There are many types of social workers, and students working toward earning an MSW degree must look ahead to what kind of social work career they’d like to pursue after graduation. If you want to become a clinical social worker or school social worker, there’s a growing number of roles for these professions, as well as growing opportunities to become a medical social worker.
Before you pursue a social work career in the healthcare industry, learn more about your career outlook in this rewarding field and find out how you can prepare for medical social worker jobs when you earn your Master of Social Work.
Today’s Healthcare Social Worker Career Outlook
Medical social workers play a critical role in our healthcare system, helping patients understand their medical diagnoses and navigate the system so that they get the care and assistance they need. Professionals in this area of social work practice also work with doctors and nurses to understand how an illness or disease may affect a patient’s mental or emotional health.
The outlook for social worker jobs in the United States is strong and growing much faster than average. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the field of social work is expected to see a 16% growth in jobs between 2016 and 2026, adding more than 109,000 new jobs.1 The job growth rate for healthcare social workers is even higher, and is set to grow 20% by 2026 and add 35,400 new jobs.2
While the median annual pay for social workers was $47,980 in May 2017, healthcare social workers earned a higher median yearly salary of $54,870. Those in the top 10% in the field earn an average wage of $81,560.3 In addition, social workers working in state, local, and private hospitals and ambulatory healthcare services earned more on average than those working in individual and family services. California, New York, Massachusetts, Texas, and Ohio have the country’s highest employment levels for social work jobs in healthcare.
Earn Your MSW Online
For entry-level social work jobs, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in social work, but with an advanced social work degree you can develop the assessment and management skills you’ll need for clinical positions in social work practice.
Walden University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program is among the online MSW programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).4 Walden is an excellent option for students interested in the benefits of distance learning who want to earn their MSW online. With a curriculum designed to prepare students for licensure, Walden gives students what they need to develop the in-demand, foundational skills needed for social worker jobs such as licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), school social worker, and medical social worker.
When you enroll in Walden’s online MSW degree program, you can choose from three speeds in which to complete your MSW degree, including an accelerated option as well as an option that limits your workload to one or two online classes per term.
It’s a great time to earn a degree and pursue a rewarding social work career. Find out now how a degree from Walden can get you on your way.
Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Expand your career options and earn your master’s degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
1Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm#tab-1
2Source: www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-workers.htm#tab-6
3Source: www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211022.htm#st
4Source: www.cswe.org/Accreditation/Directory-of-Accredited-Programs/Online-and-Distance-Education
Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.