How to become a social worker: the route into each kind of social worker.
“Social worker” is a family of jobs, and each has its own route in. Here is the education, experience and training BLS lists for every one, what employers report about licenses, and the order to tackle them.
Bachelor's degree to Master's degree
Across the 4 BLS occupations on this page. Typical, not a legal requirement.
It depends on which kind of social worker: BLS lists typical entry-level education from a bachelor's degree (“child, family, and school social workers” and “social workers, all other”) to a master's degree (healthcare social workers and mental health and substance abuse social workers) across the 4 BLS social worker occupations on this page (Employment Projections, 2025–35). “Child, family, and school social workers”, the largest of them (392,550 employed in May 2025), typically need a bachelor's degree. Many of these jobs also need a state license or certification; rules vary by state.
Becoming a social worker at a glance
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for 2 of the 4 social worker occupations on this page: “child, family, and school social workers” and “social workers, all other”.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for 2 of the 4 social worker occupations on this page: healthcare social workers and mental health and substance abuse social workers.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
BLS lists an internship or residency as the typical on-the-job training for healthcare social workers and mental health and substance abuse social workers.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
For “child, family, and school social workers”, BLS's Occupational Requirements Survey found that employers required a license or certification for 37% of workers (2025, preliminary).
Source: BLS Occupational Requirements Survey, 2025, preliminary
Education BLS lists for each kind of social worker
Data One row per BLS occupation, ordered by typical entry-level education. Links open that occupation's own page.
| Occupation (BLS title) | Typical entry-level education | Related work experience | Typical on-the-job training | O*NET Job Zone | License or certification required (employers, ORS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | Bachelor's degree | None | None | 4 | 37% |
| Social Workers, All Other | Bachelor's degree | None | None | n/a | not published |
| Healthcare Social Workers | Master's degree | None | Internship/residency | 5 | 38% |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | Master's degree | None | Internship/residency | 5 | not published |
What each education level means
Data BLS Employment Projections education categories, 2025–35.
- Bachelor's degreeChild, Family, and School Social Workers; Social Workers, All Other
A bachelor's degree, which usually takes 4 years of full-time study.
- Master's degreeHealthcare Social Workers; Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
A master's degree, which usually takes 1 to 2 years of full-time study after a bachelor's degree.
Five steps to becoming a social worker
Advice Steps 1, 2 and 4 apply the BLS data above; steps 3 and 5 are advice.
- Step 1Choose the occupation
“Social worker” covers 4 BLS occupations with different entry routes. Use the table above to pick the one you mean, then read its own page.
- Step 2Match the education
Plan for the education BLS lists for that occupation (a bachelor's degree at the shortest end on this page, a master's degree at the longest).
- Step 3Check licensing where you will work
Many of these jobs need a state license or certification, and rules vary by state; confirm the current requirements with your state's licensing board before you enrol.
- Step 4Plan the training after hiring
BLS lists the typical on-the-job training in the table; an internship or residency, where listed, comes after the degree.
- Step 5Apply with proof
When you apply, show the credential, clinical or field hours and results that the posting asks for; a resume check helps you see what an applicant tracking system reads.
Data Once qualified, median annual pay in May 2025 ranged from $59,550 (“child, family, and school social workers”) to $71,900 (“social workers, all other”) across these occupations (BLS OEWS). Full pay table: Social workers salary and education.
Becoming a social worker: common questions
What is the shortest route to becoming a social worker?
What degree do you need to be a social worker?
Do social workers need a residency?
Do you need a license to be a social worker?
How this page is built
Education, related work experience and on-the-job training are the BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 typical-entry categories for each BLS detailed occupation listed, which describe what is typical, not legal requirements. Job Zones are O*NET 31.0. The license or certification share is BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2025 (preliminary), as reported by employers; state licensing rules are separate. Which occupations count is the same editorial list as the Social workers page.
- Licensing or certification rules in your state.
- Admission requirements of a specific school or program.
- Which of these careers suits you personally.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025–35 (public domain): typical entry-level education and projected employment change.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey, 2025 estimates (preliminary; public domain): share of workers whose employer requires a license or certification.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license (Job Zones and related occupations). TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).