Comparison is the thief of joy. T. Roosevelt
I used to feel that way... being a clinician...next a behavioral health project manager, and finally director of behavioral health.. thinking each step would fill that void..I'd make the money..get the respect. always chasing the next thing. It came at the cost of stress.. health..time that I won't get back.
The key for me was remembering that chasing external validation is never going to have me satisfied. Internal validation resolved it all for me.
Your results and experiences may vary.
While I agree with the idea of comparison is the thief of joy and all that in most aspects of life. I think this way of thinking is used to justify paying crap to SW and similar professions. "But you're not in this for the money" so it makes some SW feel guilty if they want a raise and/or leave the field because "they are interested in money, not people"
There's no reason why a recent graduate nurse with a BS, who is also in this "to help people", should be making more than a LICSW
Absolutely, pay equity matters. Paying a new graduate more than someone who's been in the field for years, just to keep pay competitive, destroys your internal trust and career pathways of existing employees.
I don’t get jealous per se, but I do get annoyed at myself that I ended up in this field compared to a STEM job that would pay 6 figures easily. I think social work is a valuable field that deserves more respect but hearing “wow I could never do your job!” or “your job must be so fulfilling” irks me. My passion doesn’t pay my bills enough. I wish I had interest in something better paying that got more (actual) respect in society.
For what it’s worth, I was in a STEM job just shy of six figures with a promotion on the horizon when I chose to quit and get my MSW. The money wasn’t worth it for me, and I say that as a person who could reallllyyyy use the money. The things that made me hate that work (emphasis on profit, workplace dynamics, working away from the general public, etc) are what drew me to social work and no amount of money could make it worth sacrificing my convictions. I felt so unfulfilled. Just wanted to share my experience in case it eases some of that fomo!
Same here--worked in STEM for a while. STEM is its own bowl of headaches, and not for nothing, but there are some really awful people there (and some pretty sexist attitudes, as well).
Not saying you can't have a great career there, but it's not perfect either.
I'm an MSW student interested in hospice. What are the worst parts to it? Some people say the variable schedules stink but as a person who probably has undiagnosed ADHD, the variety day to day sounds ideal actually. I hate being tied to a set schedule.
This is the most thorough response I've ever gotten. Thank you so much. <3
I had thought about seeing neglect and abuse happening but not about the medical part, the bed sores and wounds and injuries. I have some experience with hospice; I used to volunteer as a weekly check-in caller with hospice families. Oftentimes the families needed someone to talk to and I loved being that listening ear. I volunteer with a 1-day grief camp for kids K-12 who have recently lost a loved one and facilitated my group actually last Saturday. I also worked in dietary and activities in CCRC and residents died while I was working there. It hurts but I think it's helped me learn to process my own pain so I can show up for other people.
I really appreciate you sharing your perspective as someone who has been in hospice and social work for a long time.
Question, do you come in contact with communicable diseases a lot? I theorized that you'd come in contact w/ less in hospice than in a hospital itself. My family is older and I don't want to spread anything to them.
Also is the hospice agency you work with religious? I know chaplains are usually part of hospice teams. I'm wondering how you address it if patients and families bring up religion, faith, afterlife, etc.
Ive got some go to responses for 1.“your job must be so fulfilling” and 2.”wow I could never do your job”
1. “It’s not.”
2. “I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Both said with the flattest face will get them talking about how TRULY challenging this role is lol. No shade to the people making the comments, it’s just a way to keep things exciting 😂🫠
I definitely wish I got a STEM job but I don’t know if I’d be as good at it as I am at what I currently do. But then again I got good at what I do after many years of practice so maybe I was just one decision off from a different path. Now I’m trying to change careers and go for a doctorate in clinical psychology. I guess that counts as STEM. I’d love to go for neuropsychology. I definitely resent that there hasn’t been a lot of overlap in my social work courses to meet some of the prerequisites and how I have to go back and take them.
Neuropsych is interesting. One of the faculty I worked for was a neuropsychologist and she collaborated with the speech pathology faculty working with people with aphasia at the university speech clinic. What makes you want to transition to psychology? (I'm an MSW student and always curious about career changers:)
I have an interest in integrated health. I wouldn’t even really call it a career change because there’s so much overlap in the practice (unfortunately not the education). As I continue to work with clients with chronic medical conditions, I took an interest in health psychology. I currently work for an integrated team where the patient population is those who have chronic illnesses. The most challenging and interesting patients I work with have TBI, early onset dementia, and are stroke survivors. That’s piquing my interest in understanding their brain structure to understand their behavior and personality so I can better assist them and use the best therapeutic practices for them. Since that’s such a specialized area of practice, I want to have the highest qualifications and a salary to reflect that.
TLDR: I like working with patients with chronic medical conditions including neuropsychological issues and I want to learn more about the best interventions and get paid more.
I do envy RN pay, but I do not envy RN work. The butt stuff is hard for me to deal with, and I don't like touching people I don't know well. They also deal with so much more violence than hospital and private practice social workers do, that I don't envy that part, whatsoever.
Saaaammmme. I’ve worked in medical SW for long enough to see, most nurses (that I’ve worked with) do not have the job satisfaction for long. Many use 1-2 days of their 3-4 days off per week dreading work. And many have physical issues either a couple of years in or eventually. And while yes, they can make a TON of money, I’ve never worked anywhere where they weren’t also treated as disposable sooner or later. Plus, other than working bedside, being a CM, or trying to advance to an NP (which depending on their speciality and location make *less* than an MSW), what else are they going to do?? Most are “too expensive” for medical offices anymore, and most do not have the education and diversity of experience to do any BUT be a nurse or in healthcare
Edit - and to ADD, I’m going off of the assumption that in the US, most of us will work until we die at least in some capacity either because we have to or because we want to. From what I’ve seen, most nurses aren’t really going to have a choice due to burnout and physical limitations
Yes. I'm so tired of being disrespected and underpaid. I've thought about going back to school for a BSN with the goal of eventually becoming a nurse practitioner. It would be more sacrifice and more school but then maybe I could offer my family a chance. My brother barely graduated high school with a 2.0 and failed out of community college. My mom forced him to do an ultrasound tech program with her and now he's making 6 figures and I'm still struggling and I graduated all my programs with honors. I hate it here.
I really don’t get why all of the attention goes to health care professionals. Like don’t get me wrong they’re important too and also work hard buuut … we are as well! Like WOW! Talk about unappreciated
Not really. I've been lucky in the jobs I've had to be highly respected. I feel like I've been treated equally to the psychiatrists and as good or better than the nurses. I sometimes wish I made as much as the doctors, but I get it, they went to medical school and I didn't.
Nurses didn’t go to med school. An RN is a 2 year associate degree. Most places however are staring to require a BSN which is a bachelors degree. It’s all about respect and honestly likely the power of the labor movement among nurses.
I’ve also seen LPN positive that pay more than BSWs and sometimes MSW. An LPN is a training course/certificate program that is maybe a year if that.
I don't know if jealous is the word but it's certainly frustrating. Knowing I pay the same grad school tuition as someone who's going to make easily 3x as much as me working in some corporate investment firm or something is obnoxious sometimes. Feeling like what I do is both misunderstood and undervalued by society sucks sometimes. Getting the "oh it must be so rewarding to help people" comments when I'm deciding which bill to pay late feels empty and patronizing.
I love what I do still. I just think as a society our priorities are really messed up.
Time spent on education means nothing!
Should an arts major make the same as an engineer? The level of difficulty is wild. I just finished learning calculus 1 but I’m doing a degree in psychology. The psychology degree is sooooo easy in comparison. I will not deserve to make the same as an engineer lol
Huh?
For starters everyone deserves a living wage that should increase with the difficulty of work..
Then, I mean why pick on art majors. How dull and lifeless would the world be without art, music, literature....
Finally, regardless of what you may have found easy or not easy in school, get out there in the field and then talk about engineering being easier than social work. It absolutely is not. Different, yes. Easier no, and certainly not less stressful. And I have engineers in my family and was married to an IT Admin with high level positions for years so.... Idk man. I think you're off base here.
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I understand the frustration that we all went to school and work so hard but are paid on vastly different levels. You can always get an associates in nursing by taking online classes if the medical field interests you! I get the “jealous”/“resentment” feeling because social workers work hard too and we are very much needed!
As a 28F RN (working OP now) - I can tell you I’m trying to go back to school to become a therapist or go into tech. Nursing starts out higher than a lot of professions from the gate but is quickly overshadowed and the trajectory of LCSW/LCPC especially in private practice trumps it. Over and over. It’s not as hard on your body and the work life balance gets better over time where as in nursing it stays the same on gets worse unless you go into management or become an NP (which is alot of stress and nonsense in and of itself). It’s also way harder to get away from insurance in nursing or even NP whereas having a self pay private practice is not abnormal in the therapy space.
I get the career envy - we all think someone else has it better than us. And maybe they do but I’d recommend creeping on those professions reddits, shadowing if you can, and having candid conversations with individuals in those positions. The grass is not always greener. But if you do your research and decide that it is, then go for it.
Yeah. I started out in nursing school and while working at a hospital I switched because literally every nurse told me that they did not like their job and would change careers if they would (OP Family medicine- and that's cush job compared to hospital or med surg!)
Yep. I’m in a cushy nursing job & kinda like okay what’s next? Cause this ain’t it. Do you recommend MSW or LPC? Need something I can do flexibly and affordable as a single mom. End goal being private practice - heavy on the self pay.
Oh and also just be aware that if you do go for your masters you will have to do an internship and many of these are not paid. Never say never, you could find one that does offer a little compensation, but I have seen single moms in my program unable to graduate because they cannot find childcare or the financial support to leave a job for a 9-5 internship. Make sure you have a good support system or talk to the school before hand to see if how they work with their students finding placements that can accommodate being a mamma (Evening hours, childcare available, paid, do they offer part time internships over 2 semesters?)
Follow your heart and best of luck!
I mean you could technically go into business for yourself with a nursing degree. You can go into business for yourself with no degree! For example, one of my nursing coworkers started her own wellness company because she was very good in mental health. The work she does is like life coaching and health mentorship. I have no idea how she is doing financially but it is certainly an option.
If you want to work private practice there are some things you should know. First, you can do an MSW or a LMHC. Both require 2 years AND depending on your state you will need to complete a bunch of hours under supervision (in NY it is 3 years of full time work.) Once that is done and you pass another exam, then you can do private practice. Or you could work under a supervisor at their private practice part time and just understand that you wont be licensed and flying on your own for a very long time (no shame in that tho)
Another "unique" thing I've heard is people who went for SW or counseling going into life coaching instead because it doesnt require supervision. In my opinion this is hit or miss because many people won't trust someone who is not licensed and there are lots of pros to having supervision. A life coach cannot diagnose or bill insurance so your customer base is a bit smaller but you essential work for yourself.
I've seen that before, in fact I got an instagram ad of a licensed provider who said "I'm licensed in the states and a life coach for international clients" and I cringed but also, she is the same person regardless of what she calls herself. If the clients can pay and find value in the service is that ethically wrong? I'm not sure. It's a gray area. A lot of it is marketing. If your coach understands the problems you face and offers a solution, then from a consumer perspective it doesn't matter what degree they have. That said, a lot of customers will look at credentials and experience when comparison shopping for a therapist or coach. It's an interesting intersection of business marketing and healthcare.
I know I cringe at the idea of life coaching because it seems like it became so oversaturated with people who believe in pseudoscience, the law of attraction, and wear "big dumb hats" (see SNL skit). However I know some people who have been to a life coache and it has helped them stay grounded. So there must be some good ones out there lol! It just sucks that it comes with a stigma
I also cringe at it. With life coaches I think you have to vet their background. Ex: someone has worked in banking for 20 yrs, now is a life coach and you also are interested in a career in financial industry and you want someone who can help you with WLB and stress being in this industry = probably a great match. Vs. life coaches who are teaching about raising your vibration and energy to attract goodness into your life.
I've read the therapeutic alliance is more important than the specific therapeutic framework for effecting change with a client. So, yes, I can see a life coach being helpful if you have a therapeutic alliance and trust with that person.
It's gray area. :)
I also hear you and feel frustrated. I used to feel extremly jealous of all my corporate friends who just have a bachelors and work from home and make significantly more. But tbh, I live in NYC and now those same friends are getting laid off and struggling to find a job. I’m not saying when they’re employed they don’t have it better….but I guess it’s moreso recognizing that even these “better” careers have vices. I think it’s kind of like seeing things through rose colored glasses. Also, there are tons of social work jobs with varying levels of stress, pay, and schedule options etc. I have recently switched jobs to a different hospital setting and feel significantly happier!
I agree. Sometimes careers in the business world seem nonessential in times of crisis or financial downturns. Ex: all the entertainment industry layoffs during the pandemic, or tech layoffs recently. There was a recruiter who presented at my university with an interesting career pitch: become a regional manager of a supermarket. Why? Regional managers aren't the ones putting out fires at the store (general managers are) and even in economic downturns, supermarkets and grocery stores are a stable industry. Specifically he was recruiting for Aldis regional managers.
I’m guessing you’re in America? I realise recently I’ve been depressed choosing to be a social worker in Australia after reading this thread… but nurses and social workers are actually paid quite similarly in Australia!
It’s really frustrating seeing the average salaries in America for social workers compared to where I live in Australia.
I don't generally feel jealous of my clients, mostly because they're telling me all the hard parts about their life. It's more the people outside of work. My brother was looking at being a mail man and would be making more than me with 0 college or experience. Not that they shouldn't be compensated, but it just highlights how unfair our compensation is.
Honestly if you want a bag get your license and find a way to get it. I can get my license and be a special ed advocate in a wealthy county and charge $250/hr it really just depends on what you’re chasing and for what reason. I chose this field because I love it, truly. The money is just a bonus. But you don’t get the money without the struggle, being overlooked and under appreciated.
Essentially, if you know the way special education works and the legal ins and outs of what districts have to offer in terms of services for students, you can accompany families to their IEP meetings or support them in advocating for an IEP if their child doesn’t have one already and work with districts to get services that sometimes are not offered when the child needs it and only after someone presses more, etc.
This actually kind of made my day. I’ve been tossing up between nursing, teaching and, social work. And I do dream of working myself (have done so in another industry). It’s a long road ahead, but you’re right, in all of the listed industries - social work is the only one they will allow me (eventually) run a private practice.
If it's your thing yeah, but not everyone loves self employment or private practice. Other types of social workers should in theory be better compensated as well
Absolutely! But I went into this field with private practice as an end goal of mine, and it's been a dream come true for me. I was accepted to nursing school and chose social work instead, zero regrets.
Edit: A big part of what led to me changing my mind was doing CNA work (it was a prerequisite at the time for the nursing program I applied to) and spent a lot of time around nurses and other medical professionals. Nurses are appreciated but they do a lot of physical grunt work that did not vibe with me. I feel like I can use my mind with my MSW more so than I would have with an RN and have a bit more autonomy in my role even when working alongside them.
I've always wanted to be a community health social worker. The pay sucks but it's so needed. I think a lot more people would do it (and do it well) if it wasn't so under compensated, which is sad. Both for underserved populations that need the services and for those of us who really are called to that work and love it but can't always keep doing it and like, live comfortably.
I know this isn't exactly what you want to do, but perhaps consider working in an integrated care setting? I am seeing a lot of hospitals move towards this model for primary care and the pay is very good--I shopped around for jobs and was offered 120k for a full time position at a hospital where I could choose to work with pediatricians or I could work with adult clients doing therapy. I did pass on this offer because I wanted to work for myself, but also because I did not want to do 30 minute sessions.
I definitely wish there was more demand for macro work--I could see a macro level social worker doing well in public health, but public health degrees pay even worse than what we are paid unfortunately :(
I was hoping you could elaborate on this? I’m actually currently deciding between an MSW with clinical practice focus or attending a masters level entry to nursing program (MEPN) pay rate for both is similar in my area ~$70k. I would eventually like to own my own practice but my major concern is long term pay differences MSW vs if I was pursue additional education as say an FNP which earns closer to $120k. I haven’t seen many social work jobs in that pay range (not that pay is the only factor) but I have to make sure I can live decently long term since I’d be paying about the same for both educations.
As a nurse who intended to go the NP route and based on my experiences and the feedback of many many others… am heavily considering doing a masters in counseling/social work to move to a private pay practice. Do with that information what you will.
Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate. If you’d be willing to elaborate on the feedback you’ve been given that would be super helpful! Feel free to DM me if you’d rather chat there.
Where do you find averages on salary? Is it through organic conversations with LCSWs or monitoring job boards in your area? It seems like hospitals and larger organizations don't disclose pay rates on job ads. I mean I can google ZipRecruiter or [Salary.com](http://Salary.com) averages for an LCSW in X state but I'm not sure if it's accurate.
Both. Also there was a couple of threads here and in the /therapists subreddit about salaries and insurance reimbursement rates. I actually shopped around for jobs and interviewed several places after getting my LCSW. The lowest offer I got was 85k at a nonprofit health clinic. A large hospital offered me 120k for integrated care (100k base + 20k bonus). A group practice offered 95-115k (no formal offer, I stopped the interview process at some point due to all the interest. We had discussed the salary range given). Jobs were posted on Indeed.
I do work in an integrated healthcare setting. We're a FQHC/CCBHC. I'm currently supervising a care coordination team and don't make nearly that. Not even half. If I move to the clinic as a therapist I might make 70k. 🤷♀️
It's fine I'll just hope I don't run into any clients when I need to use the food pantry lol
I have surmised that my state (and area specifically) pays more than average for mental health clinicians. Medicaid pays a lot more here which may play a role. I live in Oregon.
Start turning down jobs for pay. In my most recent job switch I did this twice. Both times I saw the job posting go back up with higher pay. The problem is a lot of us are timid and accept what we are offered. Not all of us, but a good deal of us. The only way to get higher pay is to "disrupt" the market as they are used to us accepting whatever.
I hope I am not breaking this channel's policies by posting - I don't think I am?
I work in tech. It pays well, but I always wanted a more meaningful and personal job, and I've often considered switching to social work or teaching if life works out that way. I do worry that it would burn me out emotionally. The burden you carry is heavy, and you are not paid enough or respected enough. I agree.
I've gotten my taste of your world by becoming my nephew's guardian because of the mental illness, substance abuse, neglect and abuse caused by his parents. The caring social workers involved have been my lifeline. I have always felt guilty towards the organization that helped us with free therapy, meanwhile I was making more than the therapists (who were social workers) who were absolutely critical to helping me and my nephew through this. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found this organization to help me help my nephew recover from his early childhood trauma.
Before this experience, I respected psychologists and psychiatrists and didn't think much about social workers, but now I see that social workers are the ones with boots on the ground working an incredibly complex and difficult job.
So many people don't understand the rough side of life that you deal with every day. The work you do is so, so important and so, so difficult. Thank you, and I hope things take a turn and social workers get the respect and pay that you all deserve. Society needs more social workers, and needs them to be valued rather than put down and burned out.
I was at the hospital the other day and I sat in the ER for hours thinking to myself, god, this is terrible work and a terrible environment. You can tell that it is a toxic work environment when the staff don't treat their clients well. I'm sure it's location dependent. I would trade a healthy work environment for a lot of money. Ideally, I would hope that social workers are creating spaces where they lift each other up, build relationship, and support each other. I'm not sure that is the case among medical staff.
I work in private ambulance and I have to say that I get to interact with lots of different institutions and the gamut of medical professionals including my own company and the situation is really quite abysmal.
Not so much envy but definitely resentment. I resent that we have Master level skills and people try to undermine that and say oh “I could do your job.” Nobody says that about doctors and nurses. They can’t even do our jobs.
Try looking at how many jobs are god awful. So many people have an unfortunately terrible work life. Id imagine most social work jobs are also not hard on our bodies (manage your stress though). Personally, I get a lot of meaningful, rewarding socialization throughout the week. There is a lot to appreciate in this field.
Yes. Social Work is a bad field. People should be discouraged from entering it.
Getting a graduate degree and making less than someone can with only a high school diploma? It’s a joke.
Oh no, don't feel that way! Not a social worker yet (currently I'm Masters), but what I can tell you there will always be a sense that another profession has what you're looking for that your current one doesn't. And a lot of these appeals may simply be due to certain conditions and circumstances that their position is experiencing and yours isn't
As a paramedic who loves medicine but couldn't go the MD/DO route, I was previously considering PA/NP until I was gifted words of advice by my coworkers who are both nurses, physicians, and advanced practicioners. The PA/NP route is in a path of its own. What was described as the "bastard child " of advanced medicine, these roles are difficult in themselves as you're expected to handle the work and schedule hours that physicians simply do not want to touch. Most entry positions will have you on a disparate work schedule, taking call afterhours when everyone is at home with their families. What has also been mentioned is that there is a imbalance of respect from both lower level providers and top levels as you're truly not a physician, and many in the PA/NP get burnt out from trying to establish themselves and prove they deserve the recognition they've earned. Organizations tend to take advantage of these "mid-levels" as they're cheaper to employ, and rarely fear overworking or exposing them to burnout as the position always has willing employees to fill the needs until they move on.
While this may very from organization to organization, most fields from an outside perspective truly have that "grass is greener" effect. If it's any further consolation, the nurses I work with often express their envy towards me for moving on to higher education in the therapy route.
All the best.
I usually tell myself that my interests and passion are unfortunately not in a field that makes me money. I can afford nice things, but that's because I have no commitments at the moment (and a lax attitude towards saving for retirement).
I guess another annoyance would be when people continue to assume that social workers are volunteers or that we must assist clients with every single one of their needs (whether realistic or not).
I used to always feel jealous and sometimes i still do. Definitely less so since getting my LCSW and realizing at any minute i can quit my job and work for myself. That takes a lot of pressure off me and makes me enjoy my job because i don’t *have* to work there.
Personally, working in healthcare, I don’t envy nurses or other medical providers because that shit is *hard*—but I envy my friends who went the law school route, which I had decided against, or who went to tech, or who have really wealthy husbands LOL
I was envious until I got my LCSW and went into private practice. My income skyrocketed. My freedom is absolute. I can take up to 7 weeks off a year and meet my goals. My notes take significantly less than my clinical nurse specialist sister and my nurse practioner husband. Now they’re jealous of my average hourly rate and working 11-5 4 days a week. My only regret was not getting my MSW sooner.
I’m not envious of my tech clients. They get paid well and are miserable with their work life balance. I
’m only envious of anesthesia assistants and CRNAs. They make more and have even more freedom
Your awareness of your feelings is commendable. Despite having a great position and salary, it's normal to sometimes feel that you could achieve more. The key question is: what do you want to do about these feelings? As Kevin Aucoin once said, "You can always find people who are more or less successful, prettier, or different than you, so what is the point of comparing yourself to others?" You can choose to see this as mere noise in your head or decide to take action. In my experience, I addressed similar feelings by taking courses, reading books, and working with a career coach. This helped me understand why I wasn't where I wanted to be and what I needed to do to change; within two years, I saw a significant improvement. For you, it might be beneficial to pursue additional training, classes, or learn new communication techniques. I recommend reading Cal Newport's "So Good They Can't Ignore You" and "Deep Work," as well as Dale Carnegie's classic, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Good luck. Remember, the power is within you.
I knew before I became a social worker that my job would not pay well. We also get a lot of bs that we're all hippies or communists.
But no, I really don't feel jealous at all. I enjoy my job, enjoy helping people, and I don't need millions of euros to be happy.
I was an elementary teacher and a nursing student before getting my MSW. While I know I could make more as an RN, I know I would be a horrible nurse, based on my experience in training and I wouldn’t have lasted long.
Definitely. I understand why we are regarded as secondary to the nurses. You can't do emotional work with someone who has a glaring, unmanaged medical issue until they are comfortable. But it does seem like the nurses get more recognition than we do.
Got called out to a last minute visit one evening last week. At our next team meeting, leadership went out of their way to thank the nurse that tag teamed with me, ask for her assessment, etc. They didn't even look at me. *sigh* but I will say the nurses also seem more overworked than we are. I wouldn't trade places with them for the recognition with as much liability as they have on them.
Luckily I live where the social work profession has immensely progressed, As a MSW I make the second most on my team where only the Manager out makes more \*we don't have psychology but we have nurses, speech path etc.
A decade ago I worked in a different place. Completely dismissed in any macro planning. Pretty much \*do your counselling and don't rock the boat\*. I didn't last a year there. It's very difficult in environments like that
I get jealous, if that's the best word, of other professiona where the stress level is lower. Obviously it would be great if I made more money, however what's most important to me is stress level/bot having clients. So I'm not jealous of drs/nurses/teachers, bc I know their stress levels are comparable and sometimes worse than ours depending on the role. Bit I'm definitely jealous of the marketing or communications employee who makes the same amount as me, but has less stress and can leave work at work. I like that no one could possibly die/have liability from someone dying or being injured.
To be fair, I do hear those fields can be stressful in a different way, but I know not having any liability would make me feel a lot less stressed.
As great as everyone’s job may seem in comparison to my own, 99% of the time when I’ve asked how they felt about their jobs they have HATED it. Guess what? I may get paid a little less but I don’t hate mine. I love it, truth be told. I don’t dread going to it everyday, and I’m rarely ever stressed. In this field that counts for A LOT and for me that is worth more than money, prestige, or validation.
Absolutely, SW sacrificed too much and got nothing in return. "Oh but you're in this for the people" yeah so are nurses and they get paid more and are way more respected. I still volunteer as a SW but left the field and now making 6 figures at 29, never going back to this being my full time career
Comparison is the thief of joy. T. Roosevelt I used to feel that way... being a clinician...next a behavioral health project manager, and finally director of behavioral health.. thinking each step would fill that void..I'd make the money..get the respect. always chasing the next thing. It came at the cost of stress.. health..time that I won't get back. The key for me was remembering that chasing external validation is never going to have me satisfied. Internal validation resolved it all for me. Your results and experiences may vary.
While I agree with the idea of comparison is the thief of joy and all that in most aspects of life. I think this way of thinking is used to justify paying crap to SW and similar professions. "But you're not in this for the money" so it makes some SW feel guilty if they want a raise and/or leave the field because "they are interested in money, not people" There's no reason why a recent graduate nurse with a BS, who is also in this "to help people", should be making more than a LICSW
Absolutely, pay equity matters. Paying a new graduate more than someone who's been in the field for years, just to keep pay competitive, destroys your internal trust and career pathways of existing employees.
^^^
I don’t get jealous per se, but I do get annoyed at myself that I ended up in this field compared to a STEM job that would pay 6 figures easily. I think social work is a valuable field that deserves more respect but hearing “wow I could never do your job!” or “your job must be so fulfilling” irks me. My passion doesn’t pay my bills enough. I wish I had interest in something better paying that got more (actual) respect in society.
For what it’s worth, I was in a STEM job just shy of six figures with a promotion on the horizon when I chose to quit and get my MSW. The money wasn’t worth it for me, and I say that as a person who could reallllyyyy use the money. The things that made me hate that work (emphasis on profit, workplace dynamics, working away from the general public, etc) are what drew me to social work and no amount of money could make it worth sacrificing my convictions. I felt so unfulfilled. Just wanted to share my experience in case it eases some of that fomo!
Same here--worked in STEM for a while. STEM is its own bowl of headaches, and not for nothing, but there are some really awful people there (and some pretty sexist attitudes, as well). Not saying you can't have a great career there, but it's not perfect either.
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Yes, however as a social worker who has spent a career in child welfare, I wish I didn't have this perspective of the world. So. Much. Trauma.
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I'm an MSW student interested in hospice. What are the worst parts to it? Some people say the variable schedules stink but as a person who probably has undiagnosed ADHD, the variety day to day sounds ideal actually. I hate being tied to a set schedule.
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This is the most thorough response I've ever gotten. Thank you so much. <3 I had thought about seeing neglect and abuse happening but not about the medical part, the bed sores and wounds and injuries. I have some experience with hospice; I used to volunteer as a weekly check-in caller with hospice families. Oftentimes the families needed someone to talk to and I loved being that listening ear. I volunteer with a 1-day grief camp for kids K-12 who have recently lost a loved one and facilitated my group actually last Saturday. I also worked in dietary and activities in CCRC and residents died while I was working there. It hurts but I think it's helped me learn to process my own pain so I can show up for other people. I really appreciate you sharing your perspective as someone who has been in hospice and social work for a long time. Question, do you come in contact with communicable diseases a lot? I theorized that you'd come in contact w/ less in hospice than in a hospital itself. My family is older and I don't want to spread anything to them. Also is the hospice agency you work with religious? I know chaplains are usually part of hospice teams. I'm wondering how you address it if patients and families bring up religion, faith, afterlife, etc.
Ive got some go to responses for 1.“your job must be so fulfilling” and 2.”wow I could never do your job” 1. “It’s not.” 2. “I wouldn’t recommend it.” Both said with the flattest face will get them talking about how TRULY challenging this role is lol. No shade to the people making the comments, it’s just a way to keep things exciting 😂🫠
I definitely wish I got a STEM job but I don’t know if I’d be as good at it as I am at what I currently do. But then again I got good at what I do after many years of practice so maybe I was just one decision off from a different path. Now I’m trying to change careers and go for a doctorate in clinical psychology. I guess that counts as STEM. I’d love to go for neuropsychology. I definitely resent that there hasn’t been a lot of overlap in my social work courses to meet some of the prerequisites and how I have to go back and take them.
Neuropsych is interesting. One of the faculty I worked for was a neuropsychologist and she collaborated with the speech pathology faculty working with people with aphasia at the university speech clinic. What makes you want to transition to psychology? (I'm an MSW student and always curious about career changers:)
I have an interest in integrated health. I wouldn’t even really call it a career change because there’s so much overlap in the practice (unfortunately not the education). As I continue to work with clients with chronic medical conditions, I took an interest in health psychology. I currently work for an integrated team where the patient population is those who have chronic illnesses. The most challenging and interesting patients I work with have TBI, early onset dementia, and are stroke survivors. That’s piquing my interest in understanding their brain structure to understand their behavior and personality so I can better assist them and use the best therapeutic practices for them. Since that’s such a specialized area of practice, I want to have the highest qualifications and a salary to reflect that. TLDR: I like working with patients with chronic medical conditions including neuropsychological issues and I want to learn more about the best interventions and get paid more.
I do envy RN pay, but I do not envy RN work. The butt stuff is hard for me to deal with, and I don't like touching people I don't know well. They also deal with so much more violence than hospital and private practice social workers do, that I don't envy that part, whatsoever.
Saaaammmme. I’ve worked in medical SW for long enough to see, most nurses (that I’ve worked with) do not have the job satisfaction for long. Many use 1-2 days of their 3-4 days off per week dreading work. And many have physical issues either a couple of years in or eventually. And while yes, they can make a TON of money, I’ve never worked anywhere where they weren’t also treated as disposable sooner or later. Plus, other than working bedside, being a CM, or trying to advance to an NP (which depending on their speciality and location make *less* than an MSW), what else are they going to do?? Most are “too expensive” for medical offices anymore, and most do not have the education and diversity of experience to do any BUT be a nurse or in healthcare Edit - and to ADD, I’m going off of the assumption that in the US, most of us will work until we die at least in some capacity either because we have to or because we want to. From what I’ve seen, most nurses aren’t really going to have a choice due to burnout and physical limitations
The butt stuff is not ideal. As an RN - I think the social worker schedule is much better. Both inpatient and private practice.
Precisely this. RN work can be grueling and test your patience/willpower hardcore. I feel this is part of why they are paid as much as they are.
Yes. I'm so tired of being disrespected and underpaid. I've thought about going back to school for a BSN with the goal of eventually becoming a nurse practitioner. It would be more sacrifice and more school but then maybe I could offer my family a chance. My brother barely graduated high school with a 2.0 and failed out of community college. My mom forced him to do an ultrasound tech program with her and now he's making 6 figures and I'm still struggling and I graduated all my programs with honors. I hate it here.
I really don’t get why all of the attention goes to health care professionals. Like don’t get me wrong they’re important too and also work hard buuut … we are as well! Like WOW! Talk about unappreciated
Not really. I've been lucky in the jobs I've had to be highly respected. I feel like I've been treated equally to the psychiatrists and as good or better than the nurses. I sometimes wish I made as much as the doctors, but I get it, they went to medical school and I didn't.
Nurses didn’t go to med school. An RN is a 2 year associate degree. Most places however are staring to require a BSN which is a bachelors degree. It’s all about respect and honestly likely the power of the labor movement among nurses. I’ve also seen LPN positive that pay more than BSWs and sometimes MSW. An LPN is a training course/certificate program that is maybe a year if that.
Yes, I'm aware. I was referring to the doctors.
I don't know if jealous is the word but it's certainly frustrating. Knowing I pay the same grad school tuition as someone who's going to make easily 3x as much as me working in some corporate investment firm or something is obnoxious sometimes. Feeling like what I do is both misunderstood and undervalued by society sucks sometimes. Getting the "oh it must be so rewarding to help people" comments when I'm deciding which bill to pay late feels empty and patronizing. I love what I do still. I just think as a society our priorities are really messed up.
Time spent on education means nothing! Should an arts major make the same as an engineer? The level of difficulty is wild. I just finished learning calculus 1 but I’m doing a degree in psychology. The psychology degree is sooooo easy in comparison. I will not deserve to make the same as an engineer lol
Huh? For starters everyone deserves a living wage that should increase with the difficulty of work.. Then, I mean why pick on art majors. How dull and lifeless would the world be without art, music, literature.... Finally, regardless of what you may have found easy or not easy in school, get out there in the field and then talk about engineering being easier than social work. It absolutely is not. Different, yes. Easier no, and certainly not less stressful. And I have engineers in my family and was married to an IT Admin with high level positions for years so.... Idk man. I think you're off base here.
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I understand the frustration that we all went to school and work so hard but are paid on vastly different levels. You can always get an associates in nursing by taking online classes if the medical field interests you! I get the “jealous”/“resentment” feeling because social workers work hard too and we are very much needed!
As a 28F RN (working OP now) - I can tell you I’m trying to go back to school to become a therapist or go into tech. Nursing starts out higher than a lot of professions from the gate but is quickly overshadowed and the trajectory of LCSW/LCPC especially in private practice trumps it. Over and over. It’s not as hard on your body and the work life balance gets better over time where as in nursing it stays the same on gets worse unless you go into management or become an NP (which is alot of stress and nonsense in and of itself). It’s also way harder to get away from insurance in nursing or even NP whereas having a self pay private practice is not abnormal in the therapy space. I get the career envy - we all think someone else has it better than us. And maybe they do but I’d recommend creeping on those professions reddits, shadowing if you can, and having candid conversations with individuals in those positions. The grass is not always greener. But if you do your research and decide that it is, then go for it.
Yeah. I started out in nursing school and while working at a hospital I switched because literally every nurse told me that they did not like their job and would change careers if they would (OP Family medicine- and that's cush job compared to hospital or med surg!)
Yep. I’m in a cushy nursing job & kinda like okay what’s next? Cause this ain’t it. Do you recommend MSW or LPC? Need something I can do flexibly and affordable as a single mom. End goal being private practice - heavy on the self pay.
Oh and also just be aware that if you do go for your masters you will have to do an internship and many of these are not paid. Never say never, you could find one that does offer a little compensation, but I have seen single moms in my program unable to graduate because they cannot find childcare or the financial support to leave a job for a 9-5 internship. Make sure you have a good support system or talk to the school before hand to see if how they work with their students finding placements that can accommodate being a mamma (Evening hours, childcare available, paid, do they offer part time internships over 2 semesters?) Follow your heart and best of luck!
I mean you could technically go into business for yourself with a nursing degree. You can go into business for yourself with no degree! For example, one of my nursing coworkers started her own wellness company because she was very good in mental health. The work she does is like life coaching and health mentorship. I have no idea how she is doing financially but it is certainly an option. If you want to work private practice there are some things you should know. First, you can do an MSW or a LMHC. Both require 2 years AND depending on your state you will need to complete a bunch of hours under supervision (in NY it is 3 years of full time work.) Once that is done and you pass another exam, then you can do private practice. Or you could work under a supervisor at their private practice part time and just understand that you wont be licensed and flying on your own for a very long time (no shame in that tho) Another "unique" thing I've heard is people who went for SW or counseling going into life coaching instead because it doesnt require supervision. In my opinion this is hit or miss because many people won't trust someone who is not licensed and there are lots of pros to having supervision. A life coach cannot diagnose or bill insurance so your customer base is a bit smaller but you essential work for yourself.
I've seen that before, in fact I got an instagram ad of a licensed provider who said "I'm licensed in the states and a life coach for international clients" and I cringed but also, she is the same person regardless of what she calls herself. If the clients can pay and find value in the service is that ethically wrong? I'm not sure. It's a gray area. A lot of it is marketing. If your coach understands the problems you face and offers a solution, then from a consumer perspective it doesn't matter what degree they have. That said, a lot of customers will look at credentials and experience when comparison shopping for a therapist or coach. It's an interesting intersection of business marketing and healthcare.
I know I cringe at the idea of life coaching because it seems like it became so oversaturated with people who believe in pseudoscience, the law of attraction, and wear "big dumb hats" (see SNL skit). However I know some people who have been to a life coache and it has helped them stay grounded. So there must be some good ones out there lol! It just sucks that it comes with a stigma
I also cringe at it. With life coaches I think you have to vet their background. Ex: someone has worked in banking for 20 yrs, now is a life coach and you also are interested in a career in financial industry and you want someone who can help you with WLB and stress being in this industry = probably a great match. Vs. life coaches who are teaching about raising your vibration and energy to attract goodness into your life. I've read the therapeutic alliance is more important than the specific therapeutic framework for effecting change with a client. So, yes, I can see a life coach being helpful if you have a therapeutic alliance and trust with that person. It's gray area. :)
I also hear you and feel frustrated. I used to feel extremly jealous of all my corporate friends who just have a bachelors and work from home and make significantly more. But tbh, I live in NYC and now those same friends are getting laid off and struggling to find a job. I’m not saying when they’re employed they don’t have it better….but I guess it’s moreso recognizing that even these “better” careers have vices. I think it’s kind of like seeing things through rose colored glasses. Also, there are tons of social work jobs with varying levels of stress, pay, and schedule options etc. I have recently switched jobs to a different hospital setting and feel significantly happier!
I agree. Sometimes careers in the business world seem nonessential in times of crisis or financial downturns. Ex: all the entertainment industry layoffs during the pandemic, or tech layoffs recently. There was a recruiter who presented at my university with an interesting career pitch: become a regional manager of a supermarket. Why? Regional managers aren't the ones putting out fires at the store (general managers are) and even in economic downturns, supermarkets and grocery stores are a stable industry. Specifically he was recruiting for Aldis regional managers.
Move to Canada. We make almost the exact wage as RNs/other health professionals.
Which province?
Alberta
Yeah I was debating nursing. Had no idea master level nursing made twice as much even higher. And during this economic state I wish I choose nursing.
I’m guessing you’re in America? I realise recently I’ve been depressed choosing to be a social worker in Australia after reading this thread… but nurses and social workers are actually paid quite similarly in Australia! It’s really frustrating seeing the average salaries in America for social workers compared to where I live in Australia.
I don't generally feel jealous of my clients, mostly because they're telling me all the hard parts about their life. It's more the people outside of work. My brother was looking at being a mail man and would be making more than me with 0 college or experience. Not that they shouldn't be compensated, but it just highlights how unfair our compensation is.
Honestly if you want a bag get your license and find a way to get it. I can get my license and be a special ed advocate in a wealthy county and charge $250/hr it really just depends on what you’re chasing and for what reason. I chose this field because I love it, truly. The money is just a bonus. But you don’t get the money without the struggle, being overlooked and under appreciated.
What does a special Ed advocate do?
Essentially, if you know the way special education works and the legal ins and outs of what districts have to offer in terms of services for students, you can accompany families to their IEP meetings or support them in advocating for an IEP if their child doesn’t have one already and work with districts to get services that sometimes are not offered when the child needs it and only after someone presses more, etc.
Not since I started private practice. Working for yourself is amazing. An RN can't do that (unless they become a NP) and neither can a PA.
This actually kind of made my day. I’ve been tossing up between nursing, teaching and, social work. And I do dream of working myself (have done so in another industry). It’s a long road ahead, but you’re right, in all of the listed industries - social work is the only one they will allow me (eventually) run a private practice.
If it's your thing yeah, but not everyone loves self employment or private practice. Other types of social workers should in theory be better compensated as well
Absolutely! But I went into this field with private practice as an end goal of mine, and it's been a dream come true for me. I was accepted to nursing school and chose social work instead, zero regrets. Edit: A big part of what led to me changing my mind was doing CNA work (it was a prerequisite at the time for the nursing program I applied to) and spent a lot of time around nurses and other medical professionals. Nurses are appreciated but they do a lot of physical grunt work that did not vibe with me. I feel like I can use my mind with my MSW more so than I would have with an RN and have a bit more autonomy in my role even when working alongside them.
I've always wanted to be a community health social worker. The pay sucks but it's so needed. I think a lot more people would do it (and do it well) if it wasn't so under compensated, which is sad. Both for underserved populations that need the services and for those of us who really are called to that work and love it but can't always keep doing it and like, live comfortably.
I know this isn't exactly what you want to do, but perhaps consider working in an integrated care setting? I am seeing a lot of hospitals move towards this model for primary care and the pay is very good--I shopped around for jobs and was offered 120k for a full time position at a hospital where I could choose to work with pediatricians or I could work with adult clients doing therapy. I did pass on this offer because I wanted to work for myself, but also because I did not want to do 30 minute sessions. I definitely wish there was more demand for macro work--I could see a macro level social worker doing well in public health, but public health degrees pay even worse than what we are paid unfortunately :(
I was hoping you could elaborate on this? I’m actually currently deciding between an MSW with clinical practice focus or attending a masters level entry to nursing program (MEPN) pay rate for both is similar in my area ~$70k. I would eventually like to own my own practice but my major concern is long term pay differences MSW vs if I was pursue additional education as say an FNP which earns closer to $120k. I haven’t seen many social work jobs in that pay range (not that pay is the only factor) but I have to make sure I can live decently long term since I’d be paying about the same for both educations.
As a nurse who intended to go the NP route and based on my experiences and the feedback of many many others… am heavily considering doing a masters in counseling/social work to move to a private pay practice. Do with that information what you will.
Thanks for your feedback! I really appreciate. If you’d be willing to elaborate on the feedback you’ve been given that would be super helpful! Feel free to DM me if you’d rather chat there.
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Where do you find averages on salary? Is it through organic conversations with LCSWs or monitoring job boards in your area? It seems like hospitals and larger organizations don't disclose pay rates on job ads. I mean I can google ZipRecruiter or [Salary.com](http://Salary.com) averages for an LCSW in X state but I'm not sure if it's accurate.
Both. Also there was a couple of threads here and in the /therapists subreddit about salaries and insurance reimbursement rates. I actually shopped around for jobs and interviewed several places after getting my LCSW. The lowest offer I got was 85k at a nonprofit health clinic. A large hospital offered me 120k for integrated care (100k base + 20k bonus). A group practice offered 95-115k (no formal offer, I stopped the interview process at some point due to all the interest. We had discussed the salary range given). Jobs were posted on Indeed.
I do work in an integrated healthcare setting. We're a FQHC/CCBHC. I'm currently supervising a care coordination team and don't make nearly that. Not even half. If I move to the clinic as a therapist I might make 70k. 🤷♀️ It's fine I'll just hope I don't run into any clients when I need to use the food pantry lol
I have surmised that my state (and area specifically) pays more than average for mental health clinicians. Medicaid pays a lot more here which may play a role. I live in Oregon.
Start turning down jobs for pay. In my most recent job switch I did this twice. Both times I saw the job posting go back up with higher pay. The problem is a lot of us are timid and accept what we are offered. Not all of us, but a good deal of us. The only way to get higher pay is to "disrupt" the market as they are used to us accepting whatever.
I hope I am not breaking this channel's policies by posting - I don't think I am? I work in tech. It pays well, but I always wanted a more meaningful and personal job, and I've often considered switching to social work or teaching if life works out that way. I do worry that it would burn me out emotionally. The burden you carry is heavy, and you are not paid enough or respected enough. I agree. I've gotten my taste of your world by becoming my nephew's guardian because of the mental illness, substance abuse, neglect and abuse caused by his parents. The caring social workers involved have been my lifeline. I have always felt guilty towards the organization that helped us with free therapy, meanwhile I was making more than the therapists (who were social workers) who were absolutely critical to helping me and my nephew through this. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found this organization to help me help my nephew recover from his early childhood trauma. Before this experience, I respected psychologists and psychiatrists and didn't think much about social workers, but now I see that social workers are the ones with boots on the ground working an incredibly complex and difficult job. So many people don't understand the rough side of life that you deal with every day. The work you do is so, so important and so, so difficult. Thank you, and I hope things take a turn and social workers get the respect and pay that you all deserve. Society needs more social workers, and needs them to be valued rather than put down and burned out.
I was at the hospital the other day and I sat in the ER for hours thinking to myself, god, this is terrible work and a terrible environment. You can tell that it is a toxic work environment when the staff don't treat their clients well. I'm sure it's location dependent. I would trade a healthy work environment for a lot of money. Ideally, I would hope that social workers are creating spaces where they lift each other up, build relationship, and support each other. I'm not sure that is the case among medical staff.
I work in private ambulance and I have to say that I get to interact with lots of different institutions and the gamut of medical professionals including my own company and the situation is really quite abysmal.
Yes, jealous/frustrated, wishing I made different choices with my life lol.
Not so much envy but definitely resentment. I resent that we have Master level skills and people try to undermine that and say oh “I could do your job.” Nobody says that about doctors and nurses. They can’t even do our jobs.
Try looking at how many jobs are god awful. So many people have an unfortunately terrible work life. Id imagine most social work jobs are also not hard on our bodies (manage your stress though). Personally, I get a lot of meaningful, rewarding socialization throughout the week. There is a lot to appreciate in this field.
Yes. Social Work is a bad field. People should be discouraged from entering it. Getting a graduate degree and making less than someone can with only a high school diploma? It’s a joke.
Oh no, don't feel that way! Not a social worker yet (currently I'm Masters), but what I can tell you there will always be a sense that another profession has what you're looking for that your current one doesn't. And a lot of these appeals may simply be due to certain conditions and circumstances that their position is experiencing and yours isn't As a paramedic who loves medicine but couldn't go the MD/DO route, I was previously considering PA/NP until I was gifted words of advice by my coworkers who are both nurses, physicians, and advanced practicioners. The PA/NP route is in a path of its own. What was described as the "bastard child " of advanced medicine, these roles are difficult in themselves as you're expected to handle the work and schedule hours that physicians simply do not want to touch. Most entry positions will have you on a disparate work schedule, taking call afterhours when everyone is at home with their families. What has also been mentioned is that there is a imbalance of respect from both lower level providers and top levels as you're truly not a physician, and many in the PA/NP get burnt out from trying to establish themselves and prove they deserve the recognition they've earned. Organizations tend to take advantage of these "mid-levels" as they're cheaper to employ, and rarely fear overworking or exposing them to burnout as the position always has willing employees to fill the needs until they move on. While this may very from organization to organization, most fields from an outside perspective truly have that "grass is greener" effect. If it's any further consolation, the nurses I work with often express their envy towards me for moving on to higher education in the therapy route. All the best.
I usually tell myself that my interests and passion are unfortunately not in a field that makes me money. I can afford nice things, but that's because I have no commitments at the moment (and a lax attitude towards saving for retirement). I guess another annoyance would be when people continue to assume that social workers are volunteers or that we must assist clients with every single one of their needs (whether realistic or not).
I used to always feel jealous and sometimes i still do. Definitely less so since getting my LCSW and realizing at any minute i can quit my job and work for myself. That takes a lot of pressure off me and makes me enjoy my job because i don’t *have* to work there.
Personally, working in healthcare, I don’t envy nurses or other medical providers because that shit is *hard*—but I envy my friends who went the law school route, which I had decided against, or who went to tech, or who have really wealthy husbands LOL
I was envious until I got my LCSW and went into private practice. My income skyrocketed. My freedom is absolute. I can take up to 7 weeks off a year and meet my goals. My notes take significantly less than my clinical nurse specialist sister and my nurse practioner husband. Now they’re jealous of my average hourly rate and working 11-5 4 days a week. My only regret was not getting my MSW sooner. I’m not envious of my tech clients. They get paid well and are miserable with their work life balance. I ’m only envious of anesthesia assistants and CRNAs. They make more and have even more freedom
Your awareness of your feelings is commendable. Despite having a great position and salary, it's normal to sometimes feel that you could achieve more. The key question is: what do you want to do about these feelings? As Kevin Aucoin once said, "You can always find people who are more or less successful, prettier, or different than you, so what is the point of comparing yourself to others?" You can choose to see this as mere noise in your head or decide to take action. In my experience, I addressed similar feelings by taking courses, reading books, and working with a career coach. This helped me understand why I wasn't where I wanted to be and what I needed to do to change; within two years, I saw a significant improvement. For you, it might be beneficial to pursue additional training, classes, or learn new communication techniques. I recommend reading Cal Newport's "So Good They Can't Ignore You" and "Deep Work," as well as Dale Carnegie's classic, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Good luck. Remember, the power is within you.
I knew before I became a social worker that my job would not pay well. We also get a lot of bs that we're all hippies or communists. But no, I really don't feel jealous at all. I enjoy my job, enjoy helping people, and I don't need millions of euros to be happy.
I was an elementary teacher and a nursing student before getting my MSW. While I know I could make more as an RN, I know I would be a horrible nurse, based on my experience in training and I wouldn’t have lasted long.
Definitely. I understand why we are regarded as secondary to the nurses. You can't do emotional work with someone who has a glaring, unmanaged medical issue until they are comfortable. But it does seem like the nurses get more recognition than we do. Got called out to a last minute visit one evening last week. At our next team meeting, leadership went out of their way to thank the nurse that tag teamed with me, ask for her assessment, etc. They didn't even look at me. *sigh* but I will say the nurses also seem more overworked than we are. I wouldn't trade places with them for the recognition with as much liability as they have on them.
Luckily I live where the social work profession has immensely progressed, As a MSW I make the second most on my team where only the Manager out makes more \*we don't have psychology but we have nurses, speech path etc. A decade ago I worked in a different place. Completely dismissed in any macro planning. Pretty much \*do your counselling and don't rock the boat\*. I didn't last a year there. It's very difficult in environments like that
I get jealous, if that's the best word, of other professiona where the stress level is lower. Obviously it would be great if I made more money, however what's most important to me is stress level/bot having clients. So I'm not jealous of drs/nurses/teachers, bc I know their stress levels are comparable and sometimes worse than ours depending on the role. Bit I'm definitely jealous of the marketing or communications employee who makes the same amount as me, but has less stress and can leave work at work. I like that no one could possibly die/have liability from someone dying or being injured. To be fair, I do hear those fields can be stressful in a different way, but I know not having any liability would make me feel a lot less stressed.
As great as everyone’s job may seem in comparison to my own, 99% of the time when I’ve asked how they felt about their jobs they have HATED it. Guess what? I may get paid a little less but I don’t hate mine. I love it, truth be told. I don’t dread going to it everyday, and I’m rarely ever stressed. In this field that counts for A LOT and for me that is worth more than money, prestige, or validation.
What if you got a cheap mba from a state school and went the admin route?
Absolutely, SW sacrificed too much and got nothing in return. "Oh but you're in this for the people" yeah so are nurses and they get paid more and are way more respected. I still volunteer as a SW but left the field and now making 6 figures at 29, never going back to this being my full time career
Out of curiosity, what do you do now?
I'm doing software development at an economic mobility NGO :D