For those who are interested in talking with people, listening to problems and helping those in distress, social work may be a promising career. Social workers work in a variety of settings, including schools, mental health clinics, government agencies, hospitals, nonprofits and private practice. While all these settings will have you working with people in your community, each line of work offers its own rewards as the demands vary from one environment to the next.

There are many options for pursuing a career in social work, ranging from health care to education. To learn more about the career outlook for social workers across sectors, keep reading.

Social workers help people overcome challenges in their lives. They are involved in a wide range of circumstances, from the adoption of a child to the death of a loved one. There are, however, a variety of types. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does a great job defining the different types of social workers.

Bachelor’s social workers (BSW) can work with community organizations, groups of individuals and policymakers on programs and services. Other social workers are able to diagnose and treat mental, behavioral and emotional disorders; these are clinical social workers (CSW) or licensed clinical social workers (LCSW).  Those who have completed a masters in social work program and passed the required examinations are considered an MSW.

CSWs can provide individual, family, group and couples therapy and often work with clients to change behaviors, better cope with emotions or work through difficult situations. Clinical social workers often collaborate with doctors and other health care professionals to form treatment plans.

Recent national workforce data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) indicate that many social workers intend to remain in the field. In its workforce study series published in July 2025, only about 4% of non-licensed social workers said they planned to leave the social work profession in the next two years. The same series also found that among Clinical social workers, more than 81% reported being satisfied with their supervision experience, a key factor linked to retention and workplace satisfaction.

Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the BLS. This demand spikes even higher for health care social workers, which is expected to grow 8% over the same period, and for mental health and substance abuse social workers, which is expected to grow 10% over the same period.

In order to access those in-demand jobs, many employers require that you obtain a master’s degree in social work. A bachelor’s in social work will open the door to some jobs, especially macro social work like policy advising, but to work in a clinical setting like a hospital or school, you’ll need to obtain a master’s degree.

In July 2025, the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) released findings from the 2024 Social Work Census / Social Work Workforce Survey, developed with input from a broad Social Work Workforce Coalition, including the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). In the resulting workforce study series, the largest shares of social workers were concentrated in settings that align with many of the field’s biggest hiring pipelines, especially individual and family services (33.09%), outpatient and residential care or nursing facilities (14.67%), administration of human resource programs (14.03%), hospitals (10.79%), and K–12 schools or higher education (7.36%).

These positions are typically only available to those who have obtained a master’s degree in social work. It is worth noting that a bachelor’s degree in social work is not required to enter most MSW programs; one can pursue a master’s from a variety of backgrounds.

As noted, there are various settings for those who want to work in social work. Some settings, like mental health and substance abuse, pay significantly less than other areas, such as health care. Here are the five highest-paying social work fields.

Social workers employed in hospitals had some of the highest median annual wages in the social work profession as of May 2024, earning $68,090, according to the BLS. This includes workers who worked in state, local and private institutions and combines both clinical social workers with master’s social workers.

Another strong industry for social workers is state and local government agencies. As of May 2024, the median annual wage for local government social workers (excluding schools and hospitals) was $65,920, and the median salary for state government social workers was $59,630, according to the BLS.

Want to work in health care but prefer to stay out of a hospital? Outpatient (ambulatory) settings, such as clinics, community health centers, specialty practices, and outpatient behavioral health programs, can be a strong fit for social workers seeking patient-facing work with more predictable schedules.While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t publish a separate “outpatient social worker” wage category, many of these roles align with healthcare social workers. According to the BLS, healthcare social workers earned a median annual salary of $68,090 in May 2024 (the most recent data available as of May 2024).

If you are interested in working with children and families, a child or school social worker role may be a good fit. The average child, family or school social worker makes a median annual wage of $58,570 as of May 2024, according to the BLS.

If working for an agency or institution isn’t a great option for you, there is always individual social work. Individual social workers work with single patients and consult with other health care professionals. In May 2024, the median annual salary for individual and family social workers was $51,430, according to the BLS.

While seeking higher-earning opportunities may be a top priority, the BLS reports that miscellaneous “other” social workers have the highest median salaries because jobs vary widely. The median annual salary for social workers who are not child, family, school, mental health, health care or substance abuse counselors was $69,480 in May 2024. There are many jobs you can apply to if you have a master’s of social work. The NASW includes several specialty practice sections in which many members participate. These include some of the many  possible careers for social workers:

The national median annual wage for social workers was $61,330 in May 2024, as indicated by the BLS. The lowest 10% of earners earned less than $41,580, and the highest 10% earned more than $99,500.

Salaries for social workers can vary widely depending on where you live and the type of employer. Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $61,330 for social workers (May 2024). But within a single state, starting pay can vary by location: for example, the New York State Office of Mental Health lists higher minimum salaries in NYC-area counties than elsewhere in New York, such as $75,432 vs. $72,032 for Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSWs) (effective May 2024).

If you’re looking for top dollar as a social worker in the United States, you may want to move. Here are the highest-paying states for social workers (as of May 2024), according to the BLS.

Information last updated: January 2026