Career profile · SOC 21-1021

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children.

Median salary
$58,570
per year
Growth outlook
Average
BLS 10-yr
Education
Bachelor's degree
AI exposure
3.6/10
automation risk

Salary distribution (US)

Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.

Bottom 10%
$35,350
25th %ile
$42,210
Median
$58,570
75th %ile
$67,030
Top 10%
$82,930

Top skills

Active Listening Social Perceptiveness Speaking Critical Thinking Service Orientation Judgment and Decision Making Complex Problem Solving Coordination Reading Comprehension Writing

Knowledge you'll build

  • Psychology
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Law and Government
  • Education and Training
  • Administration and Management

A day in the life

You begin the day reviewing case files and preparing for a home visit to check on a family you have been supporting through a housing crisis. By mid-morning you are at a school meeting with teachers and a guidance counselor, developing an intervention plan for a student struggling with behavioral challenges. Afternoons might include leading a group therapy session for teens, filing court reports for child welfare cases, or connecting a single parent with community resources like food banks and job training programs. The emotional weight is real, but watching a family stabilize and a child start thriving makes every difficult conversation worthwhile.

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