The following information is from the California Projections of Employment published by the Labor Market Information Division. These figures represent the occupational group Social Workers, Medical and Psychiatric. Taken together, the number of Social Workers is expected to increase by about 35 percent, compared with the 27 percent growth rate for all occupations. Generally, the lower salaries are in the less populated areas. The average workweek is 35 to 40 hours.
Many jobs require some evening and weekend hours.
Most employers provide fringe benefit packages including vacation, sick leave, and retirement programs. Most employers require a Master's degree in Social Work and some may require that it be in some specialty, such as psychiatric social work. In addition to education, some agencies require practical experience working with a specific social problem. Candidates with specialized training and experience or who are bilingual have a better chance of being hired. The principal professional organization is the National Association of Social Workers.