the truth about social work and social workers | salary, reputation, turnover rate, etc.

I'm going to retire next year from 35 years Social Work. 35 years of soul crushing, heart breaking, mind bending and nerve racking stress and heartache and I would do it all over again in a second.

I really appreciate social workers as I was in the foster system. I remember them sleeping on hotel floors just so could sleep in a bed.

I dont care about the money I just want to save other people life. If I ever leave this earth I want to die knowing that I have made someone's life better. I'm gonna be proud of my self. Money comes and go. But people have only one life so let's change it for the better so they can be happier. I know god will be proud of me. And I will be too💚🧡💙💜💙🖤🖤💙🖤💙💗💛💛❤❤

I’m only 16 right now but I know that social work is the career for me. I love helping people, especially children, and while I know it isn’t the best paid job I believe that passion is very important. Hopefully by the time I’m done with college and starting my career there will be better pay and/or unionization of the field.

The good feeling that you get from helping others is priceless. However, we really need to advocate for ourselves for better pay. As important as my work is, many of my friends whom I grew up with, many of whom don't have an undergraduate or graduate degree like myself, make far more money than I do. I love sports, but there's something wrong when you can be good at hitting a baseball, or knocking someone out in boxing and make tons more all of us, who are social workers, and are literally helping to save the lives of people whom we serve.

Social workers, like nurses are predominantly female and unfortunately, this is one of, if not the main reason social workers are paid so little in comparison to other professions. It’s time social workers stand up against the inequalities they endure because of their gender and fight for equal rights, as nurses have accomplished to do!

Here in Canada social workers’ salaries are almost on par with nurses, meaning around $60k-$80k a year or more. And as far as level of education goes, for most jobs one needs bachelor’s degree in social work, so I’m guessing that master’s is more of an optional rather than a requirement or if one wants to get a higher paying social work job. I believe they are also unionized. Social workers r valuable here since so many people seek help & assistance. My parents were in a car accident almost a decade ago and the social worker that handled their case was very nice and gave the best help possible to them. So, here in Canada, we give great value and appreciation to our social workers. It’s nice to hear your view on it though as an American. I hope you guys get the appreciation and salary you deserve as well.

I very much admire social workers. Keep doing what you're doing, and keep educating people. I hope one day they aren't overworked and underpaid.

Lets start the conversation. How do we become unionized like the nurses? I know many social workers who are great advocators for others. But, I think as social workers we tend to forget to advocate for ourselves. So, lets do it!

Thank you, social work is in my future plans. Hopefully I will be a social worker one day

The NASW doesn’t do enough to advocate for better pay.

I literally cant anymore... I feel like ive seen the worst of humanity and me today from when I started working are two totally different people. I feel like this career path has literally blackened my heart and stolen my joy which is why Im leaving. I am grateful that there are people that are less affected and are willing to pursue this career path but good luck to all the future social workers! Seriously, good luck and thank you to all the current social workers.

I love your passion! I am going into my MSW program really soon and watching people talk about social work honestly and passionately is so great!! Also, my prediction is this new generation of social workers WILL unionize! ✊🏾

I make over 40,000 as a new MSW for a non profit. This pay allowed me to move from the urban community to a suburban community. I live in Pennsylvania. For me my degree allowed me to not live pay check to pay check for the first time in my life.

I love how passionate you are about what you do. That is what I want. To feel passionate about my life and work. I stumbled across your video while I was doing a bit of research about social work because that is a field I have been interested in for about two years now. I think your video here has pushed me further into that direction of my career choice 😊

This is my first time coming across your channel, but I really appreciate how you talk about social work helping marginalised people and about the importance of unions. 🙌

stumbled upon this trying to solidify my decision to pursue social work! i’m 24 now and have been through a few potential paths that i haven’t felt passionate about and watching your video and how you feel about helping people really helped me finally confirm this is what i want to do! thank you so much ❤️

I'm a simple guy from Rome, Italy, whose life you'd consider 'normal' or even 'mundane' but you know what, I can relate to each and every word you said in this video.. I wake up everyday feeling the NEED for helping people and turning it into a job would crown a dream to me! The only richness I'm looking for is the one belonging to the human soul.. I am in the middle of my bachelor degree right now but I can promise you that I will do my best to try and get into a Master's degree on Social Work and hopefully manage to become a Social Worker. Thank you for such videos, you are positively influencing my choice!! Keep up the good work <3 :) Love from Rome

If i study in Germany of My master's degree can i get a good job.

This video was amazing! It made me cry at the very end, and I will be switching my major soon. Thank you