Community and Social Service · Career brief

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Child, Family, and School Social Workers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$59,550

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

4.4%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

33,900

Lots of annual openings

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Top quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

People-centered

Helping, teaching, or working directly with people matters

Maintain case history records and prepare reports.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Conflict, distress, or difficult interactions are recurring parts of the work, not rare exceptions.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is opening volume; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if people-centered work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: Conflict, distress, or difficult interactions are recurring parts of the work, not rare exceptions.

Before choosing, compare:Health Education Specialists Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists Clergy

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Child, Family, and School Social Workers with another field Explore rankings in Community and Social Service Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$59,550

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

4.4%employment growth33,900openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

405,100

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Child, family, and school social workers (21-1021).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
Address legal issues, such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and providing testimony to inform custody arrangements.
Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

Conflict, distress, or difficult interactions are recurring parts of the work, not rare exceptions.
The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.7
Documenting/Recording Information4.6
Getting Information4.6
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.5

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Social6.9
Conventional3.6
Investigative3.3
Enterprising2.9
Artistic2.9
Realistic1.7

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Psychology Therapy and Counseling Sociology and Anthropology Law and Government

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Volunteer in a structured, supervised role long enough to learn whether sustained responsibility for other people's needs feels meaningful or draining.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Child, family, and school social workers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options