Social worker salary outlook with a bachelor degree by state. Learn more about the potential of your workforce as it pertains to social services administration, get current and historical data, including a look at trends that can help you make strategic decisions, find out how much Social Workers made in all 50 states and D.C., review salary ranges for Social Workers by experience level
Being a social worker can be rewarding and satisfying, but also challenging. The salary of a social worker is typically based on the education level, state in which you work, years of experience and type of employment (agency vs. private).
Being a social worker can be rewarding and satisfying, but also challenging. The salary of a social worker is typically based on the education level, state in which you work, years of experience and type of employment (agency vs. private).
Social Worker Salary With A Bachelor Degree By State Overview
In this article, we’ll take a look at the average social worker salary for both bachelor and master degree holders for each state. We’ll also consider how much social workers with a bachelor’s degree in psychology earn on average.
Social work is a field that requires a lot of education and training. Social workers can be found in hospitals, schools, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. They help people solve problems by providing counseling and other services.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual wage for all social workers was $47,610 in May 2017. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,610 per year while the highest 10 percent earned more than $62,810 annually.
In addition to their primary responsibilities as mental health professionals, many licensed clinical social workers have additional certifications or licenses that allow them to offer specific services like clinical supervision or psychotherapy practice management.
What is Social Work?
According to the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW), Social Work is a profession that aims to help individuals, families, groups and communities to improve their individual and collective well-being. Social Workers provide help to people’s personal issues as well as dealing with broader social concerns such as poverty, unemployment and domestic violence.
What Do Social Workers Do?
Social Workers work in a variety of settings and their duties vary accordingly. They may work in family services agencies, children’s aid agencies, general and psychiatric hospitals, school boards, correctional institutions, health and community services centres, or federal and provincial departments.
Social Workers in health and community services centres, for example, may offer counselling for individuals or families, help seniors with day-to-day tasks, or assist with parent-child relationships. Social Workers can also provide support for individuals that are feeling stressed or overwhelmed with the responsibility of being a primary caregiver for a loved one.
Requirements to Become a Social Worker
In order to become a Social Worker in Ontario, you need to obtain a Bachelor of Social Work, which means four years of post-secondary education. Some companies also require having a Master of Social Work, which will take either one or two years of additional post-graduate education. A lot of universities in Ontario provide Social Work programs, all of which have been accredited by the Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE).
After getting a degree, you’ll need to join a provincial regulatory body in order to become a regulated Social Worker; in this case, it’s the Ontario Colleges of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). You can only refer to yourself as a “Social Worker” or a “Registered Social Worker” and legally practice Social Work in Ontario after becoming a member of the OCSWSSW.
Social Worker Salaries
| Occupation | Entry-Level | Mid-Career | Late-Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Worker | $44,000 | $55,000 | $74,000 |
| School Social Worker | $38,000 | $49,000 | $68,000 |
| Hospice Social Worker | $42,000 | $53,000 | $66,000 |
| Social Worker, MSW | $44,000 | $55,000 | $74,000 |
| Medical social Worker | $49,000 | $57,000 | $66,000 |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | $44,000 | $59,000 | $79,000 |
How Much Do Social Workers Make?
The annual salary of a social worker will vary depending on the interest area the social worker specializes in and the amount of education they have received. A clinical social worker requires a master’s degree in social work and offers a higher salary than a standard caseworker with a bachelor’s degree in social work. Some areas of social work will have higher salaries depending on the type of work they do.
| Occupation | 2016 Median Pay |
| Social Worker | $47,980 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $64,100 |
| Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors | $43,300 |
| Health Care Social Workers | $56,810 |
| Child, Family and School Social Workers | $48,430 |
