3 answers
Sydney
Student
Brigham City, Utah
2
Questions
Asked
639 views
Would I be able to support myself financially if I did become a social worker?
I'm very interested in becoming a social worker but one of my biggest questions is whether or not i'd be able to support myself with this job. Would I make enough?
#job #social #support
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3 answers
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1663
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Sydney,
There are many different paths a social worker's career could take. Some would support you, some would not. For example, if you went into a government position working with soldiers who have been in combat, that could pay well. If you worked your way up in a non-profit to where you were in management rather than hands-on, that could pay well. If you didn't have student loans hanging over you, that would help. (As in, going to college on an ROTC program, or getting scholarships.) Doing hands on work with substance abuse clients may not pay as well, unless it was "top secret" work with high-profile personalities.
I don't know how old you are, but, being totally honest here, a lot has changed in the economy. The cost of education, housing, and cars is crazy. It's a lot harder for today's youth than those of 20 years ago. Factoring into the equation will be the cost of living where you choose to live, and your lifestyle.
Here is a cost of living comparison calculator, to give you a general idea: https://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/brigham-city-ut/san-antonio-tx/50000. It costs a lot more to live in California or NYC than other places, but some places are catching up. Austin TX is getting expensive, but other parts of Texas aren't as bad.
By "lifestyle" I refer to many things. do you cook or eat out? Do you want to host parties? Wardrobe? Car or public transportation? Would you be happy with a good used car that is reliable, or do you need a new flashy car? Do you get a new phone every year or two? It comes down to distinguishing between "wants" and "needs."
"wealth" and "financial success" are as much about how much you spend as it is about how much you make. You need enough to be able to pay your bills, save for retirement, cover at least some unexpected expenses, etc. without having to worry about money all the time.
I will let a current social worker cover the current salary info. There's quite a range. I hope this helps at least a little! Helping others is rewarding work. Thank you for your interest in doing so!
Kim
There are many different paths a social worker's career could take. Some would support you, some would not. For example, if you went into a government position working with soldiers who have been in combat, that could pay well. If you worked your way up in a non-profit to where you were in management rather than hands-on, that could pay well. If you didn't have student loans hanging over you, that would help. (As in, going to college on an ROTC program, or getting scholarships.) Doing hands on work with substance abuse clients may not pay as well, unless it was "top secret" work with high-profile personalities.
I don't know how old you are, but, being totally honest here, a lot has changed in the economy. The cost of education, housing, and cars is crazy. It's a lot harder for today's youth than those of 20 years ago. Factoring into the equation will be the cost of living where you choose to live, and your lifestyle.
Here is a cost of living comparison calculator, to give you a general idea: https://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/brigham-city-ut/san-antonio-tx/50000. It costs a lot more to live in California or NYC than other places, but some places are catching up. Austin TX is getting expensive, but other parts of Texas aren't as bad.
By "lifestyle" I refer to many things. do you cook or eat out? Do you want to host parties? Wardrobe? Car or public transportation? Would you be happy with a good used car that is reliable, or do you need a new flashy car? Do you get a new phone every year or two? It comes down to distinguishing between "wants" and "needs."
"wealth" and "financial success" are as much about how much you spend as it is about how much you make. You need enough to be able to pay your bills, save for retirement, cover at least some unexpected expenses, etc. without having to worry about money all the time.
I will let a current social worker cover the current salary info. There's quite a range. I hope this helps at least a little! Helping others is rewarding work. Thank you for your interest in doing so!
Kim
Michelle H.
Business Associate
38
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hi Sydney!
I love this question because it shows that you are thinking ahead about your financial stability. Being a social worker is a very noble calling, and there are a variety of jobs and ways you can grow during your career in this field.
Because I love budgeting, I did some quick research and will walk you through a HYPOTHETICAL budget. Please note that this may not at all work for your situation. I recommend sitting down with a trusted adult who is good at managing finances to help you think through this question for your specific needs. This is meant to only give you an idea...the details will be up to you.
Ok, in 2019 the average social worker salary was $61,230 according to a .org source. However, you're likely not going to be making this salary when you start out. Looking at a few other sources, it looks like a typical staring salary is around $34,000 (you can probably narrow it down further once you know what kind of social worker you want to be). Let's break down this annual figure to a monthly figure to make it easier to imagine. I'm going to use the "50/30/20 Rule" to give you an idea of what you may have to work with, and encourage you to Google that budgeting technique if you want to learn more.
Monthly gross (total pay): $2,833 [$34,000/12 months]
Monthly federal tax: ~$280 [Based on 2020 tax brackets, which may change. Depending on where you live, you may have additional state and local income taxes.]
50% "Necessities": No more than $1,276
Rent: $475 [Average for Brigham City for a 1-bedroom apartment. Check the average rent prices for the place you intend to live]
Utilities: ~$200 [Vary by usage and location]
Health insurance: $321 [This is the current AVERAGE cost for an individual. Actual costs will vary & may be shared by your employer]
All other: $280 [Food, transportation, other insurance, living essentials]
30% "Wants": No more than $765
[The BIGGEST advice I can give you is to try to "flip" the purpose of the 30/20 categories. In other words, spend no more than 20% on wants, and save 30% for as long as you can]
20% "Savings": $510
Retirement savings: $340 [Most experts recommend saving 10%-15% of gross income for retirement, especially when you are young!]
Debt payment: ?? [Will you have student loans? Need to finance a car? Debt is a tool, but plan ahead to minimize this as much as possible]
Other savings: $170 [Or whatever is left over after retirement and debt]
Again, this is just a simple example to get you started thinking about how to budget, regardless of what career you decide to pursue. Hope this helps :)
I love this question because it shows that you are thinking ahead about your financial stability. Being a social worker is a very noble calling, and there are a variety of jobs and ways you can grow during your career in this field.
Because I love budgeting, I did some quick research and will walk you through a HYPOTHETICAL budget. Please note that this may not at all work for your situation. I recommend sitting down with a trusted adult who is good at managing finances to help you think through this question for your specific needs. This is meant to only give you an idea...the details will be up to you.
Ok, in 2019 the average social worker salary was $61,230 according to a .org source. However, you're likely not going to be making this salary when you start out. Looking at a few other sources, it looks like a typical staring salary is around $34,000 (you can probably narrow it down further once you know what kind of social worker you want to be). Let's break down this annual figure to a monthly figure to make it easier to imagine. I'm going to use the "50/30/20 Rule" to give you an idea of what you may have to work with, and encourage you to Google that budgeting technique if you want to learn more.
Monthly gross (total pay): $2,833 [$34,000/12 months]
Monthly federal tax: ~$280 [Based on 2020 tax brackets, which may change. Depending on where you live, you may have additional state and local income taxes.]
50% "Necessities": No more than $1,276
Rent: $475 [Average for Brigham City for a 1-bedroom apartment. Check the average rent prices for the place you intend to live]
Utilities: ~$200 [Vary by usage and location]
Health insurance: $321 [This is the current AVERAGE cost for an individual. Actual costs will vary & may be shared by your employer]
All other: $280 [Food, transportation, other insurance, living essentials]
30% "Wants": No more than $765
[The BIGGEST advice I can give you is to try to "flip" the purpose of the 30/20 categories. In other words, spend no more than 20% on wants, and save 30% for as long as you can]
20% "Savings": $510
Retirement savings: $340 [Most experts recommend saving 10%-15% of gross income for retirement, especially when you are young!]
Debt payment: ?? [Will you have student loans? Need to finance a car? Debt is a tool, but plan ahead to minimize this as much as possible]
Other savings: $170 [Or whatever is left over after retirement and debt]
Again, this is just a simple example to get you started thinking about how to budget, regardless of what career you decide to pursue. Hope this helps :)
Erica Reeves
Educational Advisor
8
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Erica’s Answer
Sydney,
You have a lot of great information here! I think it’s also important to think about your debt load. Granted, I’m a community college graduate and I work at one, so I always recommend taking a look at your local community college and seeing what partnerships they have in the major you’re interested in. What does the tuition look like? What are the scholarships available?
A cool tool I like to show students I work with for career counseling is O*NET. The website is onetonline.org. This will allow you to search for career fields and has a wage calculator, it will show you the average for your state and even zip code. I also like it because it will show you related careers, which can get you thinking about similar areas.
Just keep in mind major selection and the job you have is not linear. I was an anthropology major as an undergraduate and work in higher education. If there are other jobs/fields that interest you, take a look at their education requirements. Often with the social sciences, you’ll find “required bachelors in _____ or similar field”. This means the bachelors is required but the major/background is flexible!
Hope this helps! Best of luck!
You have a lot of great information here! I think it’s also important to think about your debt load. Granted, I’m a community college graduate and I work at one, so I always recommend taking a look at your local community college and seeing what partnerships they have in the major you’re interested in. What does the tuition look like? What are the scholarships available?
A cool tool I like to show students I work with for career counseling is O*NET. The website is onetonline.org. This will allow you to search for career fields and has a wage calculator, it will show you the average for your state and even zip code. I also like it because it will show you related careers, which can get you thinking about similar areas.
Just keep in mind major selection and the job you have is not linear. I was an anthropology major as an undergraduate and work in higher education. If there are other jobs/fields that interest you, take a look at their education requirements. Often with the social sciences, you’ll find “required bachelors in _____ or similar field”. This means the bachelors is required but the major/background is flexible!
Hope this helps! Best of luck!