Social Worker – A Glimpse into the Profession

Social workers play a very important part in the society. Social workers help people deal with all sorts of different aspects and problems. With the kind of stressful life that we are living these days, there is a lot of pressure on everyone which makes the role of social worker even more important.

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Job Description of a Social Worker

Social workers perform the following major duties:

  • Pinpoint people who need help.
  • Should have the ability to understand problems.
  • Should have in-depth knowledge of how to handle different problems.
  • Should be compassionate.
  • Maintain close follow-up with patients.
  • Develop programs and sessions according to the clients/patient’s needs.
  • Should be able to respond to emergency situations.

Types of Social Workers

There are different types of social workers in the US. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has divided the profession into the following categories:

  • Child, Family, and School Social Workers

These social workers help to look after the mental well-being of children and their families so that the children can excel academically and personally.

  • Healthcare Social Workers

These social workers have a very important and critical role to play. They deal with people suffering from serious illnesses and help them overcome psychological hurdles.

  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

These social workers help people overcome substance abuse. They help people who are in the middle of rehabilitation or are over the rehabilitation process to ensure they do not get into those bad habits again.

  • Social Workers, All Other

This is a category that represents all other social workers not listed in the above-mentioned categories.

Social Workers Salary Information

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, following are the salary figures for social workers mentioned above.

CategoryAnnual Mean Salary (2020)Annual Median Salary (2020)
Child, Family, and School Social Workers$52,370$48,430
Healthcare Social Workers$60,470$57,630
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$54,540$48,720
Social Workers, All Other$64,940$64,210

Highest Paying States for Social Workers

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, following are the five highest paying states for social workers in the US.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

Healthcare Social Workers

Healthcare Social Workers

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Social Workers All Other

Career Outlook

The job growth figures for these categories, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, are:

CategoryJob Growth (2020 – 2030)
Child, Family, and School Social Workers13%
Healthcare Social Workers13%
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers15%
Social Workers, All Other6%

Can I Become a Social Worker?

To work as a social worker in the US, you need to have the following traits/qualities:

  • Should be compassionate.
  • Should be a great listener.
  • Should be patient.
  • Should be able to set boundaries.
  • Should be able to handle emergency situations.
  • Should have the ability to put your patient before yourself.
  • Should be absolutely impartial.

How Do I Become a Social Worker?

To work as a social worker in the US, you have to meet the following steps:

Get a Bachelor’s Degree

The first step is to get a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a related field like Bachelor of Arts in Social Work or Bachelor of Social Work. You can also get a degree in other subjects like, social science, public policy, and psychology.

It is very important that you conduct thorough research about the school you want to attend because that will provide you with the foundation to excel in the field. Different schools offer different courses, but some common subjects are:

  • Introduction to Social Work.
  • Introduction to Psychology.
  • Introduction to Sociology.
  • Introduction to Population Studies.
  • Research in Social Work.

Admission Criteria

The admission criteria for bachelor’s degree are different for every institution, but generally you will have to meet the following requirements:

  • Have a high school degree.
  • Should have a GPA that meets the school’s admissions requirement.
  • SAT or ACT scores as specified by the school.
  • All previous educational documents.
  • Carefully completed application form.
  • Recommendation letters, in case it is a requirement by the institution.

Obtain a Master’s Degree

It is advisable to get a master’s degree because a lot of employers prefer candidates with a higher degree than a bachelor’s. A strong degree will also help your career prospects. The course structure will vary according to the social work field you pick.

Admission Criteria

To get into a master’s degree program, you will generally have to meet the following requirements:

  • Undergraduate CGPA of 3.0 or more.
  • More than a decent GRE score.
  • Should have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Licensing Requirements

If you want to work as a social worker in criminal justice, then there are no licensing requirements for you to meet. Having said that, it is being advocated that these social workers also have certain licensing requirements.

On the other hand, there are licensing requirements in place for social workers in a lot of US states. These requirements vary from state to state. So, if you want to work as a social worker in the US, make sure that you do thorough research about all the requirements, and other information.