(Alexandria, VA, Monday, December 7, 2020) – The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) released findings from three years of surveys of social workers completing their master of social work (MSW) degrees.

Debt from social work education was, on average, substantially higher for Black/African Americans than for Whites ($66,000 vs. $45,000) and for Hispanics compared with non-Hispanics ($53,000 vs. $48,000). This is quite high given that the mean starting salary for new MSWs was only $47,100.

However, our country needs social workers. CSWE also studied where new social workers are practicing, and it’s clearly with populations in need of support.

• The majority of new graduates were working by the September after spring graduation.
• Overall, more than 46% of the 2019 MSW graduates were the first ones in their families to graduate college; this was particularly true for Hispanic/Latinos (73%) and Black/African American individuals (57%).

Where are new social workers practicing?

• More than four out of five respondents who were working in social work or social work-related positions were in direct (or clinical) work with individuals, families, or groups (82%).
• More than one-third of new social workers work with children and families (34.9%), and the second most common practice focus was people with mental health disorders (25.9%).

Who are social workers? New social workers are predominantly women (90%) and are diverse in terms of race and ethnicity. More than 22% of new social workers are Black/African American and 14% are Hispanic/Latino.

Founded in 1952, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include over 750 accredited baccalaureate and master’s degree social work programs, as well as individual social work educators, practitioners, and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education. Through its many initiatives, activities, and centers, CSWE supports quality social work education and provides opportunities for leadership and professional development, so that social workers play a central role in achieving the profession’s goals of social and economic justice. CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States and its territories.