Social work is one of the most versatile, recession-proof graduate degrees you can earn, opening the door to a virtually endless variety of careers--from guidance counselor to policy analyst, agency director to adoption specialist, immigration reform advocate to family therapist--and pretty much everything in between.
Excellent job prospects
The number of jobs in social work, for today's MSW graduates, is high and continues to grow. According to the 2012-2013 Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U. S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Employment of social workers is expected to increase by 16% during the coming decade, and
- Social work employment in all areas is "projected to grow much faster than average" through 2016.
This confirms what we often hear from our graduates--that the flexibility of an MSW degree, adaptable to so many fields of practice, is not only personally rewarding, but also an ideal hedge against tough economic times.
Job growth is projected to be particularly strong for social workers in:
- mental health and substance abuse (30% increase)
- medical and public health (24% increase)
- child, family and school social work (22% increase)
- Social work with aging populations (gerontology) and rural social work also will experience significant growth.
Salaries
Social work salaries vary by specialty and practice setting. Some sample median salaries for social workers in 2006:
- elementary and secondary school social workers: $48,360
- medical and surgical hospital social workers: $48,420
- mental health and substance abuse social workers in outpatient clinics: $34,290
