Most in-Demand Social Work Jobs 

What Does a Licensed Social Worker Do?

Licensed social workers are altruism-driven, looking to work with the general population to help them solve and cope with a range of issues and conditions they encounter in their everyday lives. The work itself runs the gamut, from helping people struggling with physical and mental illnesses to addiction, homelessness, and poverty, for example.

Although it is possible to become a social worker with an associate’s degree, you’ll need to earn your bachelor’s degree first if you want to move on to earn your master’s degree. With a master’s degree in social work, you’ll be able to earn more money and enter the field of social work at the management level.

Careers in social work with a bachelor’s degree include the fields of child and family, school, healthcare, and mental health and substance abuse.

In choosing to earn your Bachelor of Social Work degree at UC Online, you’re setting yourself up for one of the top jobs in the country. You can work at the federal, state, or local level and in diverse populations in either small towns or big cities.

Social work areas and descriptions:

• Child and Family Welfare social workers work to protect the safekeeping of children in vulnerable situations through intervention, adoption, foster care, or reunification family arrangements. They can also help families find housing, food, or childcare services.
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse social workers help people with addictions or mental illnesses by helping to provide information about support groups or programs that can help them cope with or treat their illness.
• School Social Workers help the school administration, parents, and teachers develop plans to help students improve their academics or social behavior problems.
• Healthcare Social Workers work in hospitals or medical settings to help patients understand their diagnosis and to help them make plans to return back to their homes and make any necessary adjustments. They also provide information to patients that can help them better take care of their disease or illness.

Careers with a social work degree:

• Community Social Worker
• Child and Family Social Worker
• Healthcare Social Worker
• School Social Worker
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
• Group Social Worker

Social work careers with a bachelor’s degree average salary: (based off of bls.gov, median wage info from 2018)

• Child and Family and School: $46,270
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse: $44,840
• Healthcare Social Workers: $56,200
• All Other: $63,140

Skills required to enter social work careers:

Communication and listening

• Empathy
• Problem-solving
• Organizational
• Emotional intelligence
• Tolerance

List of places you might work: 

• Rehabilitation clinics
• Government agencies
• Hospices
• Mental health facilities
• Hospitals
• Schools

Difference in salary between a social worker with a bachelor’s degree vs. a master’s degree: (according to socialworkers.org)

The job market for all licensed social workers is predicted to grow 16% overall in the next six years, with the most growth occurring in child, family, and school; healthcare and medical; and mental health and substance abuse positions.

However, having earned a master’s degree in social work boosts your pay on average $13,000 annually versus your earnings with only a bachelor’s degree.

The University of Cincinnati Online’s Bachelor’ Degree of Social Work program makes it easy to earn your degree on your own time, then move on to earn your master’s degree (and a higher salary) when you’re ready.

License requirements:

Although licensing varies by state (so check the requirements for yours), you are required to be licensed to practice social work. To receive your license, you may have to:

• Perform a certain number of hours of supervised work
• Take and pass an exam
• Pursue continuous education opportunities

UCO Admissions requirements:

• Must have at least a 2.75 GPA
• Completed introductory coursework
• Have a minimum of 60 credit hours in social work, pre-social work, or a similar major or associate degree program.