13. Can You Make $100k as a Social Worker?

In this episode, we’re diving into salary data from over 700 social workers who filled out our anonymous income survey. We talk about who’s hitting six figures, where they live, what jobs they have, and how long they’ve been in the field. But it’s not only about the numbers... we also get into the very real barriers social workers face when it comes to increasing income: expensive licensing processes, low starting pay, and a serious lack of salary transparency in MSW programs.Takeaways From This Episode:Yes, some social workers make over $100K — but they’re still the minority (~14%)Most six-figure earners are licensed, have 10+ years of experience, and/or work in hospitals or federal rolesHalf of the salaries reported fell between $30K–$60K... which is unacceptable, especially for folks with master’s degreesState and cost of living play a big role in how much social workers are paidMSW programs need to start talking about money, not just “self-care”Mentioned resources:Check out the affiliated blog post for the full list of resources mentioned in this episode and the unedited transcript. Social Work to Wealth Newsletter — a newsletter for the social worker wanting to level up their career and money. Find Social Work to Wealth on: Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest. Disclaimer: The information presented in this podcast & on any affiliated platforms are for educational, informational, & entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice. Consuming this content does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice pertaining to your particular situation, consult one-on-one with an attorney.

What this episode covers

In this episode, we’re diving into salary data from over 700 social workers who filled out our https://socialworktowealth.com/social-work-salaries/ (anonymous income survey). We talk about who’s hitting six figures, where they live, what jobs they have, and how long they’ve been in the field. But it’s not only about the numbers... we also get into the very real barriers social workers face when it comes to increasing income: expensive licensing processes, low starting pay, and a serious lack of salary transparency in MSW programs. Takeaways From This Episode: Yes, some social workers make over $100K — but they’re still the minority (~14%) Most six-figure earners are licensed, have 10+ years of experience, and/or work in hospitals or federal roles Half of the salaries reported fell between $30K–$60K... which is unacceptable, especially for folks with master’s degrees State and cost of living play a big role in how much social workers are paid MSW programs need to start talking about money, not just “self-care” Mentioned resources: Check out https://socialworktowealth.com/13-can-you-make-100k-as-a-social-worker-podcast-episode (the affiliated blog post) for the full list of resources mentioned in this episode and the unedited transcript. https://socialworktowealth.myflodesk.com/podcast (Social Work to Wealth Newsletter) — a newsletter for the social worker wanting to level up their career and money. Find Social Work to Wealth on: https://instagram.com/socialworktowealth (Instagram), https://www.youtube.com/@socialworktowealth (Youtube), https://www.facebook.com/socialworktowealth (Facebook), and https://pinterest.com/socialworktowealth (Pinterest). Disclaimer: The information presented in this podcast and on any affiliated platforms are for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice. Consuming this content does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice pertaining to your particular situation, consult one-on-one with an attorney.