Mental Health Social Workers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of mental health 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 mental health 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 mental health 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 mental health social workers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Mental Health Social Workers?
Do mental health social workers need a degree? What kind of experience do mental health 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 mental health social workers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Mental Health Social Workers
Jobs Postings for Mental Health Social Workers By Education
- Master's degree: 36,020 (41%)
- Bachelor's degree: 24,465 (28%)
- No Education Listed: 10,985 (13%)
- High School or GED: 9,785 (11%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 5,903 (7%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of mental health social workers. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 41% of positions. In 28% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 13% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Mental Health Social Workers
Jobs Postings for Mental Health Social Workers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 11,485 (31%)
- 2-3 Years: 19,150 (52%)
- 4-6 Years: 5,439 (15%)
- 7-9 Years: 299 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 485 (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 mental health social workers. In 52% of job postings for Mental Health Social Workers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 31% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 15% of job postings for mental health social workers.
What Kind of Degree Do Mental Health 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 mental health 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 12 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective mental health social workers, and in 2023 a total of 249,354 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 mental health social workers.
Top Degree Programs for Mental Health Social Workers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Mental Health Social Workers (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 9,557 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 9,557 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling. | 5,713 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other. | 3,475 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,874 |
| Social Work, Other. | 581 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 540 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 265 |
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What Skills Do Mental Health Social Workers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by mental health 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 mental health social workers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Mental Health Social Workers
Based on 67,835 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Mental Health Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 36,890 | 54% |
| Social Work | 30,577 | 45% |
| Behavioral Health | 25,602 | 38% |
| Psychology | 24,377 | 36% |
| Treatment Planning | 20,900 | 31% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Mental Health Social Workers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 22,301 | 33% |
| Management | 13,246 | 20% |
| Coordinating | 10,807 | 16% |
| Planning | 9,586 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 8,171 | 12% |
Based on 67,835 job postings related to mental health social workers, mental health was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 54% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, behavioral health, psychology, treatment planning and case management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for mental health social workers, followed by management, coordinating, planning, advocacy and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 36,890 | 54% |
| Social Work | 30,577 | 45% |
| Behavioral Health | 25,602 | 38% |
| Psychology | 24,377 | 36% |
| Treatment Planning | 20,900 | 31% |
| Case Management | 16,978 | 25% |
| Crisis Intervention | 16,439 | 24% |
| Psychiatry | 14,727 | 22% |
| Mental Diseases | 10,849 | 16% |
| Substance Abuse | 9,569 | 14% |
| Human Services | 8,558 | 13% |
| Family Therapy | 8,282 | 12% |
| Community Mental Health Services | 6,941 | 10% |
| Discharge Planning | 6,537 | 10% |
| Psychotherapy | 6,107 | 9% |
| Nursing | 6,024 | 9% |
| Clinical Experience | 5,750 | 8% |
| Medical Records | 5,546 | 8% |
| Group Therapy | 5,269 | 8% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 5,257 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 22,301 | 33% |
| Management | 13,246 | 20% |
| Coordinating | 10,807 | 16% |
| Planning | 9,586 | 14% |
| Advocacy | 8,171 | 12% |
| Writing | 8,021 | 12% |
| Problem Solving | 7,903 | 12% |
| Leadership | 7,582 | 11% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 6,834 | 10% |
| Customer Service | 5,959 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 5,577 | 8% |
| Multilingualism | 5,496 | 8% |
| Teaching | 5,076 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 4,986 | 7% |
| Operations | 4,349 | 6% |
| Good Driving Record | 4,324 | 6% |
| Microsoft Office | 4,324 | 6% |
| English Language | 4,125 | 6% |
| Time Management | 4,109 | 6% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 4,041 | 6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about mental health social workers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for mental health social workers.
What do mental health social workers do?
How much do mental health social workers make?
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