Social Service Workers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of social service 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 social service 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 social service 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 social service workers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Social Service Workers?
Do social service workers need a degree? What kind of experience do social service 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 social service workers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Social Service Workers
Jobs Postings for Social Service Workers By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 24,766 (39%)
- Master's degree: 15,464 (25%)
- High School or GED: 11,127 (18%)
- No Education Listed: 10,702 (17%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,016 (2%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of social service workers. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 39% of positions. In 25% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 18% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Social Service Workers
Jobs Postings for Social Service Workers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 9,455 (35%)
- 2-3 Years: 13,603 (50%)
- 4-6 Years: 3,517 (13%)
- 7-9 Years: 315 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 163 (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 social service workers. In 50% of job postings for Social Service Workers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 35% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 13% of job postings for social service workers.
What Kind of Degree Do Social Service Workers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for social service 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 25 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective social service workers, and in 2021 a total of 353,342 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 social service workers.
Top Degree Programs for Social Service Workers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Social Service Workers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 32,693 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant. | 20,806 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 46,381 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 32,693 |
| Child Care Provider/Assistant. | 20,806 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 9,497 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Other. | 6,141 |
| Child Development. | 4,641 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Child Care and Support Services Management. | 3,885 |
| Community Organization and Advocacy. | 3,096 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. | 2,903 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas, Other. | 2,323 |
| Developmental and Child Psychology. | 1,419 |
| Family and Community Services. | 1,383 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 676 |
| Family Systems. | 541 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. | 486 |
| Youth Services/Administration. | 485 |
| Social Work, Other. | 419 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 299 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other. | 158 |
| Juvenile Corrections. | 111 |
| Work and Family Studies. | 13 |
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What Skills Do Social Service Workers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by social service 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 social service workers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Social Service Workers
Based on 51,308 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Social Service Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 25,124 | 49% |
| Case Management | 12,303 | 24% |
| Human Services | 10,845 | 21% |
| Psychology | 9,498 | 19% |
| Mental Health | 8,636 | 17% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Social Service Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 19,365 | 38% |
| Advocacy | 11,328 | 22% |
| Planning | 10,285 | 20% |
| Coordinating | 7,162 | 14% |
| Writing | 6,933 | 14% |
Based on 51,308 job postings related to social service workers, social work was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 49% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for case management, human services, psychology, mental health and family support were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for social service workers, followed by advocacy, planning, coordinating, writing and management.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 25,124 | 49% |
| Case Management | 12,303 | 24% |
| Human Services | 10,845 | 21% |
| Psychology | 9,498 | 19% |
| Mental Health | 8,636 | 17% |
| Family Support | 7,024 | 14% |
| Crisis Intervention | 6,214 | 12% |
| Child Welfare | 5,765 | 11% |
| Treatment Planning | 5,498 | 11% |
| Child Development | 4,860 | 9% |
| Disabilities | 4,559 | 9% |
| Working With Children | 4,424 | 9% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 4,011 | 8% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 3,629 | 7% |
| Special Education | 3,558 | 7% |
| Trauma Care | 3,459 | 7% |
| Sociology | 3,402 | 7% |
| Behavioral Health | 2,875 | 6% |
| Substance Abuse | 2,688 | 5% |
| Legal Hearings | 2,543 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 19,365 | 38% |
| Advocacy | 11,328 | 22% |
| Planning | 10,285 | 20% |
| Coordinating | 7,162 | 14% |
| Writing | 6,933 | 14% |
| Management | 6,910 | 13% |
| Multilingualism | 6,058 | 12% |
| Problem Solving | 5,659 | 11% |
| Leadership | 5,174 | 10% |
| Time Management | 4,705 | 9% |
| Organizational Skills | 4,244 | 8% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 4,150 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 4,016 | 8% |
| Microsoft Office | 4,015 | 8% |
| Customer Service | 4,012 | 8% |
| Teaching | 3,843 | 7% |
| Good Driving Record | 3,840 | 7% |
| Spanish Language | 3,528 | 7% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,498 | 7% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 3,489 | 7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about social service workers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for social service workers.
What do social service workers do?
How much do social service workers make?
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The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.