Social work combines both academics and professionalism. Social work is an academic discipline and a profession. The profession connects the workers to several other professions like health, education, religion, law, and society, among others.
A social worker is a person who is involved in the lifestyles of children, adults, the vulnerable, the disabled, elderly. By this, it means that a social worker seeks to enable better lives for individuals and families.
Hence, the social worker assists their clients going through challenges. They also support some advocacies on abuse, human rights, and mental health for communities and individuals.
The profession is among some of the longstanding professions in the United States. Social work has been practiced for over 120 years in the USA.
This article will discuss the highest-paid social workers and the 10 best careers in social work.
Table of contents
- Ten Best Careers in Social Work
- #1. Ambulatory care social worker
- #2. Marriage and family counselor
- #3. Children welfare social worker
- #4. Community outreach social worker
- #5. Substance abuse and mental health social worker
- #6. Corporate social responsibility
- #7. School social worker
- #8. Social worker supervisor
- #9. Licensed clinical social worker (LCSWW)
- #10. Academics
- Can a social worker make $100,000?
- Where do social workers make the most money?
- What is a social worker’s average salary?
- What state has the highest-paid social workers?
- Top 10 countries with the highest paid social workers in 2023
- Conclusion
- FAQs Highest Paid Social Workers in 2023
- References
- Recommendations
Are you thinking of studying or getting trained as a social worker? Do you have an interest in advocacy and helping others?
There are many specializations of the social work profession that you can focus on.
Whether it’s a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work (BSW) or a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW), here are ten of the most popular careers in social work.
Any of these careers may place you among the highest-paid social workers in the U.S. Ambulatory care social work.
As an ambulatory care social worker, you can offer assistance in healthcare facilities. Ambulatory care social work is a career in medical social work.
Social workers in this field help patients who are elderly or those living with life-threatening diseases to navigate their illness period.
A person who is an ambulatory care social worker would also assist patients who cannot take care of themselves during sickness to the recovery period.
They also help their patients to get proper treatment plans and good in-home healthcare services.
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#2. Marriage and family counselor
Another amazing career you may focus on in social work is marriage and family counseling.
A marriage and family counselor in social work combines legal and social functions. As a marriage and family counselor, you would be responsible for couples and families.
You also offer solutions for families and couples experiencing marital challenges. Likewise, the social worker also must help partners understand life and interpersonal differences.
This is one of the highest-paid social workers careers to pursue if you enjoy love with healthy bonds and relationships.
Social work careers also include children’s welfare. A child welfare social worker focuses on child development. They also offer support to vulnerable, abused, behavioral dysfunctional children.
Such people are involved in several advocacies that concern children especially abuse, violence, education, and displacement. You may also help children get foster or adoptive homes.
This is another highest-paid social worker career. It is for those who enjoy taking the stage in any activity.
Community outreach social workers are always on the front stage regarding advocacies. They are often intermediaries between organizations, states, and communities.
You may choose the mental health and substance abuse path in social work. Those who work in this field are often therapists and counselors for substance abuse and mental health.
The need to help people maintain proper mental health and reduce substance abuse can spur this career. The job opens you to several opportunities in different sectors.
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This is one of the growing opportunities in social work. Corporate social responsibility also brings you to the community.
You make a positive impact on society and your environment as a CSR social worker. You also get to work mostly in private organizations.
A child who is having educational challenges needs a school social worker. School social workers help children to cope with mental health, academic challenges, and behavioral health in the school.
Social work supervisor specializes in leadership roles in social work. You will help young social work professionals build up every stage of their careers.
A social work supervisor takes up supervisory, counseling, and management of social work students or young staff.
The role of a licensed clinical social worker looks similar to a psychologist or therapist. The difference is that an LSCW applies a social approach to treating their patients.
#10. Academics
This also is among the leading careers in social work. In Academics, you may decide to be a professor of Social work. Amd, your duties will be to educate and train in the education sector.
Also read: Top 10 Colleges with The Highest Paid Graduates in the World
Social work is a profession with an amazingly diverse range of employment opportunities. Although social work contributes tremendously to society, the payment often does not match the accomplishments and background of the employees.
This, however, does not dispute that there are still very rewarding and well-compensated opportunities in social work.
Since there are several careers in social work, salaries and payments may also differ across states in the U.S. A part of social work may have the highest-paid social workers while others do not.
There are instances where you can make an average salary of $100,000 annually. The state in which you live might also determine the level of salary you receive.
Most social workers in the medical sector, especially ambulatory care social workers, earn about $100,000 median salary every year. Social workers who hold top managerial positions are also among the people that would earn this amount.
You may also accrue wealth from the profession as a private or consultant social worker.
A social worker’s salary results from many factors like the industry and positions. State and specialty.
Most often, the industry determines the payout of a social worker.
Social workers who are among the highest-paid social workers are in medical sectors, federal executive positions, insurance companies, and brokerages.
These highest-paid social workers draw a median salary of about $90,800.
As of May 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the annual average salary of social workers to be $64,940.
On average, the highest-paid social workers receive a median pay of about $51,760.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 13%of the U.S. workforce is social workers.
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The location of social workers can determine if they will be among the highest-paid social workers. In the United States, there is no fixed payment structure for social workers across all the states.
Salaries in each state also differ according to the specialties.
While some states may pay higher for children, families, and school workers. They may not pay higher for healthcare social workers.
Among all the states in the U.S, Los Angeles, CA, has the highest-paid social workers in all fields of social work.
Here are 10 countries with the highest-paid social workers. These countries are very suitable for the social work profession.
#1. United States of America
In the United States, social workers receive an annual average salary of $59,461. These combine entry-level, average-earning, and senior-level social workers.
#2. Vietnam
In a year, a social worker makes about $56,395 in Vietnam.
#3. Russia
A social worker in Russia would make about $49,980 annually. This brings Russia to number 3 with the highest-paid social workers.
#4. Australia
Social workers in Australia earn an average base salary of $65,634 (AUD) per year, equivalent to $49,100 (USD).
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#5. Germany
With the median social worker’s salary of £39,135, Germany is the fifth country in the world with the highest-paid social workers of all types.
This income is equivalent to $46,431 (USD).
#6. Canada
Canada ranks sixth among the top 10 countries with the highest-paid social workers. Canadian social workers’ salary is about $56,750 (CAD).
This salary is equivalent to $45,533 (USD).
#7. Hong Kong
Social workers in Hong Kong receive an average salary of $321,114 (HKD) or $41,367 (USD) annually.
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#8. The Netherlands
The Netherlands is the eighth country with the highest-paid social workers. The average social worker’s salary in the Netherlands is £34,817 annually. This equals $41,308 (USD)
#9. France
The annual median salary of social workers in France is £34,706. This converts to about $41,176 (USD).
#10. Italy
Following closely France as the next country with the highest-paid social workers in Italy. The annual average salary of social workers is £31,249, equivalent to $37,074.88 (USD).
Conclusion
Social work is a growing profession with wide specialties. It is one profession that cannot go extinct in the US because of its relevance in other fields.
People will always need professionals to help them navigate and cope with many life problems.
No matter the state you are in, you can have a field of social work to explore. You may be lucky to stay in the state with the highest-paid social workers.
Social workers who are among the highest-paid social workers are medical sectors, federal executive positions, insurance companies, and brokerages.
Social worker salary
As of May 2020, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the annual average salary of social workers to be $64,940.
Sometimes you can make an average salary of $100,000 annually. The state in which you live might also determine the level of salary you receive.
Most social workers in the medical sector, especially ambulatory care social workers, earn about $100,000 median salary every year. Social workers who hold top managerial positions are also among the people that would earn this amount.
References
- https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/
- https://www.humanservicesedu.org/
- www.city-data.com/forum.work-employment/
- https://www.socialworkguide.org/
- www.bestmswprograms.com/
- https://www.salaryexpert.com/
- https://www.indeed.com/career/
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