Clinical Social Workers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of clinical 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 clinical 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 clinical 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 clinical social workers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Clinical Social Workers?
Do clinical social workers need a degree? What kind of experience do clinical 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 clinical social workers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Clinical Social Workers
Jobs Postings for Clinical Social Workers By Education
- Master's degree: 22,590 (50%)
- No Education Listed: 12,403 (28%)
- Bachelor's degree: 4,939 (11%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 3,844 (9%)
- High School or GED: 1,022 (2%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of clinical social workers. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 50% of positions. In 28% of job listings no education level was listed and in 11% of postings a bachelor's degree was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Clinical Social Workers
Jobs Postings for Clinical Social Workers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 7,728 (41%)
- 2-3 Years: 9,176 (48%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,876 (10%)
- 7-9 Years: 137 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 61 (0%)
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 clinical social workers. In 48% of job postings for Clinical Social Workers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 41% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 10% of job postings for clinical social workers.
What Kind of Degree Do Clinical 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 clinical 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 18 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective clinical social workers, and in 2023 a total of 265,358 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 clinical social workers.
Top Degree Programs for Clinical Social Workers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Clinical Social Workers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion. | 4,086 |
| Public Health, Other. | 3,119 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,016 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,874 |
| Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling. | 2,374 |
| Social Work, Other. | 581 |
| Medical/Health Humanities. | 345 |
| Dental Public Health and Education. | 88 |
| Thanatology. | 8 |
| Forensic Social Work. | 6 |
| Medical Family Therapy/Therapist. | 5 |
| Hospice and Palliative Care. | 2 |
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Degree Options for Clinical Social Workers
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
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Improve quality of life by removing barriers to healthcare, promoting wellness and reducing health disparities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Skills Do Clinical Social Workers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by clinical 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 clinical social workers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Clinical Social Workers
Based on 39,600 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Clinical Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 21,552 | 54% |
| Treatment Planning | 10,638 | 27% |
| Mental Health | 10,295 | 26% |
| Medical Social Work | 7,806 | 20% |
| Psychology | 7,580 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Clinical Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,470 | 29% |
| Planning | 5,915 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 5,456 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 5,103 | 13% |
| Management | 4,953 | 13% |
Based on 39,600 job postings related to clinical social workers, social work was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 54% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, mental health, medical social work, psychology and crisis intervention were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for clinical social workers, followed by planning, coordinating, advocacy, management and problem solving.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work | 21,552 | 54% |
| Treatment Planning | 10,638 | 27% |
| Mental Health | 10,295 | 26% |
| Medical Social Work | 7,806 | 20% |
| Psychology | 7,580 | 19% |
| Crisis Intervention | 7,457 | 19% |
| Case Management | 7,326 | 19% |
| Discharge Planning | 6,471 | 16% |
| Behavioral Health | 6,286 | 16% |
| Psychosocial Assessments | 5,397 | 14% |
| Psychiatry | 4,755 | 12% |
| Psychotherapy | 4,754 | 12% |
| Care Coordination | 4,201 | 11% |
| Family Therapy | 3,938 | 10% |
| Hospice | 3,489 | 9% |
| Clinical Social Work | 3,466 | 9% |
| Nursing | 3,349 | 8% |
| Patient Assistance | 3,341 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 3,284 | 8% |
| Home Health Care | 3,189 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,470 | 29% |
| Planning | 5,915 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 5,456 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 5,103 | 13% |
| Management | 4,953 | 13% |
| Problem Solving | 4,257 | 11% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,984 | 10% |
| Writing | 3,849 | 10% |
| Leadership | 3,500 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 2,912 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 2,704 | 7% |
| Organizational Skills | 2,545 | 6% |
| Research | 2,126 | 5% |
| Scheduling | 2,034 | 5% |
| Customer Service | 2,010 | 5% |
| Decision Making | 1,976 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,866 | 5% |
| Time Management | 1,855 | 5% |
| Multilingualism | 1,827 | 5% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,814 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about clinical social workers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for clinical social workers.
What do clinical social workers do?
How much do clinical social workers make?
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