Salary Outlook for DSW Degree
In most fields, the pinnacle of formal academic training is a doctoral degree. It’s no different for the field of social work, and a common option for students who want to max out their educational experience is a Doctor of Social Work, or DSW.
These types of degrees are less common than lower-level educational pursuits in social work, including a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Master of Social Work degree, but a DSW may be the best option, depending on the type of job an individual is interested in taking.
Let’s explore what potential DSW students should know about educational options and possible highest paying careers, as well as what some jobs in the field might do for their bank accounts.
Social Work Doctorates
Doctor of Social Work degrees are only one possible option for doctoral education in the field of social work. The other type is a Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy, in Social Work. While both represent the highest possible academic achievement in the field, they have some key differences.
SEE ALSO: DSW vs PsyD Degree Differences
Mainly, which program is right for which students comes down to the program focus the student desires, often based on what career they’re hoping to pursue. If a prospective DSW student is interested in the practical applications of social work education, they are probably better-suited for DSW programs. For those who have a more academic and research-based desire to advance the practice of social work through rigorous study, a social work Ph.D. is likely the better option.
SEE ALSO: Accredited Online DSW Programs
However, Ph.D. degrees are more common, and students may have a challenge finding a DSW program near them, so even for students who want to become clinical social workers, a Ph.D. in Social Work could help them in that pursuit even though it will be more research-focused.
DSW Degree Career Options
While social worker is the most obvious possible job title that a person could get after earning their DSW degree, it’s far from the only one. Not only does doctoral education tend to come with higher wages, but it usually affords a broader range of job options that expand far beyond social worker roles.
Here’s a look at just a few of the possible career options that become possible after completing a DSW:
- College Professor
- Mental Health Counselor
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- School Counselor
- Special Education Teacher
- Therapist
- Addiction Counselor
- Public Policy Analyst
- Social Services Manager
Depending on the job and employer, professional psychologist licensure may be necessary, but this varies by state. In most states, a doctoral degree is required, though certain DSW programs may not satisfy the specific coursework requirements, so for students who want to become licensed psychologists, they should be sure to examine the requirements in their state before making big decisions.
Advanced education really opens doors, at least when it comes to earning potential. According to recent publications released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a person with a doctoral degree, including a DSW, earns over double the annual income of a typical high school graduate and 41% more than someone with only a bachelor’s degree.
The BLS reports the median salary for all social workers nationally is $58,380. The top 10% salary, which is particularly relevant for DSW graduates, starts at $94,910.
The BLS tracks data for several career categories that are relevant for DSW graduates, listed here with their average annual salaries:
| Social Work Professors | $80,840 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $83,400 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $63,870 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $67,430 |
| Child, Family and School Social Workers | $59,190 |
Unfortunately the BLS doesn’t track state-specific data for social workers in general, but instead tracks it by sub-categories such as those listed above.
Of the 710,320 social workers nationwide, 50% work as child, family, and school social workers. This category encompasses the largest percentage of social workers, followed by healthcare social workers who make up 26% of the nation’s social workers.
As such we’ll use child, family, and school social workers as a proxy for social workers in general when developing state-level statistics. Furthermore, we’ll use the top 10% salaries for this profession as a rough estimate to represent the average salary for highly-educated DSW graduates.
Thus we can estimate the following average DSW social work salaries by state:
| District of Columbia | $110,570 |
| California | $109,030 |
| New York | $106,690 |
| New Jersey | $105,590 |
| Maryland | $103,170 |
| Connecticut | $101,280 |
| Illinois | $98,940 |
| Rhode Island | $96,700 |
| Minnesota | $95,840 |
| Alaska | $93,050 |
| Massachusetts | $91,560 |
| Oregon | $87,920 |
| Colorado | $87,640 |
| Virginia | $84,630 |
| New Mexico | $84,470 |
| Washington | $84,390 |
| Nevada | $84,240 |
| Hawaii | $83,380 |
| Idaho | $82,230 |
| Utah | $82,200 |
| Maine | $80,330 |
| Wyoming | $80,020 |
| North Dakota | $79,210 |
| Wisconsin | $78,050 |
| New Hampshire | $78,020 |
| Vermont | $76,590 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,370 |
| Michigan | $75,310 |
| Iowa | $75,280 |
| Georgia | $74,920 |
| Indiana | $73,100 |
| Tennessee | $71,280 |
| Florida | $71,100 |
| North Carolina | $70,070 |
| Ohio | $66,910 |
| Alabama | $66,330 |
| Arizona | $65,900 |
| Kansas | $65,320 |
| Louisiana | $64,950 |
| Texas | $64,880 |
| Delaware | $64,720 |
| South Dakota | $63,740 |
| Nebraska | $63,170 |
| Arkansas | $62,570 |
| Kentucky | $62,560 |
| Montana | $61,110 |
| West Virginia | $58,910 |
| Mississippi | $58,400 |
| Missouri | $56,990 |
| Oklahoma | $56,890 |
| South Carolina | $55,810 |
California and East Coast states dominate the top five states for highest average DSW salaries; they all offer six-figure salaries. 10 states offer salaries above $90,000. The range between high and low average salaries on this list is $53,220.
Looking ahead to job growth, we’ll also use generate state-level statistics using projected growth rates for child, family, and school social workers as a proxy. With a DSW you’ll likely be at the forefront of competition, so these statistics should look even better.
Projected growth in DSW job openings by state, 2022-2032
| Utah | 23.9% |
| New York | 21.9% |
| Tennessee | 17% |
| Florida | 15.5% |
| Colorado | 14.7% |
| North Carolina | 14.2% |
| Arizona | 13.9% |
| Montana | 13.8% |
| Texas | 13.4% |
| Idaho | 13.3% |
| New Mexico | 13.3% |
| Oregon | 12.7% |
| Georgia | 12.4% |
| South Carolina | 12.2% |
| Iowa | 11.4% |
| Washington | 11.3% |
| Maryland | 9.8% |
| Wyoming | 9.8% |
| District of Columbia | 9.7% |
| California | 9.6% |
| New Hampshire | 8.7% |
| Rhode Island | 8.7% |
| Virginia | 8.5% |
| Connecticut | 8.4% |
| Mississippi | 8.3% |
| North Dakota | 8.1% |
| Vermont | 7.8% |
| Alaska | 7.7% |
| Louisiana | 7.3% |
| Massachusetts | 7.3% |
| Nebraska | 6.9% |
| New Jersey | 6.3% |
| West Virginia | 6.1% |
| Delaware | 5.7% |
| Minnesota | 5.7% |
| Kansas | 5.6% |
| South Dakota | 5.6% |
| Indiana | 5.2% |
| Nevada | 4.9% |
| Oklahoma | 4.9% |
| Wisconsin | 4.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 4.5% |
| Ohio | 4.3% |
| Michigan | 4.1% |
| Illinois | 3.9% |
| Arkansas | 3.8% |
| Kentucky | 3% |
| Alabama | 2.9% |
| Missouri | 2.3% |
| Maine | -1% |
The leading two states have projected growth rates above 20%, while only six states have growth rates below the general national average of 4%. 16 states have double-digit growth forecast.
For comparison we’ll also include the projected national growth rates for these relevant professions, 2023-2033:
| Social Work Professors | 3.6% |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 8.2% |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | 11.6% |
| Healthcare Social Workers | 9.7% |
| Child, Family and School Social Workers | 4.9% |
May 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics salary for Social Workers and Child, Family, and School Social Workers. National labor market information and state labor market information also sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor. Information based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2025.DSW Degree Salary Overview
Conclusion
Social work is generally a challenging field, and jobs are notoriously taxing on a person’s emotions. But for those with a passion and drive to help other people, earning a DSW degree can help improve skills, build knowledge and expand earning power.