School Social Workers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of school social workers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for school social workers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of school social workers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for school social workers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for School Social Workers?
Do school social workers need a degree? What kind of experience do school social workers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for school social workers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for School Social Workers
Jobs Postings for School Social Workers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 87,045 (38%)
- Master's degree: 74,706 (32%)
- No Education Listed: 38,591 (17%)
- High School or GED: 21,715 (9%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 7,921 (3%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of school social workers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 32% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 17% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for School Social Workers
Jobs Postings for School Social Workers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 39,667 (36%)
- 2-3 Years: 57,269 (52%)
- 4-6 Years: 12,055 (11%)
- 7-9 Years: 675 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 612 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for school social workers. In 52% of job postings for School Social Workers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 36% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 11% of job postings for school social workers.
What Kind of Degree Do School Social Workers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for school social workers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 27 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective school social workers, and in 2023 a total of 382,171 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective school social workers.
Top Degree Programs for School Social Workers
Top 5 Degree Programs for School Social Workers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 30,483 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 43,663 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 30,483 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant. | 21,113 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. | 6,310 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Child Development. | 4,356 |
| Child Care and Support Services Management. | 3,627 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy. | 2,557 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. | 2,454 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other. | 2,396 |
| Developmental and Child Psychology. | 1,929 |
| Family and Community Services. | 1,107 |
| Social Work, Other. | 581 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 540 |
| Family Systems. | 432 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. | 429 |
| Youth Services/Administration. | 332 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 265 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other. | 142 |
| Juvenile Corrections. | 56 |
| Work and Family Studies. | 10 |
| Forensic Social Work. | 6 |
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What Skills Do School Social Workers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by school social workers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for school social workers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's School Social Workers
Based on 191,908 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for School Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 110,865 | 58% |
| Case Management | 70,248 | 37% |
| Mental Health | 39,954 | 21% |
| Psychology | 36,106 | 19% |
| Human Services | 31,855 | 17% |
Top 5 Common Skills for School Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 67,740 | 35% |
| Advocacy | 42,357 | 22% |
| Planning | 33,142 | 17% |
| Coordinating | 32,547 | 17% |
| Management | 30,988 | 16% |
Based on 191,908 job postings related to school social workers, social work was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 58% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for case management, mental health, psychology, human services and crisis intervention were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for school social workers, followed by advocacy, planning, coordinating, management and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 110,865 | 58% |
| Case Management | 70,248 | 37% |
| Mental Health | 39,954 | 21% |
| Psychology | 36,106 | 19% |
| Human Services | 31,855 | 17% |
| Crisis Intervention | 31,254 | 16% |
| Treatment Planning | 28,335 | 15% |
| Discharge Planning | 24,266 | 13% |
| Medical Records | 17,324 | 9% |
| Behavioral Health | 17,129 | 9% |
| Psychosocial Assessments | 15,792 | 8% |
| Substance Abuse | 13,674 | 7% |
| Disabilities | 13,561 | 7% |
| Care Coordination | 13,419 | 7% |
| Psychiatry | 12,711 | 7% |
| Trauma Care | 12,590 | 7% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 12,070 | 6% |
| Child Welfare | 11,670 | 6% |
| Sociology | 11,657 | 6% |
| Rehabilitation | 10,956 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 67,740 | 35% |
| Advocacy | 42,357 | 22% |
| Planning | 33,142 | 17% |
| Coordinating | 32,547 | 17% |
| Management | 30,988 | 16% |
| Writing | 25,586 | 13% |
| Problem Solving | 24,334 | 13% |
| Leadership | 20,795 | 11% |
| Computer Literacy | 18,492 | 10% |
| Multilingualism | 18,419 | 10% |
| Microsoft Office | 17,292 | 9% |
| Customer Service | 16,527 | 9% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 16,405 | 9% |
| English Language | 16,141 | 8% |
| Time Management | 15,547 | 8% |
| Organizational Skills | 15,307 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 14,924 | 8% |
| Microsoft Excel | 14,111 | 7% |
| Detail Oriented | 13,540 | 7% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 12,973 | 7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about school social workers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for school social workers.
What do school social workers do?
How much do school social workers make?
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