Five High Paying Jobs I Can Get With an MSW Degree

High Paying Jobs With an MSW Degree

• Clinical Social Worker

• Healthcare Social Worker

• Social Service Permanency Worker

• School Social Worker

• Substance Abuse Counselor

Earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) is the most ideal path towards finding high paying jobs in the field of social work. Although pursuing an MSW requires completing several years of education, as well as field work and internships, it also puts the individual in a position to choose from various high-paying and rewarding jobs. Here are five high paying jobs you can get with an MSW degree.

Clinical Social Worker

A clinical social worker works with medical and public health issues, acts as an advocate for patients and helps them understand health care policies and resources while assisting them in finding appropriate treatment. The clinical social worker also helps them prevent future health care issues. Their daily work also includes a lot of paperwork and research, which assists them in diagnosing and treating emotional, mental and behavioral disorders. U.S. News & World Report ranks this job #5 among best social service jobs and #63 among the top 100 best jobs. Clinical social workers earned median wages of $56,871 to $77,191 or more as of a March, 2018 report by Salary.com.

Healthcare Social Worker

Healthcare social workers provide patients and their families with psychosocial and emotional support to help cope with acute, chronic and terminal illnesses. They also advise family caregivers on best care techniques, provide them with counseling and patient education and provide the patients with referrals for additional services they may need. Healthcare social workers provide case management and interventions aimed at preventing diseases and promoting healthier living. As of May 2016, healthcare social workers earned a median annual salary of $53,760 as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Child and Family Social Worker

Child and family social workers devote their time to improving the quality of life for children and helping underprivileged children have a better life. They often deal with issues such as poverty, homelessness, abuse, illness and discrimination. Child and family social workers may assist with finalizing a child’s adoption or removing a child from an abusive home or just making sure the children are eating healthy. They try to ensure children and their families are able to function in a socially and psychologically healthy way. U.S. News & World Report ranks child and family social works #6 among best social service jobs and #71 among the top 100 best jobs. A May 2016 BLS report indicates that these professionals earned a median annual wage of $43,250 with some earning $75,140 or more.

School Social Worker

School social workers work with students to ensure the students are able to cope with the demands of school while helping them overcome any obstacles that could affect their academic and social success. School social workers also assess, develop and implement school programs for the district as well as individual students as necessary. They also spend a lot of time working with at-risk and special needs students. School social workers work with abused and neglected children as well and help assist classroom teachers in working with students. These social workers earned wages of $27,800 to $75,140 or more in 2016.

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor

Substance abuse counselors provide support and treatment for those suffering from addictions like drugs and alcohol. They also help individuals dealing with behavior problems or eating disorders. These counselors consult with family members of patients and help guide them as they integrate back into their normal lives after treatment. They also discuss the best treatment options for patients and may run outreach programs to prevent others from becoming addicted. According to the bureau’s 2016 report, substance abuse counselors earned wages that ranged from $26,210 to $65,080 or more. The BLS also predicts these counselors could see job growth of 20 percent from 2016-2026.

Social work is a field that deals with many agencies and offers various job titles from which to choose. Although it can be a demanding field, it can also be very rewarding, Earning the MSW degree also offers you the options of some very high paying jobs in this field.