...the Web's Best Job-Search Resources

Private And Public Social Workers Job Overview

Private and public social workers help people in need of assistance. They also assist people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, drug abuse or problems at home.

Private And Public Social Workers Schools and Degrees

A bachelor’s degree in social work is essential to get a job as a social worker. Those who major in psychology and sociology may also receive an entry-level job. A master’s degree in social work helps one advance in the profession and earn jobs in medical facilities. The Council on Social work education approved 458 bachelor’s curriculums and 181 master’s programs in 2006.

Job Requirements

Almost all the states have a requirement for licensing to allow social workers to practice. Most of them ask for clinical experience under supervision for about two years before earning licensure. Emphasis is also on the candidates understanding of cultural diversity, communication abilities and ethics in the profession.

Certification and credentials help those who work as private social workers. Credentials can be obtained from the National Association of Social Workers. Those with experience in social work and who possess a master’s degree may aspire for the credentials of Qualified Clinical Social Worker, Academy of Certified Social Workers or the Diplomate in Clinical Social Work.

Social workers need to be receptive and responsive to the problems of their clients, but at the same time they need to be emotionally stable to help people at a time of need. They also need to be objective regarding their work. It is important for them to be able to shoulder responsibility and also maintain good relationships with colleagues and clients.

Nature of Work

Private and public social workers might extend psychological assistance to help struggling children or families. They may help parents who are single, children who are orphaned or the elderly. Many public social workers support people to deal with diseases like cancer, AIDS or Alzheimer’s. Many also help those saddled with substance abuse problems.

Social workers spend a lot of their time at housing facilities or offices. When required, they travel to meet clients and those who provide service. Generally, they work for forty hours a week but may extend their work hours depending upon their work schedule and in cases of emergency. In many care facilities and hospitals they may need to work with people from different professions.

Private and Public Social Workers Jobs and Outlook

According to research in 2006, private and public social workers held about 595,000 jobs in the US. Employment is highest in the following industries:< /p>

• Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services
• General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
• Individual and Family Services
• Local Government (OES Designation)
• Residential Mental Retardation, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities

The mean hourly wage of private and public social workers is about $22.68, while the mean annual salary is around $47,170.

Job Numbers and Growth

There were about 66,000 private and public social workers across the US in 2008. Unemployment for workers was considered very low in the recent past, relative to other occupations. The percentage of employees unemployed in 2008 was 2%.

Area Job Conditions

The cities with the most private and public social workers per capita are Danville (Illinois), Madera (California), and Springfield (Illinois), while the worst cities are Hartford (Connecticut), Allentown (Pennsylvania), and Charlotte (North Carolina).

The highest salaries for workers are in and around Salinas (California), Vallejo (California), and Newark (New Jersey). The lowest-paying areas are Wheeling (West Virginia), Worcester (Massachusetts), and Albany (Georgia).

Training and Education

Education or job training for employees typically involves a bachelor's degree. At least 77% of private and public social workers had a degree of four or more years. About 16% of workers had some college below a bachelor's degree. An estimated 7% of employees had just a high-school diploma. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

An estimated 9% of private and public social workers work part-time. An estimated 3% of workers were self-employed.

Private And Public Social Workers by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)

In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.

Alabama

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Birmingham	$46,000	130	-45%
Tuscaloosa	$50,000	60	+49%

Arizona

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Phoenix	$61,000	290	-66%
Prescott	$53,000	50	+116%
Tucson	$63,000	80	-51%

Arkansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fort Smith	$41,000	30	-47%
Little Rock	$45,000	310	+87%

California

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bakersfield	$67,000	70	-43%
El Centro		40	+89%
Los Angeles	$59,000	4,060	+105%
Napa	$76,000	90	+231%
Oakland	$65,000	1,030	+112%
Sacramento	$56,000	1,550	+268%
Salinas	$78,000	30	-60%
San Diego	$61,000	840	+32%
San Francisco	$64,000	770	+59%
San Jose	$59,000	340	-22%
San Luis Obispo	$71,000	140	+237%
Santa Ana	$58,000	950	+34%
Santa Barbara	$38,000	60	-23%
Santa Cruz		70	+80%
Santa Rosa	$63,000	50	-38%
Stockton		320	+224%

Colorado

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Colorado Springs	$53,000	110	-8%
Denver	$48,000	430	-29%
Fort Collins	$36,000	50	-13%
Pueblo	$45,000	40	+64%

Connecticut

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bridgeport	$50,000	30	-85%
Hartford	$57,000	60	-78%
New Haven	$58,000	100	-23%
Norwich	$48,000	30	-47%

Delaware

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Wilmington	$62,000	110	-29%

District of Columbia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Washington	$56,000	740	-38%

Florida

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Coral	$52,000	40	-56%
Deltona	$44,000	80	+12%
Fort Lauderdale	$46,000	170	-50%
Gainesville	$65,000	70	+26%
Jacksonville	$53,000	150	-48%
Miami	$50,000	260	-46%
Orlando	$45,000	270	-45%
Palm Bay	$45,000	80	-14%
Pensacola	$54,000	70	+2%
Port St Lucie	$44,000	60	+10%
Sarasota	$43,000	100	-14%
Tallahassee	$43,000	40	-47%
Tampa	$55,000	300	-46%
West Palm Beach	$53,000	130	-48%

Georgia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Atlanta	$56,000	260	-77%
Augusta	$66,000	90	-7%

Hawaii

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Honolulu	$57,000	240	+13%

Idaho

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boise	$57,000	70	-44%
Lewiston	$52,000	40	+341%

Illinois

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Champaign	$49,000	80	+73%
Chicago	$53,000	3,260	+77%
Danville	$56,000	80	+636%
Decatur	$43,000	60	+214%
Kankakee	$53,000	40	+134%
Peoria	$51,000	150	+88%
Rockford	$61,000	90	+39%
Springfield	$52,000	250	+412%

Indiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Fort Wayne	$55,000	40	-58%
Gary	$42,000	90	-30%
Indianapolis	$48,000	260	-40%
Kokomo	$40,000	40	+149%

Iowa

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cedar Rapids	$39,000	60	-6%
Davenport	$55,000	70	-20%
Des Moines	$49,000	160	+1%
Iowa City	$55,000	50	+61%

Kansas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manhattan	$56,000	50	+125%
Topeka	$54,000	90	+79%
Wichita	$49,000	130	-5%

Kentucky

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Elizabethtown	$63,000	40	+115%
Lexington	$60,000	60	-47%
Louisville	$65,000	80	-73%

Louisiana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Alexandria	$63,000	70	+151%
Baton Rouge	$48,000	280	+56%
Lafayette	$49,000	50	-24%
New Orleans	$50,000	280	+9%

Maine

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lewiston	$33,000	50	+133%
Portland	$49,000	190	+101%

Maryland

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Baltimore	$65,000	650	+2%
Bethesda	$55,000	200	-29%

Massachusetts

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Boston	$55,000	530	-38%
Brockton	$46,000	130	+222%
Framingham	$42,000	40	-47%
Haverhill	$47,000	40	+9%
Springfield	$75,000	60	-58%
Worcester	$39,000	200	+67%

Michigan

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ann Arbor		180	+131%
Battle Creek	$58,000	70	+217%
Bay City	$43,000	40	+203%
Detroit	$53,000	390	+20%
Flint	$35,000	120	+100%
Grand Rapids	$46,000	240	+32%
Lansing	$48,000	40	-57%
Muskegon	$45,000	70	+191%
Saginaw	$59,000	60	+64%
Warren	$56,000	340	-35%

Minnesota

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Minneapolis	$62,000	280	-68%

Mississippi

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Jackson	$69,000	40	-67%

Missouri

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cape Girardeau	$35,000	70	+274%
Columbia	$45,000	70	+97%
Kansas City	$46,000	280	-43%
Springfield	$35,000	70	-22%
St Joseph		30	+38%
St Louis	$43,000	470	-28%

Montana

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Billings	$42,000	100	+167%
Great Falls	$43,000	50	+231%
Missoula	$40,000	80	+258%

Nebraska

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lincoln	$41,000	120	+61%
Omaha	$46,000	150	-34%

Nevada

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Las Vegas	$45,000	270	-35%
Reno		100	+11%

New Hampshire

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Manchester	$55,000	50	+7%

New Jersey

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Camden	$48,000	130	-49%
Edison	$58,000	120	-76%
Newark	$53,000	270	-45%
Trenton	$54,000	60	-44%

New Mexico

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albuquerque	$49,000	150	-19%
Farmington	$30,000	90	+328%

New York

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Albany	$57,000	420	+93%
Buffalo	$49,000	1,000	+273%
Elmira	$42,000	40	+154%
Glens Falls	$44,000	80	+258%
Ithaca	$48,000	80	+369%
Kingston	$49,000	30	+15%
Nassau	$57,000	1,550	+151%
New York	$58,000	6,120	+141%
Poughkeepsie	$58,000	520	+344%
Rochester	$49,000	1,020	+317%
Syracuse	$52,000	620	+314%

North Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Asheville	$47,000	110	+33%
Charlotte	$43,000	60	-86%
Durham	$56,000	120	-9%
Greenville	$40,000	60	+103%
Hickory	$36,000	40	-41%
Raleigh	$42,000	130	-48%
Winston Salem	$43,000	60	-40%

Ohio

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Akron	$39,000	270	+75%
Canton	$37,000	100	+29%
Cincinnati	$46,000	720	+46%
Cleveland	$51,000	590	+18%
Columbus	$43,000	710	+58%
Dayton	$46,000	250	+36%
Lima	$50,000	40	+79%
Mansfield	$47,000	80	+262%
Toledo	$44,000	340	+142%
Youngstown	$53,000	160	+49%

Oklahoma

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Lawton	$61,000	70	+312%
Oklahoma City	$33,000	330	+18%
Tulsa	$42,000	110	-47%

Oregon

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bend	$41,000	40	+46%
Eugene	$41,000	120	+84%
Medford	$50,000	80	+133%
Portland	$49,000	1,000	+101%
Salem	$38,000	170	+146%

Pennsylvania

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Erie	$53,000	40	-32%
Lebanon	$60,000	50	+161%
Philadelphia	$67,000	310	-67%
Pittsburgh	$55,000	200	-64%
Scranton	$61,000	50	-60%
York	$34,000	40	-52%

Rhode Island

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Providence	$58,000	150	-44%

South Carolina

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Charleston	$57,000	160	+16%
Columbia	$52,000	170	+1%
Florence	$44,000	70	+99%
Greenville	$45,000	110	-23%

Tennessee

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Chattanooga	$41,000	30	-72%
Clarksville	$64,000	60	+73%
Johnson City	$55,000	90	+184%
Memphis	$53,000	150	-50%
Nashville	$52,000	260	-28%

Texas

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Austin	$34,000	270	-29%
Beaumont	$35,000	100	+33%
Brownsville		40	-33%
Corpus Christi	$41,000	50	-40%
Dallas	$47,000	530	-48%
El Paso	$47,000	120	-8%
Fort Worth	$48,000	300	-29%
Houston	$60,000	510	-60%
Killeen	$69,000	140	+137%
Mcallen	$41,000	50	-54%
San Antonio	$50,000	440	+4%
Tyler	$35,000	50	+23%
Victoria	$33,000	40	+97%
Waco	$52,000	60	+33%

Utah

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Ogden	$39,000	100	+7%
Salt Lake City	$46,000	320	+8%

Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Blacksburg	$35,000	70	+165%
Lynchburg	$48,000	40	-10%
Richmond	$56,000	190	-36%
Roanoke	$60,000	80	+10%
Virginia Beach	$58,000	140	-62%

Washington

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Bellingham	$52,000	80	+146%
Bremerton	$54,000	90	+143%
Kennewick	$50,000	90	+99%
Olympia	$54,000	120	+169%
Seattle	$50,000	1,290	+88%
Spokane	$52,000	310	+221%
Tacoma	$56,000	520	+313%
Wenatchee	$55,000	60	+273%
Yakima	$53,000	160	+329%

West Virginia

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Huntington	$61,000	50	-4%
Wheeling	$43,000	50	+76%

Wisconsin

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Madison	$60,000	100	-38%
Milwaukee	$55,000	260	-36%

Wyoming

City and Area	Median Salary	Employees	Job Density
Cheyenne	$51,000	80	+352%