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Social Workers


Overview

Social Workers

Introduction

Social workers help people and assist communities in solving problems. These problems include poverty, racism, discrimination, physical and mental illness, addiction, and abuse. They counsel individuals and families, they lead group sessions, they research social problems, and they develop policy and programs. Social workers are dedicated to empowering people and helping them to preserve their dignity and worth. Approximately 713,200 social workers are employed in the United States. Social workers may also be known as case worke...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$50,470

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Bachelor's Degree


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Experience

Volunteer or Internship experience


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Skills

Interpersonal
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Personality Traits

Helpful
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Earnings

The more education a social worker has completed, the more money he or she stands to make in the profession. The area of practice also determines earnings; healthcare social workers typically earn higher median annual salaries than those specializing in child, family, and school social work or mental health and substance abuse. Salaries also vary among regions. Social workers on the east and we...

Work Environment

Social workers do not always work at a desk. When they do, they may be interviewing clients, writing reports, or conferring with other staff members. Depending on the size of the agency, office duties such as writing letters, filing, and answering phones may be performed by an aide or volunteer. Social workers employed at shelters or halfway houses may spend most of their time with clients, tut...

Outlook

The field of social work is expected to grow 13 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations through 2029, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The greatest factor for this growth is the increased number of older people who are in need of social services. Social workers that specialize in gerontology will find many job opportunities in nursing homes, hospitals, and home healt...