How to become a social worker who’s not drowning in debt

Social workers provide help and support to people impacted by social problems and personal difficulties. The profession encompasses different duties, depending on the specific role, but frequently includes counseling people and connecting them to helpful resources.

Social workers make America a better place. But pursuing a career in a helping profession, like social work, shouldn’t force you to leave financial stability at the door. Learn how to become a social worker, in 4 clear steps, while keeping student loans to a minimum.

How to become a social worker in 4 steps

There are 4 main steps to becoming a social worker. Their order isn’t set in stone: some people may go right from a bachelor’s to master’s, and others may choose to get a license straight after undergrad.

1. Get a bachelor’s degree
2. Get experience
3. Get a master’s degree (optional)
4. Get licensed

1. Get a bachelor’s degree (from an affordable school)

If you want to be a social worker, you’re going to have to go to college. Your best bet is to get a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW), although if you plan on getting a master’s in social work, you have a bit more wiggle room – many people study psychology or public policy instead.

If you choose to get a BSW, look for a program that is accredited by the CSWE to ensure your degree is recognized after graduation.

One big advantage of CSWE-accredited programs is that they entail a 400-hour practicum/supervised internship, which means you’ll have experience before you leave school, and you’ll be well on your way to obtaining the practice hours you need for licensure.

Also importantly, find a program that isn’t too expensive. You’re not going to earn tons more money as a social worker, so this isn’t the time to splurge on student loans to go to a “prestigious” school.

See our rankings of the best-value social work programs for guidance – we know what colleges are doing the best job at setting up social workers for financial success.

2. Get experience

Now that you have a BSW, you can start working as a non-clinical social worker, also known as a direct-practice social worker.

Direct practice social workers can’t provide therapeutic services or prescribe medication, but they can help direct people in trouble to important resources.

In some states, you may need to get a license to work as a non-clinical social worker or direct-practice social worker. You can check the requirements on the Association of Social Work Boards’ (ASWB) website.

We recommend getting work experience before pursuing a master’s degree. You don’t want to invest time and money in college if you’re not absolutely sure this is what you want to do.

3. Get a master’s degree (to become a clinical social worker)

To become a clinical social worker, you’ll need a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree that is accredited by the CSWE.

MSW-accredited programs will involve a 900-hour internship or practicum that ensures you have some experience before being released into the workforce. You will need more supervised experience after you graduate too.

If you want to focus on macro-level social work (more on that later), you may want to pursue a Master of Science in Social Administration instead. This will set you on the path to work with policymakers rather than patients. One advantage of working in policymaking is that you don’t need a license.

As with a bachelor’s, it’s essential to find a master’s program with high value for money.

See our rankings of the best-value MSW programs here.

4. Get licensed

All states have slightly different licensing requirements for social workers, so we encourage you to browse the ASWB website for the most up-to-date information.

One common route is to become a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). You can become an LMSW as soon as you get your master’s degree by taking an ASWB exam. LMSWs perform social work roles under the supervision of a clinical social worker.

After several years working as an LMSW, you can become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) designation is the ultimate social worker qualification. To become a clinical social worker, you need to:

• Get a master’s degree
• Complete additional coursework required for your specialization
• Complete a set number of supervised clinical hours
• Pass the LCSW exam
• If applicable, pass a law and ethics exam.

Note that you will need to renew your license every few years by attending approved continuing education courses.

You can also become a Board-Certified Clinical Social Worker.

Advanced practitioners such as LCSWs, as well as clinical generalists, psychoanalysts, and family practitioners, can become board-certified through the American Board of Clinical Social Work (ABCSW). The ABCSW sets national standards and issues the Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD) certification. Practitioners with this credential are recognized as highly competent by courts, government agencies, insurers, and consumers.

Studying social work without going broke

To be blunt, a degree in social work is not going to make you rich. Many types of social work require a master’s degree, which is expensive, and salaries are generally pretty low.

In fact, according to our methodology for ranking degrees, social work is in the bottom 20% of all bachelor’s degrees in terms of educational investment value.

Does that mean you shouldn’t study social work? Not at all. If you’re interested in the field, money is probably not your primary motivator.

But what you should do is protect yourself from excessive debt that you can’t pay off with a social worker’s salary. After all, it’ll be harder for you to help people if you’re barely making it financially.

To help you choose a social work program that won’t saddle you with toxic debt, we have ranked the best social work programs by value for money. These colleges provide respected degrees that don’t break the bank.

Best-value bachelor’s programs

1. CUNY Lehman College
2. Texas A&M University, Central Texas
3. California State University, Los Angeles
4. California State University, Long Beach
5. Heritage University

Best-value master’s programs

1. California State University, Monterey Bay
2. California State University, Fresno
3. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
4. Brigham Young University
5. San Francisco State University

How much do social workers make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social workers earn $55,350 per year on average. This works out to be approximately $26.61 per hour. This is the median salary for all social workers, regardless of experience or educational attainment.

Jobs are expected to grow by about 7%, which is faster than average; there are 728,600 social work positions in the U.S. as of May 2022.

Some types of social workers earn more on average than others. The BLS breaks it down like this:

Meanwhile, according to IPEDS, which compiles earnings of college graduates 4 years after they leave school, median salaries for people who studied social work (regardless of their job now) are as follows:

» Also read: Why is social work different from other helping professions?

The 3 levels of social work

Social work is often divided into 3 tiers, depending on if you’re working to address problems on the level of society, your local community, or the individual.

Would I be a good social worker?

Having certain traits and characteristics makes people a good fit for social work.

You like working with people – Clinical social workers consistently work directly with individual and small groups of people. Thus, they have excellent interpersonal skills and are able to work with diverse individuals, building healthy relationships.

You’re a problem solver – Professionals in this role regularly come up with helpful solutions to problems that individuals or groups face in society. They come up with solutions that work within the available resources but also think outside the box to develop tailored solutions to unique problems.

You’re a compassionate communicator – A significant part of working well with other people involves effective communication. Clinical social workers practice active listening and work to understand the experiences and needs of their clients, clearly communicating in a way each client will understand.

You’re well organized – Clinical social workers balance many duties and clients at the same time. The role often includes paperwork and documentation, which social workers organize and keep confidential.

You’re emotionally balanced – Clinical social workers use empathy, compassion, and patience in their interactions with clients. At the same time, they manage their emotions, create boundaries, and remain composed while working with people who are may be distressed, emotional, and going through a difficult time.

» Read: Social workers and the child welfare system