Four Benefits of Getting a Social Work Degree in 2022

Analysts expect 2022 to be the year of revolutionary changes. We could expect significant and positive changes in the critical economic sectors as the world moves towards a boom. The education department, especially, will become much better than ever before, especially after the lessons learned from the pandemic. There has been a rise in the number of students pursuing virtual education, and academic institutes are expanding their mode of education, using modern online tools.

A social work degree will be one of the best qualifications in the coming years, especially an MSW because it will allow students to take up leadership roles and change society. This is a much-needed career right now because, after COVID-19 and the consequences surrounding it, people are in dire need of individuals who could bring improvement in their lives. Social workers strive diligently to make others’ lives better and put in the effort to contribute to the community. These professionals aim to promote human rights, well-being and increase the quality of life among people. There are several benefits of getting a social work degree in 2022; let’s have a look at some of them:

  1. Diverse Specifications

A degree in social work will help you choose between many different options about how you want to continue working after your education. It has a diverse list of specifications so that the work doesn’t get boring, and the individuals choose to select their best options among the categories. Therefore, you can take up an online social work degree, which will help you get more advanced knowledge.

Clinical social work would require you to spend supervised hours at the hospital to get your license. Then you will be able to solve more significant problems like substance issues through diagnoses and treatments. Secondly, the direct practice of social work will enable you to work with children, family, and communities; for subjects like education, health, or child safety. And thirdly, there is macro social work which will allow you to contribute to public and private programs that the government runs to bring new policies. All these options are a significant reason for many empathetic individuals to go for higher education in social work.

  1. Student Loans Concessions

Student loans are one of the reasons why many high-school graduates don’t opt for higher education. They take up less-costly diplomas to develop their practical skills and get securer jobs. Fortunately, a degree in social work can help you find concessions and reduce the repayment of student loans. For social workers having federal student loans, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program has made it possible to qualify for a repayment plan after working one-twenty months under a government or non-profit organization. Under the section of the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, working in public service for a period of ten years while paying monthly loan payments will make you eligible to apply for the discharge of the remaining balance.

Additionally, according to the National Health Service Corps loan repayment program, you can have about $50,000 student loan reduction by working for two years in a community-based site for Health Professional Shortage Area. And, fortunately, many employers grant assistance programs and loan repayment benefits to their social workers to help them pay back their student loans.

  1. Live out Core Human Values

For once in their lifespan, every person ponders upon the purpose of their existence. Many want to change this world by positively impacting people’s lives. Many social workers have the same outlook on life, and their core values align with social work principles. It is all about helping people overcome challenges in their life that are difficult to face all alone. Constraints like poverty, addiction, disabilities, mental illness, abuse, unemployment, racism, and much more, make people unable to live their life to the fullest.

Social workers ensure that their actions contribute towards bringing equity and equality among the community. While the events around them inspire some individuals, others learn from their sufferings, and all this spurs the desire to make this world a better place. Social work tasks allow you to live out core human values like dignity, justice, and fairness. Social workers don’t only support people in need but also help community members to develop abilities that can help them improve their living standards.

  1. Secure Compensation

A secure job with a good salary is the demand and need of every employee, and it is their right to go for careers that promise them reasonable compensation. Even though most people choose a social work degree to align their work value with their ethics, but the salary is still a significant contributor. Individuals on average, earn around $55,000 and $66,000, respectively. Even without an MSW, social workers can earn up to $45,000 annually for their jobs. In 2021, we saw that graduates with a master’s degree in social work who become mental health care counselors earn up to $55,000 annually. On the other hand, graduates with a bachelor’s in social work can find a job as a patient care coordinator for $29,000 annually.

Conclusion

In conclusion, among the many promising educational degrees in 2022, social work master’s and bachelor’s are auspicious. Individuals who have an empathetic streak and want to do a job related to it should go for a social work degree. It also offers good salary packages, diverse career options, and some student loan forgiveness.