When you want to choose a career, money is not the only factor to consider you must go into the field with your eyes open regarding average and potential salaries. How much do social workers make?
Social worker salaries vary which is determined by the level of your education, position, industry and location.
If you are thinking of a career in social work, make sure you do proper research on the lady prospects in the area or in locations where you are willing to work. Also, make sure you consider the earning potential when you earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree.
READ MORE: Minnesota Unemployment Insurance: How It Works And How To Apply
Social Worker Salary Outlook
Table of Contents
For the annual median salary for social workers. In May 2020 it was $51,760 according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
It is not the average salary, the median is the midpoint of the distribution of salaries. The lowest-earning 10% of social workers made less than $33,020 yearly in 2020 according to the BLS.
For the highest 10% of earners that made more than $85,820 yearly. Social work salaries vary which is based on factors like different social work careers, education and experience.
Social Worker Salaries Can Depend On The Degree
Different social work careers can lead to different salaries but they can have additional requirements. The BSW may prepare graduates for entry-level positions whereas clinical social workers are typically required to have a master’s degree.
How much can you earn with BSW, therefore, can be different from the clinical social worker’s salary.
In various industries workers that have master’s degrees earned $240 more per week than those with bachelor’s degrees in 2020.
According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), it is 56% of working BSW graduates will have a yearly income between $30,000 and $39,999. This report found at the median income for MSW graduates was $42,500.
A higher degree will give you the privilege to earn more as a social worker, though it has several factors that can influence the social worker’s income.
BSW Salary
When talking about the BSW salaries will be difficult to know the average. According to the NASW 2018 study, many respondents will be held a bachelor’s degree in social work expected to earn between $30,00 and $39,999 in 2018. Moreover, 60% of respondents were already enrolled on BSW programs.
MSW Salary
Graduates with MSWs have a wide range of employment opportunities since most states require social workers to be licensed and some require license holders to have master’s degrees.
Clinical social workers have licensed to diagnose and treat mental, and emotional disorders and treat mental. Social workers are called licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) sometimes, as you are required to have a master’s degree in social work.
Like various fields, clinical social worker salaries vary based on a variety of factors that includes experience, location, and employment sector but earning MSW may be the open door to LCSW salaries.
DSW Salary
If you desire to continue your social work education can also earn a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree. A DSW degree is a postgraduate program that is designed for social workers to learn more about research, policy analysis and research.
Doctoral education for social work can allow graduates to pursue advanced licensure or teaching. DSW salaries vary determined by where the students graduate choose to work but the median annual salary for postsecondary social work teachers was $71,570.
Social Work Wage Differences By Location
Social workers’ salaries vary by state. The healthcare social worker for instance will earn an annual mean salary of $71,850 in Connecticut while someone in the same position earned $83,000 in California.
One of the highest paying states for healthcare social workers according to the May 2020 BLS data.
Boost the compensation in the highest paying states or metropolitan areas that may be appealing but it is important to consider the opportunities for growth, career outlook and cost of living in the areas when deciding where to work.
A closer look at the highest paying states for the categories of social workers: family, child and school social workers, mental health and substance abuse social workers and all other types. The salary values will represent mean or average salaries at the state level.
The highest paying states for the child, family and school social workers on the average salaries are:
- District of Columbia (D.C.): $71,840.
- New Jersey for $71,110.
- Connecticut is $68,230.
- Rhode Island is $65,430.
- New York: $63,740.
The salaries vary based on the specific location within the state. Four of the 10 top-paying metropolitan areas for child, family and school workers were in Connecticut.
The remaining two are in the New York- New Jersey area. The remaining paying metropolitan areas were Maine, Washington Arlington Alexandria in Virginia, Visalia Porterville in California, North Dakota and Portland South Portland.
The top-paying non-metropolitan area was Connecticut with an average annual salary of $74,460 that will followed by southeast central Idaho, Alaska, Southern Illinois, and Northwest Colorado.
Salaries For The Social Workers May Vary By Industry
The social worker’s salaries will vary which determines the industry or sector for your social work career.
Additionally, prospective MSW students that the highest paying industries for social workers will not be the industries with the most available jobs.
For instance, we will be considered the variation between the national annual mean wages of healthcare social workers in the top-paying industries for the profession with the salaries of the healthcare workers in the industries with the highest employment levels.
READ MORE: How to Get an Australian work visa Without an Agent
Conclusion
Also, there are many social workers with positions that require only a bachelor’s degree and a license, and many positions and facilities require workers to hold an MSW. For more information on this article kindly Join Us Here
