graduation. To help you in this endeavor, we’ve curated a list of 10 potential jobs with a master’s in social work.
10 Career Paths in Social Work
The root of social work is helping and rehabilitating people. By furthering your education, you are giving yourself a chance to advance or complete your licensure to practice social work in more sectors such as health care, academia, government institutions, and more.
Here are some careers to consider after your degree completion.
1. Clinical Social Work Therapist
Therapists are licensed mental health professionals who help their clients improve their quality of life by developing better cognitive and emotional skills. They help reduce the symptoms of mental illness and provide their clients with coping skills so they can better tackle life’s challenges.
Depending on the therapist’s line of work, they might find themselves in a myriad of locales. This includes hospitals, clinics, community centers, online, and more. If you’re interested in helping people work intimately on their personal lives at either an individual or group level, becoming a therapist might be a good option for you.
Clinical Social Work Therapist Salary
A clinical social work therapist is projected to make an average salary of $104,149 in the U.S. as reported by ZipRecruiter. The majority of these jobs fall within the range of $80,000 to $124,000.
2. Medical Social Worker
Medical social workers jobs specialize in public health, geriatric, palliative (care that focuses on pain relief rather than curing the illness), inpatient, or mental health care. Like many social workers, medical social workers can find themselves in many different medical settings depending on where their clients and patients are located.
If you’re looking to become a highly specialized social worker, working in a medical setting might be a good choice. You could work specifically with infants or provide care for those awaiting transplants. Largely, you will work with nurses, doctors, and medical specialists to provide interdisciplinary care for your clients.
Medical Social Worker Salary
Salary.com has found that the average medical social worker in the U.S. makes $70,410 annually with the range tending to fall between $63,416 and $76,733.
3. School Social Worker
Specialized in academic settings, school social worker jobs involve trained mental health professionals who help individuals and groups of students with mental health issues surrounding their academic lives. They also help teachers, parents, and administrators support the mental well-being of students. Generally, school social workers make school atmospheres safer places for students and help them to feel empowered in their learning.
If you’re interested in intersecting your mental health training with academia, consider becoming a school social worker. You’ll be able to do the critical work of helping develop young minds and assist academic institutions in their efforts to do the same.
School Social Worker Salary
School social workers in the U.S. have an average salary of $52,388 according to Payscale. The reported salary range falls between $41,000 and $70,000.
4. Hospice Social Worker
Death is usually not an easy subject to contend with. Hospice social workers help families deal with settling matters associated with the passing of a loved one. In addition, they help coordinate care and access to resources for those in hospice.
Being a hospice social worker can be mentally and emotionally taxing. However, this work is instrumental in helping patients and their families in what may be the most challenging moments of their lives.
Hospice Social Worker Salary
Glassdoor reports that the average salary for a hospice social worker is $72,835 per year in the U.S. with an average salary range of $61,000 to $88,000 per year.
5. Community Outreach Worker
If you’re interested in a career at a nonprofit or government institution, consider becoming a community outreach worker. Community outreach workers attempt to improve the lives of community members by creating events and promoting services that focus on health care and social services for underserved communities.
Community Outreach Worker Salary
According to Salary.com, the average community outreach worker in the U.S. makes $47,568 annually with the salary range falling between $43,118 and $53,108.
6. Human Services Specialist
Human services specialists might work with people in group homes, halfway houses, correctional facilities, mental health centers, family homes, and more. They work with people who have often been in deeply precarious situations.
This work serves those who may need help the most by treating their problems while also helping them maintain those improvements.
Human Services Specialists Salary
Zippia reports that the average human services specialist salary in the U.S. is around $49,025. The salary range can be expected to be between $33,000 and $71,000.
7. Probation Officer
If you have a special interest in criminal justice, becoming a probation officer will be a great marriage with your social work education. Probation officers guide and monitor offenders and attempt to assist in preventing them from committing new crimes.
Similar to human service specialists, probation officers assist offenders in seeking out treatment and rehabilitation and supervise the progress of their efforts. The primary difference between the two careers is that probation officers work specifically with people who were put on probation rather than given jail time.
Probation Officer Salary
Probation officers in the U.S. have an average salary of $64,920 with a normal range falling between $46,140 and $78,810 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
8. Behavioral Management Aide
Behavioral management aides work to help people change negative behaviors. Children are the primary focus of these services, but in some legal systems, they can be crucial for adults too.
Aides work to help their clients recognize and change behaviors that are working to their detriment, such as violence, tantrums, or disruptive behavior. If you’re hoping to merge your interest in social work with education, becoming a behavioral management aide might be a good fit for you.
Behavioral Management Aides Salary
The estimated annual salary for behavioral management aides according to Glassdoor is $41,871. The average salary range for behavioral management aides in the U.S. falls between $36,000 and $49,000.
9. Substance Abuse Counselors
Substance abuse counselors specialize in addiction recovery and management. These social workers work with both individuals and groups toward sobriety. They focus on day-to-day struggles as well as long-term recovery plans.
With a focus on mental health, these counselors aide patients in repairing various parts of their life affected by addiction, including personal and professional relationships.
Substance Abuse Counselor’s Salary
Substance abuse counselors in the U.S. have an average salary of $48,520 according to U.S. News & World Report. The expected salary range for this position is going to range from $38,520 to $61,660.
10. Foster Care Social Worker
Foster care social workers, also known as case managers, act as advocates for children in the foster care system. They may also act as counselors for these children, helping with behavioral and mental health issues. A foster care social worker’s primary responsibility is the physical and emotional welfare of children.
Foster Care Social Worker Salary
ZipRecruiter reports that the average foster care social worker salary in the U.S. is $44,331. This job has a typical salary range between $37,500 and $49,500.
The Impactful Pathways of Social Work
These careers just scratch the surface of what paths may be open to you following your graduation. Regardless of the landscape or application, social workers perform difficult work that is crucial to the wellness of many across the world.
If you’re inspired by the wide range of transformative roles that a degree in social work offers, take the first step toward a fulfilling career by joining Pacific Oaks College. Our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs combine our historical commitment to social justice with access to urban and rural practice opportunities. Each program educates and trains social work professionals who can promote social equity and ethically integrate the holistic competencies and dimensions as established by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
Don’t just dream of making a difference; equip yourself with the skills and knowledge to do so. Apply now to Pacific Oaks College and be part of our legacy of change-makers.
