What Is the Annual Entry Wage of a Social Worker?
Social workers spend their days trying to make people’s lives better. A major part of the job is often to help people find the resources they need to resolve problems in their lives, but social workers may also serve as counselors, assisting clients in finding solutions for issues they may have. While some social workers keep regular hours, many find that they must work evenings and weekends so that they are available when the people they serve have the time to meet with them.
Social workers are employed in three main functions. The first group deals with situations relating to children, families and schools. These are the workers who place children in foster homes or find adoptive homes for children in need of permanent placements. They also teach parenting skills, help with social problems for people of all ages and deal with school problems such as bullying and behavior issues. Public health and medical social workers help people cope with problems related to lengthy or chronic illnesses such as cancer and diabetes. These workers can be invaluable to families who need to find resources for support in dealing with an illness. The third category is mental health and substance abuse. Workers in this group counsel people who have problems related to mental illness, drug abuse or similar situations.
The minimum educational requirement for a social worker is typically a bachelor’s degree in social work. Most of those who work in direct-service positions, often dealing with family problems through the department of social services or similar organizations, have this degree. Clinical social workers, who deal with mental health issues and drug problems or who counsel clients, often need a master’s degree in social work and may need to be licensed as well, though licensing requirements vary by state.
Many social workers are employed by their state or local government, but they may also find employment in other settings. Social workers can be found in hospitals, private clinics, nursing homes, community health clinics, mental health clinics, on military bases and in school settings of all kinds, from grade schools through universities. Large organizations, such as state welfare offices, may employ many social workers, while other locations, such as a small community clinic, may have only one or two.
The median entry-level annual salary for a new, full-time social worker is around $25,000, with public and government jobs paying higher than private-sector jobs. Social workers with advanced degrees usually earn more, starting at around $30,000 to $40,000, and salaries increase about $400 for every year the worker is on the job. Higher wages are typically found in the Pacific Northwest, and large, metropolitan areas pay significantly more than do rural areas, according to a 2006 survey from the National Association of Social Workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, as of 2010, social workers typically have salaries in the range of $38,000 to $50,000 a year, with about 10 percent earning over $70,000, and 10 percent earning $26,000 or below.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Social Worker
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Workers: How to Become a Social Worker
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Workers: Work Environment
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Workers: Pay
- University of Mississippi: Social Work: Career Outlook