Social Workers

American Board of Clinical Social Work (ABCSW)

A certifying body for clinical social workers.

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

The board that administers the licensing examination required for clinical social workers.

Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD)

A certification available through the American Board of Clinical Social Work (ABCSW), representing one of four specializations in clinical practice.

Bachelor's Degree in Social Work (BSW)

The most common minimum requirement for entry-level jobs as a social worker.

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC)

A key term related to social work services.

Clinical social worker (CSW)

A type of social worker that typically requires a master's degree and two years of post-master's experience in a supervised clinical setting.

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

An organization that provides information on education programs and careers for social work and human service assistants.

Doctorate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW)

An advanced degree in social work offered by programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Emotional stress

A factor that may affect the quality of a social worker's work, often mitigated by employee assistance programs (EAPs).

Employee assistance programs (EAPs)

Programs that help people cope with job-related pressures or personal problems.

Human Service Board-Certified Practitioner (HS-BCP)

A certification for those who provide services to clients and have educational backgrounds ranging from a certificate to a graduate degree.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

A designation for social workers who hold a Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) and are eligible to be licensed.

Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW)

The degree required to be eligible to sit for the licensed social worker examination (LCSW).

Social work planners and policy makers

Roles in social work where individuals develop and implement programs to address issues such as child abuse, homelessness, and substance abuse.

Licensure requirement for social workers

Required in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and all Canadian provinces to practice and use the title.

Experience needed for clinical licensure

Two years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience after earning a master's degree.

Total social worker employment in 2019

713,200 jobs.

Industry employing the largest percentage of social workers (2019)

Individual and family services (18%).

Projected employment growth for all social workers (2019-2029)

13% growth.

Social work specialty with the highest projected growth (2019-2029)

Mental health and substance abuse social workers (17%).

Median annual wages for all social workers (May 2020)

$51,760.

Median annual wages for social and human service assistants (May 2020)

$35,960.

Industry employing the largest percentage of Social and Human Service Assistants (2019)

Individual and family services (30%).

Projected employment change for Social and Human Service Assistants (2019-2029)

Expected to grow by 17%, adding 71,500 jobs.

Educational requirement for Social and Human Service Assistants

Minimum requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent, though some employers prefer a worker with a bachelor's degree or additional experience.

Advanced roles sought by social workers with doctoral degrees

Administrator, educator, or researcher roles.