If you're one of those that believe a career should mean more than just a paycheck, you may be destined for social work. Bring families back from the brink of disaster. Help a lost soul recover from addiction. The work is both exciting and satisfying.

Career Overview
This is a career with a true social conscience. Social work is typified by a fusion of grounded theory, contemporary techniques, and a genuine concern for people. Professionals in this industry counsel patients, make recommendations to administering agencies, and follow-up...

If you're one of those that believe a career should mean more than just a paycheck, you may be destined for social work. Bring families back from the brink of disaster. Help a lost soul recover from addiction. The work is both exciting and satisfying.

Career Overview
This is a career with a true social conscience. Social work is typified by a fusion of grounded theory, contemporary techniques, and a genuine concern for people. Professionals in this industry counsel patients, make recommendations to administering agencies, and follow-up to determine effectiveness of action plans. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of social workers is project to grow by 22% through 2016; that's much faster than the national average.

Employment Options
Government agencies. Public and private school systems. Medical facilities and recovery clinics. The demand for quality social work is out there. In fact, any organization that works for the benefit of people most likely has a need for graduates of social work schools. According to O*Net OnLine, social workers typically fall into one of the following professional categories: Foster Care Social Worker, Case Manager, Child Protective Services Specialist, Caseworker, Family Preservation Caseworker, Family Manager, or Family Service Caseworker.

Earnings Potential
Social work is a diverse industry that employs professionals with varying educational backgrounds. So just what are the hot social work degrees that are making the big bucks in this profession? Payscale reports that the top earning degree is the Master of Social Work, commanding an annual salary of almost $40,000. Those with a Bachelor Degree in Social Work follow closely behind at almost $33,000 per year. Other top-earning degrees in the field include the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
O*Net OnLine
Payscale