How Much Money Do You Earn as a Social Worker? MSW Salary Trends in 2022

No one goes into social work expecting to be highly compensated. Social workers do what they do because they want to help people improve their lives. However, even the most altruistic social worker needs a home and sustenance. Compensation may not be the driving motivator for social workers, but it’s still something they need to consider.

Social work salaries vary depending on job responsibilities, the social worker’s area of specialization and degree level, and location, among other factors. Entry-level jobs in social work require only a bachelor’s degree but pay less than most jobs available to those with a Master of Social Work (MSW). Additional certifications can also improve your employment prospects and boost your salary.

So, how much money do you earn as a social worker? This article answers that question by discussing:

• How much money can you earn as a social worker in 2022?
• What are some of the common social work roles and how much do they pay?
• What are the best paying social work jobs in 2022?
• Which social work jobs are most in-demand now?
• Which social work jobs will be in demand over the next decade?
• Who needs a master’s in social work?
• What is a master’s in social work?

How much money can you earn as a social worker in 2022?

In social work, where you practice has a big impact on how much you earn. Top paying states include Nevada, Hawaii, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, where social workers earn an average salary of about $77,000 to $86,000. Cities and major metropolitan areas that offer higher annual salaries in social work include Los Angeles and Long Beach (California), Newark (New Jersey), Portland (Oregon), Danbury (Connecticut), as well as New York City and the District of Columbia. Salaries in these cities can range from $82,000 to around $100,000 annually. A word of caution: those extra dollars may be eaten up by the cost of living in those areas.

It’s also true that a setting impacts social workers’ take-home pay. Research by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) shows that healthcare social workers who practice in hospitals (local, state and private) make more than those in on individual and family services, or who work with individual patients as mental health and substance abuse social workers. Social workers employed by state and local government and in ambulatory healthcare services rank somewhere in the middle.

What are some of the common social work roles and how much do they pay?

Common social work areas of practice include work in the military, public schools, elder care, healthcare, and social service organizations. Roles in these areas include substance abuse counselor (with average base pay $41,610), school social workers (with a median salary of $49,471), medical social worker in nursing or home care (with a salary range of $55,000 to $75,000), and social work planner or case manager (with a national average of $51,300). Many licensed clinical social workers work in private practice.

What are the best paying social work jobs in 2022?

Some of the highest paying jobs you can land with an advanced MSW degree include clinical social work in private practice (with a median annual salary of $100,000) and a social work administrator (also $100,000). Shifting to academia and becoming a professor of social work (though you may need a social work doctorate (DSW)) can pay well into six-figures.

Which social work jobs are most in-demand now?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the largest segment of social workers is employed in individual and family services (at 18 percent), followed by local government, ambulatory healthcare, and state government listed (all at around 14 percent each).

Which social work jobs will be in demand over the next decade?

The BLS anticipates that there will be a 12 percent increase in job growth for social workers through 2030, which equals about 90,000 new jobs created during this period. The National Association of Social Workers projects a 19 to 20 percent growth in both healthcare-related social work and mental health and substance abuse positions through 2026.

Who needs a master’s in social work?

While it’s possible to be a social worker with only a BSW, most advanced and higher-paid positions require an MSW—and this social work degree is required if you intend to be a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

What is a social work master’s?

A Master of Social Work (MSW) is a graduate-level degree that prepares students to pursue licensure to practice in advanced-level positions in their state. These master’s programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which oversees standards for licensure and ethics and is the sole social work accreditation agency in the US.

How long does it take to earn a social work master’s?

Typically, it takes two years to complete an MSW, although some schools offer accelerated programs that allow you to reach your goal more quickly. If you already have a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), you should look into advanced standing programs, in which you can apply credits from your BSW toward your master’s degree—and save some time and money in the process. Tulane University’s online advanced standing MSW program takes 12 months to complete full-time or 24 months part-time.

Admission requirements/prerequisites

Applications often need to include undergraduate transcripts with a minimum GPA of 3.0, letters of recommendation, a resume/CV, and a personal statement demonstrating how their course of study will help you meet your career goals. Some programs also require Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) test scores.

Curriculum

Social work students can expect to begin their studies with foundational courses on individual, family, and group practice, then continue to advanced levels in chosen concentrations of micro, mezzo, and macro areas of work.

Foundational courses focus on the history and philosophy of social welfare and social work, systems theory, human behavior, ethics in practice, racism in social work practice, and research. Advanced courses explore issues of race and gender and the impact of environment on social systems. These classes often move beyond classroom theory to fieldwork placement.

Specialization

In their second year of study, students in many programs may select an area of specialization. These choices will be specific to each school and should be part of your research into social work master’s programs.

For example, at the Stony Brook School of Social Welfare, second-year students may choose among three areas of specialization: Community, Policy, and Political Social Action; Families, Youth and Transition to Adulthood; and Integrated Health.

What are the top schools that offer a social work master’s?

Top schools that offer a master’s in social work include:

• Boston University
• Columbia University
• Fordham University
• Howard University
• Tulane University

The big names carry weight, and depending on your career plans, may be the list of schools you are after. There are many more excellent programs to choose from, so make sure to look into the offerings of others like University of Texas at Austin, Washington University in St. Louis, and Case Western Reserve University.

Online/hybrid options

If you’re currently working full-time or need a more flexible course of study, you may want to consider some of the competitive online and hybrid MSW programs, like those at Tulane University of Louisiana, Rutgers University, Simmons University, or Virginia Commonwealth University.

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