Clinical social workers: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more

Social workers who are licensed to diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders are called clinical social workers (CSW) or licensed clinical social workers (LCSW). They provide individual, group, family, and couples therapy; they work with clients to develop strategies to change behavior or cope with difficult situations; and they refer clients to other resources or services, such as support groups or other mental health professionals. Clinical social workers can develop treatment plans with the client, doctors, and other healthcare professionals and may adjust the treatment plan if necessary based on their clients progress. They may work in a variety of specialties. Clinical social workers who have not completed two years of supervised work are often called masters social workers (MSW).

The following are examples of types of social workers:

Job Outlook
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 15% (Much faster than average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.)
Licenses/Certifications
All states require clinical social workers to be licensed, and most states require licensure or certification for nonclinical social workers. Becoming a licensed clinical social worker requires a masters degree in social work and a minimum of 2 years of supervised clinical experience after graduation. After completing their supervised experience, clinical social workers must pass a clinical exam to be licensed.
Median pay: How much do Social Workers make?
$46,890 Annual Salary
$22.54 per hour

Careers for Social Workers

  • AIDS social workers
  • Bachelor's social workers
  • C-CYFSW
  • C-SWHC
  • Certified children, youth, and family social workers
  • Certified social workers in health care
  • Child abuse workers
  • Child and family services workers
  • Child and family social workers
  • Child protective services social workers
  • Child protective services specialists
  • Child welfare social workers
  • Child welfare workers
  • Community mental health social workers
  • Criminal justice social workers
  • Drug abuse social workers
  • Family preservation caseworkers
  • Family preservation workers
  • Family service caseworkers
  • Family services social workers
  • Forensic social workers
  • Foster care social workers
  • Foster care workers
  • Geriatric social workers
  • Gerontology social workers
  • Healthcare social workers
  • Hospice home care social workers
  • Hospice social workers
  • Hospital social workers
  • Licensed clinical social workers
  • Master's social workers
  • Medical social workers
  • Mental health and substance abuse social workers
  • Mental health social workers
  • Neonatal social workers
  • Nephrology social workers
  • Occupational social workers
  • Oncology social workers
  • Palliative care social workers
  • Pediatric social workers
  • Psychiatric social workers
  • Psychotherapist social workers
  • Public health social workers
  • Renal social workers
  • School social workers
  • Sexual assault social workers
  • Substance abuse social workers

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