Increase your earning potential: the highest-paying social work jobs

The social work industry is extremely broad, offering a wealth of career opportunities for individuals who want to make a difference in their communities. Whether you're interested in health care, sociology, finance, or administration, there's a place for you in social work.

Some people associate social work with low-paying career paths, but this isn't the case. Some of the highest-paying social work jobs have six-figure salaries. Earnings vary based on industry and location, but there are many opportunities to command a competitive wage while enjoying a satisfying career. Find your perfect position with one of these jobs in social work that pay well.

Health services administrator

The health care sector offers some of the best-paying options in the social services industry. A health services administrator enjoys an average annual salary of $128,000.

Health services administrators oversee operations and administrative activities in healthcare facilities. This includes maintaining employee schedules, managing budgets, organizing patient records, following healthcare regulations, and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws. Health services administrators also evaluate patient satisfaction and outcomes to ensure the facility serves its community well. These administrators put forward recommendations to other decision-makers to improve the organization in numerous areas, from streamlining the budget to providing healthier in-patient menus.

Health services administrators typically need a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and some may require a master's degree. Those with a background in social work are best suited to health care facilities in underserved communities that administer programs to help at-risk populations.

Grants administrator

Many organizations engaged in social work rely on grants to fund their work. Grants administrators are crucial to these groups as they handle all aspects of applying for, receiving, and utilizing grants. This includes identifying grant opportunities, submitting proposals, tracking the grant process, and properly allocating funds when received. Grants administrators may also be responsible for distributing grant money from within the organization when such funds are provided to others.

Grants administrators must have excellent research, writing, and organization skills. These professionals typically need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. It's also helpful to pursue credentials such as the Certified Grants Management Specialist designation from the National Grants Management Association. Grants administrators have an average salary of $115,000.

“Real-world experience with the type of social work you're teaching will make your classes more powerful.”

Professor

Educational institutions need experienced social work professionals to train the next generation of students. If you have a strong educational background in social work and experience in teaching, you're a great candidate for this type of work. As a professor of social work, you can command an average salary of $99,000. This career path is an excellent long-term goal if you're interested in charting your course toward high-paying social work jobs.

To become a professor, you typically need a doctorate in social work or a related field as well as certification or licensure in social work and related areas such as alcohol and drug counseling. Real-world experience with the type of social work you're teaching will make your classes more powerful.

Social services director

A social services director receives an average annual salary of $79,500. This job can take many forms but typically involves managing the daily operations of an office of social work. The director completes social service assessments, organizes social service programs, manages care plans, and coordinates with home care agencies and other providers. Depending on the nature of the facility, the director may also manage outreach programs, organize fundraising events, and develop administrative policies.

Social services directors may work in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and other care facilities. To become a social services director, you typically need a bachelor's degree in social work or a related field and some field experience relevant to the type of facility that you want to work in. You must also have certification as a Licensed Bachelor's Social Worker.

Clinical coordinator

A clinical coordinator works in a health care setting overseeing the clinical staff and medical programs administered in that environment. Tasks include scheduling employees, managing supplies, and maintaining budgets. Clinical coordinators may also be responsible for evaluating program effectiveness, assessing long-term outcomes, and reviewing employee performance. The coordinator can implement training and development programs to improve the effectiveness of patient care.

Clinical coordinators have an average salary of $68,000. These employees usually need a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Many employers either require a master's degree or ask that employees obtain a master's degree within two years of being hired. Clinical coordinators must also have outstanding organizational, delegation, and interpersonal skills. Proficiency with common software programs for scheduling and budgeting is important as well.

Social worker

A social worker's career can take many forms. While the average salary for a social worker is $63,000 a year, you can earn significantly more in certain specialties. Social workers typically focus on a certain client base. Within that demographic, the social worker assesses the individual's situation and connects them with relevant community resources. This can range from helping single mothers find affordable child care and food assistance programs to supporting recovering addicts by enrolling them in recovery programs.

If you have a passion for serving a particular community, you can likely find a social work career that's focused on that area. Psychiatric social workers support patients who need mental health services while medical social workers assist those who need care and support for chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. An adoption social worker approves prospective families for adoption and helps connect them with children in foster care who are in need of a home. You must have a Bachelor of Social Work and an applicable license for the field you're working in.

Social researcher

Social researchers strive to understand individuals' behaviors. They typically extrapolate their findings to determine how government or private agencies can improve social problems. Social researchers might address questions such as why an illness is having a disproportionate impact on a certain segment of the population or how new laws will impact behavior within a particular community. Social researchers utilize past studies and publications and their own ongoing investigations to answer such questions.

Job responsibilities include conducting interviews, organizing focus groups, and administering questionnaires or surveys. The researchers must then evaluate their findings, interpret the data, and create reports or presentations communicating their conclusions. This job comes with an average salary of $58,000. Social researchers need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in social science. They should also have outstanding analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Policy analyst

Policy analysts evaluate either potential policies or those recently implemented to assess how they will impact communities. Analysts share their findings with government officials and the public to better inform future decision-making. Policy analysts often work for a particular organization and focus their research on policies that pertain to the most relevant causes.

Policy analysts need a bachelor's or master's degree in social science, political science, or a related field. This job has an average salary of $58,000.

With so many potential career options, you can find a job in social work that aligns with your passions and positions you to help those in need. Social work jobs in nearly any industry offer a strong sense of job satisfaction from making a difference in the lives of those around you. Create a job profile now so potential employers can find you for these and other exciting job opportunities.