Social workers (work, company, salaries, interest)

[mlammons]

I will be completing school with a BSW next spring. If anyone is comfortable with this, would you mind telling me how much you make and where you are?

[Tracysherm]

I have my Master's in SW, so I'm not sure what amount you can expect to earn with the BSW. It also depends on the field of SW you will be going into, the state you live in, etc. I'm assuming you already know that you chose a field that people work in because they love what they do and not because they expect to get rich

My company and similar behavioral health agencies in NJ and PA would have entry level bachelor's positions paying somewhere between the high 20's to maybe 30,000. This is behavioral health, which pays more than some human services fields, and less than others.

Also, the cost of living is high in NJ & PA, and other areas in the US. In the mid-west or south, the salaries will likely be lower.

My advice is go for bachelor's position that really interests you, get acquainted with the field and type of work you like to do, then get your MSW. Many human service agencies have tuition reimbursement, and you can even go to school part time while still working full time.

After two years in mental health with my BA, I was convinced this is what I love. I know a bunch of people who went straight from the bachelor's to grad school, and they had no clue what populations and areas they really wanted to work with.

[mlammons]

I am definitly going to go on and get an MSW. And yes, I am in this because I love the field. I know I'll never make a lot of money but that's not what matters to me.

It sounds like good advice to work for a couple of years first.