Is it hard to find a job in social work with only an Associates Degree?

Question

I live in Ohio, and I am currently working on obtaining my Associates Degree in Social work. I am wondering if an Associates Degree is enough in this field, or if I will have to obtain a Bachelors Degree to find gainful employment?

Answer 1

Every  state  varies  and  many  require  a  bachelors  for  an  actual  social  worker  position .

You   should  be  asking  at   Your  social  services  what  job  openings  are  available  for  persons  with  an  AA .

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Answer 2

Yes, it is very hard in most places. To have the most job opportunities in my state, you MUST have a BA or BS and become licensed. It is now becoming necessary to even have a Master's degree in this field. Without the BA AND the license together, the jobs in my area are paying less than 10/hour, maybe a bit more with experience. Once you get the BA and license, and a year or 2 of experience, you can find better-paying jobs. Most ads here want a year or 2 of work experience, the license and BA/BS. If you can get into a school or hospital, you will earn in the high 30,000 range or low 40,000 to start. These can be hard to find, depending on your state.

I would check the market and see what is available in your area. Get your Assoc., get some experience while you are doing this and then get the BA/BS and find out what you need to be licensed.

One thing that you may find with just an Assoc. is a job working for your local or state government. I just answered one myself and all that was required was 60 credits from an accredited college. It is a social service agency. You can usually find these jobs on your state's Dept. of Employment/Personnel website. It may be worth checking into.

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 3

Where I live (Dallas, Texas) you definitely need a Bachelor's Degree. My friend is going to school to become a social worker and after doing some research..she found this out.  

Answer 4

An associate's degree in human services would merely allow a person to work in the field of social services though not with the title of 'social worker'.  A person must at least obtain a bachelor's degree (BSW) though a master's degree (MSW) would allow more job opportunities and, if interested, the ability to work in private practice after gaining job experience.  Just fyi that the field of human services/mental health is supposed to have a high burn-out rate as with nursing.

For more general career info:  http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search 'social and human services assistants', 'social workers' or such.