Family Social Workers specialize in helping families overcome challenges, including economic, social, and psychological issues. They provide support and resources to improve the overall well-being and functioning of families.
Education: Bachelor's degree
Years in related career: None
On-the-job training: None
Projected Growth: 5.3% (above average)
Annual job openings: 35,100
Direct AI exposure: 17% of tasks
Potential AI exposure: 43% of tasks
| According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average income (in USD) in 2025 was $60K per year. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom 10% | Bottom 25% | Median (average) | Top 25% | Top 10% |
| $42K per year | $48K per year | $60K per year | $76K per year | $96K per year |
| Compared to other careers: Median is $8.57K above the national average. | ||||
Family Social Workers are often employed in government agencies, non-profit organizations, schools, hospitals, and private practices. Their work may involve visiting clients' homes, schools, or other community settings, in addition to office-based work for planning and administration.
Family Social Workers play a crucial role in addressing and resolving the complex issues that affect family dynamics. They are trained to identify the social, economic, and psychological problems that families face and provide appropriate interventions. This might include counseling services, connecting families with community resources, or working with children and parents to improve their situations. Family Social Workers need to be empathetic, patient, and resilient as they often deal with challenging and sensitive situations. They must have strong communication skills to effectively interact with families, children, and other professionals. Additionally, they should be knowledgeable about the social services and resources available in their community. This profession is not just about addressing immediate problems, but also about empowering families to improve their circumstances in the long term. Family Social Workers develop and implement strategies to promote the health, well-being, and economic stability of families, which can include anything from providing parenting workshops to advocating for social policy changes.
A bachelor's degree in social work (BSW) is typically required, which is a 4-year undergraduate program. Some positions may require a master's degree in social work (MSW), which requires an additional 2 years of graduate study.
Similarity is based on what people in the careers do, what they know, and what they are called. The process of establishing similarity lists is described in this white paper.