The good news is that regardless of the subspecialty of social work you are interested in, there will probably be a demand for your services. From therapeutic social work to policy analysis, and research to child welfare social work, there are so many types of social work careers to choose from. Additionally, there are many populations social workers work with including the elderly, active military personnel and veterans, hospital or hospice patients, children and families, public school students, and more.
“Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 11 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations,” according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the projected demand for well-trained and well-qualified social workers is more than double the projected job growth of other professions.
The reason?
Social workers work with a number of populations that need help, and the demand for mental health services across clients populations is growing. For example, as the population ages, healthcare social and geriatric workers will be in higher demand. Geriatric social workers will also be in higher demand to work with the elderly in senior housing, assisted living, nursing homes, senior centers, and community mental health organizations.
Other settings that critically need more social workers include public schools and community based mental health agencies, particularly those serving underserved communities of color. There also is a need for more behavioral therapists and community mental health workers to provide critical mental health services to children and adolescents, as the rates of child and teen anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges climb. More social workers are also needed to provide substance abuse treatment as the opioid epidemic continues unabated.
Another noteworthy thing about the growth in demand for social worker services is that the need is everywhere — from large cities to remote rural areas — and across all economic levels. Some of the most underserved areas are low-income urban communities and rural communities where there are not enough private therapists and community based mental health services. One solution for reaching hard to reach populations is the use of tele-mental health services, but more quality clinical therapists are needed to provide services in this way.
Also, as social justice movements grow both nationally and internationally, social workers are in growing demand to advocate for vulnerable populations, empower people to demand their rights, provide therapy to traumatized communities, and get involved in community organizations. For example, teens who need support around identity issues, are an underserved and stigmatized client population.
Social workers, of course, are not limited to clinical roles. Social workers are also needed to work in public policy and government. To engage in policy work, social workers might work in government, for research institutes, university based centers, non-profit organizations, community organizations, and other organizations where their expertise is valued and needed.
Social workers can also run for office. From local governments such as city councils, to Congress at the federal level, social workers can make unique contributions to government and policy. Since they have worked closely with vulnerable populations, social workers understand people’s needs.
High school or college students who already know they want to go into social work (it can be a unique calling people are aware of at a young age!) can do a few things to prepare for their careers. High school students should apply to undergraduate schools that have a bachelor in social work program. This degree will enable students to enter generalist practice jobs after graduation and prepare for applying to MSW programs.
BSW students engage in field work and take foundation courses. The great thing about having a BSW before you enter an MSW program is you will already have valuable experience working in the field and perhaps in entry levels positions. You may also qualify to enter an advanced standing MSW program that will take less time to complete than a traditional program. Advanced standing students can earn their MSW in as little as 9-months to a year. They also most likely will only have to do one field placement rather than two.
Social workers who hold an MSW, and who are licensed clinical social workers in particular, are in high-demand. Holding an MSW and specific clinical licenses opens doors to advanced clinical positions. Specialized certifications and certificate programs also help BSW and MSW graduates work in and advance in social work subfields such as child welfare, policy, or school social work.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has valuable information and guides on a number of social work speciality practice areas including administration and supervision, gerontological social work, substance use counseling, medical social work, school social work, and child welfare.
You may also find it useful to browse social work job listings to become familiar with the requirements and qualifications of different types of positions. NASW sponsors joblink, while other job sites and services such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor also feature a wide variety of social work jobs. You can also look at government agency job pages which typically include information about civil service and non-civil service jobs.
There are similarities and some differences in the preparation needed to practice social work in the different specialty areas. The similarities are that you must earn a BSW or MSW, pass all foundational courses (human behavior and the social environment, research, social policy, generalist practice, etc.) and complete field work. Based on the speciality you want to pursue (and the state), however, you may have to earn different levels of licensure, take specific specialized courses at the graduate level, become certified to work a particular field, or complete fieldwork or post graduate training with supervisions in your field.
The following is a summary of specific career summaries, with a more comprehensive guide available for each social work speciality.
Behavioral therapist/therapeutic social worker
Therapeutic social workers, sometimes referred to as behavioral therapists, assess, diagnose, and treat depression, anxiety, panic disorders, anger issues, and other mental health disorders. They also use a variety of evidence-based approaches to treat conditions such as eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), self-harm, phobias, and substance abuse.
Social work therapists work with children and adults in a wide range of settings including in hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers. They may specialize in a specific treatment modality such as individual, family, or group therapy. Learn more about behavior therapy social work careers.
Private practice social worker
Many behavioral, licensed, social workers have their own private practice or are part of a small private clinical group. In many MSW programs, a majority of students say they someday want to open their own private practice. Private practice social workers provide a variety of evidence based therapeutic treatments.
After graduation students must follow state requirements to become licensed therapists before they can begin seeing clients privately. Some private therapists accept insurance while others do not. Private social work therapists can specialize in particular treatments, populations, and age groups. Find out more about how to become a therapeutic social worker.
Child and family/child welfare social worker
Child and family social workers are primarily focused on working with children, young people, and family units. These specially-trained social workers provide mental health services and counseling that children, youth, and families need. Evidence based therapeutic treatments have become central to child and family social work. Children and families may need therapy to strengthen or repair family relationships. There could be some overlap with
Child social workers often work with highly vulnerable clients including homeless children and traumatized children and families. Child social workers can work in hospitals, government agencies, nonprofits, clinics, or in private practice. When working within the child welfare system they may be called child welfare social workers.
Social workers are the human service professionals most likely to work with child welfare involved families. Social workers located in public or private child welfare agencies may need a specific license or credential to do so. Child welfare social workers work in a variety of areas including child protection, adoption, foster care, family preservation, mental health services, prevention, and home visiting. NASW published standards for child welfare social work. Learn more about social work with children and families and child welfare social work.
Medical/hospital social worker
Medical social workers provide a wide array of assistance and guidance to people and families trying to navigate the medical system. Depending on the situation, people going through a health issue might need mental health services, crisis intervention, end of life planning, information about advanced directives, and/or ongoing support for chronic illnesses. Social workers may lead mental health groups or provide one-on-one counseling.
Medical social workers are located in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, private practices, or assisted living, to name a few. In particular, medical social workers often help patients navigate hospital stays including coordinating patient care, acting as an advocate for the patient, coordinating future services, helping with things like post-hospitalization equipment or medicine needs, and connecting people with outside resources such as disability options and insurance programs. NASW has published standards for medical social work on their site. Learn more about how to become a medical social worker.
Military social workers play an important role in the mental health of both active-duty military personnel as well as soldiers returning from deployments and veterans. It is acknowledged by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), “chances are that nearly all social workers will serve this population in some capacity, whether through mental and behavioral health therapy, social services, housing, health care, care coordination or a variety of other services.”
Military social workers, in particular, build the skills and expertise to address the unique challenges faced by active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families. This may include specializing in evidence based treatments for PTSD. Many military social workers come from a military background themselves. Learn how to become a military social worker.
School social workers work at all levels of public and private educational institutions, from preschool to high school, to support the emotional needs and learning outcomes of students. School social workers provide counseling services to students and develop school policies and programs on bullying and cyberbullying, social justice, and equity.
School social workers might also look at community factors that interfere with student learning (such as domestic violence, learning disabilities, hunger, etc.). They develop school-wide violence prevention programs as well as provide crisis intervention and school-wide programming. One of their other key responsibilities is working with special education students who have a 504 plan or IEP. They typically serve on 504 or IEP teams that meet regularly to discuss student progress, update student plans, or develop plans for students with physical, behavioral, or mental health challenges. They maintain regular communication with parents as needed.
NASW has published standards for school social work. You can learn about school social worker licensing requirements in your state, on state government sites (usually professional licensing or state education agency pages). Learn more about how to become a school social worker.
Forensic social workers can testify in court, train police officers and other law enforcement personnel, and diagnose mental health problems in jails and prisons. A forensic social worker may work at a juvenile detention facility or a mental health facility, especially a facility for criminal defendants who have pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. MSW students interested in working in the criminal justice system may decide to earn a dual law/social work degree.
One of a forensic social worker’s most important roles is providing expert testimony in court. For example, a forensic social worker’s testimony may be a deciding factor in cases regarding child abuse, child custody, domestic violence, or drug and alcohol abuse. After the fact, a forensic social worker may work with the victimized person or persons to connect them to resources to help speed recovery. Learn how to become a forensic social worker.
Some students are called to a very difficult line of work – hospice social work. People receiving hospice care are seeking pain relief rather than life saving treatment. Some have terminal diseases while others have chronic pain. Recovery is always a possibility, but hospice social workers will lose many if not most of their patients. Hospice social workers provide case management, work with family members, arrange spiritual care, and provide counseling to patients. They provide services in hospice facilities, hospitals, outpatient settings, and in clients’ homes.
One of a hospice social worker’s primary roles is to interface with the family and provide a level of support and explanation that other medical staff might not be able to offer. For example, a hospice social worker will typically know their patient’s medical history, as well as the most current medications and treatments. A hospice social worker can then convey this information to the family, acting as a de-facto interface between doctors, medical staff, and the family. While a patient is in hospice, usually a hospice social worker is the person the family speaks to more than anyone else. NASW has published standards for hospice social work. Learn more about how to become a hospice social worker.
Psychiatric social workers provide services in hospitals, clinics, and community agencies that support patients struggling with mental illness and/or substance use. The patients they serve often have severe and persistent mental illness or substance use disorders that require more intensive care, such as 24-hour inpatient care. Social workers in these settings provide one-on-one psychotherapy and facilitate support groups as methods of treatment.
Psychiatric social workers collaborate care teams of physicians, nurses, psychologists, and other health professionals to assess, diagnose, and treat patients. Psychiatric disorders require the development of insight into the disorder, behavior modification, and other psychological, social, and emotional interventions to support recovery. Psychiatric social workers provide evidence-based psychotherapy, which is a key part of the treatment plan for patients in a psychiatric setting. Learn more about psychiatric social work.
A community social worker’s job is to improve conditions in their community by helping individuals and families find appropriate social services. They also work with community leaders and elected officials to improve those services and increase their availability. Community social workers may be employed by advocacy organizations, community centers or organizations, or government agencies. They may perform what is traditionally considered community organizing work, but their approach will be informed by their unique social work training and education.
There are different specializations within the field of community social work. Some community social workers help those struggling with substance abuse, while others provide mental health services. Family outreach is also a possibility. In general, a community social worker will help to promote and provide services to those in the community who need them the most. They may have a particular focus on serving underserved communities of color, rural communities, low-income communities, or immigrant communities. Learn more about how to become a community social worker.
Research social workers play a critical role in improving social work practice and evaluating social work treatments and programs. All social work students take at least one research course, but it is the relatively few who want to pursue a career in research; however, there are many opportunities for MSW graduates who enjoy research and evaluation.
Research social workers may work in community mental health agencies to evaluate the progress of individuals or groups of clients by analyzing short and long-term outcomes, or they may look at how new policies, training, or practices are impacting clients. They also can evaluate the impact new programs are having in the larger community. Social work researchers contribute to developing better social policies in organizations and communities, based on the data they and others have analyzed.
Social work researchers often use participatory based evaluation or research. With this approach, social workers involve those most impacted by an issue, policy, program, or practice in creating research questions and designing a research or evaluation study. Students who really enjoy research, or MSW graduates working in a research capacity, can consider pursuing a PhD in social work to further their research careers. Learn more about how to become a research social worker.
There is an important interplay between research social work and public policy social work.Policy social workers use research and data to help craft local, state, and federal policy. By creating social welfare-related public policy, social workers can have an enormous influence on what types of social work services are available and how people can access social work services. They may work for elected officials or run for elected office, work in research institutes, or human service organizations.
There is an important relationship between micro (clinical) and advocacy (mezzo or macro) work. Social workers who have worked with marginalized clients understand their needs, and therefore can be great policy advocates. An important component of policy advocacy is empowering vulnerable groups to advocate on their own behalf.
Policy advocacy also takes place in organizations. As administrators, social workers are involved in developing agency goals and programs, supervising staff, writing grants and fundraising, implementing evidence-based treatments and staff training, and advocating for better social services for clients. Learn more about how to become a policy social worker.
Pediatric social workers work in a wide variety of settings, from hospitals and social welfare agencies, to clinics and private practices. Pediatric social workers working with pediatricians may connect vulnerable patients and their families with needed social services including drug treatment programs and specialized care for babies impacted by a mother’s substance use during pregnancy.
Pediatric social workers need well-practiced communication skills in order to navigate family issues and advocate for children. They are advocates but they also are mandatory reporters who must call child welfare if there is evidence of child abuse. Like other social work fields, pediatric social workers often obtain an MSW to be able to work in clinical settings. Learn more about pediatric social work.
Community mental health social worker
Community mental health social workers play critical roles in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders in publicly funded community mental health clinics, public hospitals, and youth, veteran or, elder serving organizations. Community mental health social workers often work alongside other mental health professionals to assess, diagnose, and treat patients. They often work in lower income communities that lack private practitioners or where most clients have Medicaid.
One attribute of public mental health social workers is the job can be widely varied, depending on the job setting and patient needs. Like other social work professions, obtaining a master’s degree will open up more opportunities to advance as a public mental health social worker. One thing to know about being a public mental health worker is they earn less than private therapists since positions are publicly funded, and caseloads often are high. Public mental health social work can be quite stressful and rewarding at the same time. There is a growing need for public mental health social workers.
You can find job openings on state government agency websites (e.g., mental health departments) or through the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services. NASW has published standards for community mental health social work. Learn more about how to become a community mental health social worker.
Substance abuse treatment social worker
Substance abuse social workers are at the front lines of the national opioid use disorder epidemic. During the last year of the pandemic, the opioid use crisis took the lives of 100,000 Americans, more than any previous year. Social workers are always in demand to work in substance use treatment counseling centers.
Treating addiction requires a special kind of training and a special kind of social worker. Substance abuse treatment social workers may provide supervision to treatment professionals with less education or training. Social work’s unique person in the environment perspective helps social workers understand a patient’s risk and protective factors. Relationships and empowerment will be key to the social worker’s treatment of people in recovery.
Substance abuse counselors work in a variety of settings including hospitals, public or private substance abuse treatment centers, outpatient settings, and community mental health agencies. Social workers working in this field often need a specific clinical license, and some states may require special training or credentials. The NASW has published standards on the delivery of substance use counseling services by social workers. Learn how to become a substance abuse social worker.
Geriatric/gerontological social worker
Gerontological or geriatric social work entails working with aging persons in community center settings, assisted living, nursing homes, hospitals, among other locations. Geriatric social workers help seniors navigate life’s challenges as they deal with the complex realities of aging. From a biopsychosocial perspective, geriatric social workers assist their clients with services ranging from case management to resource referral to treatment planning. They may also help clients find senior or affordable housing and grants to help pay home heating and other bills.
Geriatric social workers also provide advocacy for their clients and the senior population at large. Some work as managers or policy analysts to improve services for seniors. There is an abundance of jobs available to work with the elderly as the population ages. Sometimes younger social workers shy away from working with the elderly, but it can be a very rewarding career path with abundant opportunities. The NASW has published standards for gerontological social work. Learn more about how to become a geriatric social worker.
Marriage and family social work
Marriage and family therapists provide couple and marriage counseling, as well as family counseling, to address problems in family relationships, domestic violence, trauma, infidelity, and a host of other challenges couples and families face. They enjoy a rewarding career helping people with various mental health issues and emotional concerns. They can provide diagnostic assessments and offer effective interventions to support their clients in making positive changes.
MFTs come from many diverse backgrounds, and they can work in numerous settings including private practice, private and public mental health agencies, and child welfare agencies. These professionals are in high demand with faster-than-normal career growth over the next decade. Social workers and others from allied mental health professions may seek a certification in marriage and family therapy (MFT). Learn more about marriage and family counseling.
Early 20th century social workers living and working in settlement houses provided immigrants with English language skills, job skills, and opportunities for self-advocacy and self-help. Today, immigrant social workers carry on the professional responsibility of working with diverse immigrant communities by connecting them with needed social services, resources, educational opportunities, child care, and job training.
Social workers who primarily work in immigrant communities, shelters, on the border, or in refugee communities may be employed by advocacy organizations, government, or nonprofit organizations. Being bilingual is an obvious critical qualification for working with immigrant communities.
Naturally, micro social work is closely related to macro social work in this field. Micro social workers understand the challenges and fears of legal and undocumented immigrants and can provide valuable insights during the policy-making process. A dual degree in law and social work may also be quite useful in working in this field. Learn how to become an immigration social worker.
International social work is a growing field as American social workers become increasingly interested in working with vulnerable populations in countries where they observe human rights being violated. International social workers may have a calling to work with refugees, impoverished children, or those suffering from curable disease or malnourishment. An increasing number of social work schools are offering students opportunities to study and serve abroad, which can further pique students’ interest in international social work.
There are limitless opportunities for micro practice abroad. On a macro level, international social workers are concerned with addressing inequalities and poverty in communities around the world. International social workers are interested in protecting basic human rights, providing equitable services, and dismantling systems of oppression. Environmental social work is closely linked to international social work, as more young social workers become interested in the plight of environmental refugees around the world. Learn more about how to become an international social worker.
Disability social workers help people with disabilities connect with the services and supports they need.
A disability social worker may work as an advocate for disability rights in the workplace. They may work as a coordinator for services or help clients apply for or obtain those services. They may work for a government or advocacy agency.