Best Social Work Jobs and Careers of 2024

A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) is not one specific job. It’s a credential that qualifies professionals to offer clients clinical services. Clinical services include mental and behavioral condition talk therapy, diagnosis, and treatment.

The LCSW credential signifies that you have:

LCSWs work within communities to help clients find support on both an agency level and an individual outpatient level.

Case managers work in hospitals, government agencies, and social service organizations. These professionals help people work through major transitions, including:

Case managers assess clients’ needs and develop progress goals. From there, they support clients as they work toward their goals.

Case managers need to know what resources are available in the community, such as:

They may host meetings to encourage clients to meet their goals or have individual meetings with clients.

School counselors work in elementary or high schools, colleges, and universities. They help students do what they need to succeed in school, such as:

School counselors’ duties are not purely academic. They may also identify campus issues, such as drug use or bullying. School counselors aim to improve learning environments and protect staff and students.

Counselors who treat substance misuse help people with addiction work toward recovery. Also called addiction counselors, these professionals help clients cope with and manage their addiction.

According to the BLS, most addiction counselor jobs need a bachelor’s degree. However, some people have a master’s degree and social work license. The Association for Addiction Professionals oversees certificate programs for specialties, such as:

Executive directors oversee all programs run by an organization. They manage staff members, daily operations, and their agency’s budget. Frequently, they’re the spokesperson for the organization they lead. These professionals may speak at public events or to the media. They also work closely with a board of directors to help raise money and awareness for their cause.

Social work organizations may desire executive directors who have experience serving vulnerable populations.

Also called community supervision officers, probation officers create and monitor rehabilitation plans for people placed on probation after a misdemeanor. Sometimes probation officers travel to individuals’ homes or workplaces. Juvenile probation officers might visit a child’s school and help them find a job or enroll in afterschool programs.

Probation officers might have education or training related to criminal justice or substance use. In the future, society will need more of these professionals to support alternatives to incarceration.

When someone is in recovery, awaiting medical treatment, or processing the news of a diagnosis, they’re facing a host of new needs and challenges. Healthcare and medical social workers assist these patients in hospitals, hospice agencies, outpatient clinics, and home care settings.

Medical social workers advocate for patients and their families. They help get patients the information they need about their diagnosis and available treatments. These social workers refer patients to doctors and specialists and follow through with physicians to make sure they can see their patients. They may also provide patients and families with emotional support or refer them to support groups as they move through their healthcare journey.

Behavior analysts observe individuals’ behavior and ways of learning. Their goal is to understand and help people improve their behaviors to better cope, socialize, and lead full, satisfying lives.

Board-certified behavior analysts often work with autistic children and adults. They help these clients and their families understand certain behaviors and adapt environments or routines to be more supportive. Behavior analysts also support people with ADHD, anxiety, disordered eating, and those who want help managing or improving their behaviors.

Board-certified behavior analysts hold at least a master’s degree in psychology, education, or a related field. These professionals work under supervision before passing the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Exam.

Mental health therapists help clients address challenges due to trauma, illness, or major life transitions. Some mental health therapists are LCSWs. However, therapists may have other credentials, such as licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) or licensed professional counselor (LPC). LMHCs and LPCs hold counseling or psychology degrees and state-level licensure.

Some therapists specialize in services for certain populations, such as youth or LGBTQ+ communities. Others focus on conditions like anxiety or PTSD.

Therapists use research-based strategies to address the root causes of challenges and change reactions or behaviors. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients uncover and replace unhelpful thought patterns.

School social workers help students excel in school and life. These social workers must understand factors that impact students’ lives outside of school. They coordinate clinical services when necessary so that students can show up to school fully ready to learn.

School social workers may work with academic counselors, school nurses, and deans to identify students who regularly miss school or struggle to focus in class. Then, they meet with students to understand the root of the issue.

Finally, school social workers also help identify and address larger issues affecting a school community. They may help change school policies, rules, and dress codes to create a more equitable learning environment for all students.

People in need of food, housing, and healthcare may qualify for public assistance. However, millions of people who should have access to such benefits do not know how to enroll —or that they’re even eligible.

Eligibility workers help people understand the public assistance process. They match an individual’s finances and situation to programs that can help. From there, they walk the person through the enrollment process.

These professionals can help people access benefits related to:

Community outreach workers typically work for nonprofit and government organizations. They help engage community members and connect them to services.

For example, community outreach workers may work in agencies that help people experiencing homelessness. These workers may distribute food and hygiene kits to people who are homeless. They also introduce their organization and let people know about the services they provide.

Or, an outreach worker might specialize in community violence intervention. These workers build relationships with and assist people who have been victims or perpetrators of gun violence.

Community outreach workers must be highly involved in communities. They need to know the individuals they are trying to engage with and the agencies and crisis services to direct clients to.

Child welfare workers work in nonprofit and governmental child protective agencies. They assist children and families in meeting their social, physical, and emotional needs. These social workers typically work with families facing a significant amount of trauma. Their ultimate goal is to strengthen families and help children be as safe and healthy as possible.

Child welfare workers advocate for children living with abuse or neglect. When someone reports family violence, child welfare workers immediately assess the scenario. If they must remove a child from a dangerous situation, these workers develop plans to help families create safer home environments so they can eventually reunite.

Juvenile court liaisons can act as the glue connecting the various other stakeholders in the juvenile justice system. They advocate for children and their families while communicating with attorneys, police departments, and schools.

Juvenile court liaisons:

Social work professors teach at colleges and universities. They also conduct research projects related to their specialty.

As some examples, professors at social work schools are leading research on:

Typically, professors need a Ph.D. However, some colleges may hire candidates with an MSW or a doctorate in social work (DSW) for instructor roles. Professionals who want to teach aspiring LCSWs often benefit from having years of client services experience.