One of the main reasons to earn a Masters in Social Work (MSW) is that it can help you help more people. As you dive into classes about advanced intervention techniques, organizational leadership, and meeting the complex needs of specific populations, you become an expert. Your passion grows and your skills sharpen.
But like other advanced degrees, an MSW can also increase your salary potential. Even if you see social work as a calling instead of a career, that perk is hard to ignore.
For instance, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the average social worker salary in Illinois ranges between $54,870 and $65,630 depending on specialty. However, social worker salaries in Illinois for the most highly-trained and experienced professionals often exceed that statistic by tens of thousands of dollars.
But that range only includes a few roles you might take on with an MSW. Using BLS data, we’ll examine how an MSW might affect your own salary potential across different specialties and career paths.
Master’s Social Worker Salaries in Illinois for Frontline Roles
In Illinois, you must have a state-issued license to become a social worker. While this can be accomplished by earning a bachelor’s in social work (BSW) or an MSW, Master’s-prepared social workers often handle the most complex cases. They also frequently assist and supervise less-experienced professionals and participate in program planning.
Because of these duties, jobs for social workers with MSWs sometimes come with higher-than-average salaries.
Child, Family, and School Social Workers Salaries
With almost 16,000 child, family, and school social workers, Illinois is fifth in the nation for employment in this specialty. The average social worker salary in Illinois for this specialty is $60,740 — beating the national average by about $4,000.
Area | 10% (Lowest Earning) | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% (Highest Earning) |
United States | $36,380 | $42,060 | $50,820 | $65,250 | $81,920 |
Illinois | $37,800 | $45,430 | $57,010 | $74,460 | $92,550 |
Table data taken from 2022 BLS reports for child, family, and school social workers.
For more experienced professionals and those with advanced degrees like an MSW, this margin increases even more. While the top-earning child, family, and school social workers across the nation average around $82,000, those in Illinois make closer to $93,000 and above.
This might be due to the fact that school social workers in Illinois require extra education, training, and certifications. To become one, you must have a Master’s degree and a Professional Educator License (PEL) with a school social work endorsement. Many other states don’t have this requirement.
Healthcare and Medical Social Worker Salaries
The average medical social worker salary in Illinois is $59,030 putting it extremely close to the national average of $62,760. Those at the top typically earn around $80,000 or more. This may make it seem like healthcare social workers have less earning potential than other types of social workers, but that’s not entirely true.
Area | 10% (Lowest Earning) | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% (Highest Earning) |
United States | $38,520 | $47,510 | $60,280 | $75,390 | $87,830 |
Illinois | $35,970 | $46,210 | $60,080 | $73,170 | $79,120 |
Table data taken from 2022 BLS reports for healthcare social workers.
Social workers who work in hospitals, in-home service agencies, and other healthcare facilities are often part of a large multidisciplinary team. Their coworkers are nurses, doctors, specialists, administrators, and more.
In this environment, a Master’s-prepared social worker (particularly an LCSW) can pivot into many different kinds of roles throughout their career. Their expertise makes them great candidates for high-level jobs concerning patient wellbeing, community health and engagement, and program administration.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Salaries
For the mental health and substance abuse specialty, the average social worker salary in Illinois is $54,870. Even though this is lower than the national average, the highest-earning substance abuse and mental health social workers in the state earn upwards of $83,000. That’s just short of double the state median.
Area | 10% (Lowest Earning) | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% (Highest Earning) |
United States | $34,630 | $39,730 | $51,240 | $73,050 | $97,660 |
Illinois | $33,470 | $38,580 | $46,610 | $64,620 | $83,470 |
Table data taken from 2022 BLS reports for mental health and substance abuse social workers.
One reason for this massive jump in earnings could be because many upper-level mental health social workers are Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). LCSWs can diagnose and treat mental health conditions meaning they’re some of the most versatile and highly-trained professionals in the field. But while many LCSWs work in the mental health specialty, they’re also leaders in just about every other specialty, as well.
All Other Types of Social Worker Salaries
While the BLS doesn’t track social worker salaries in Illinois for each and every specialty, their “all other” category includes professionals not included the other three. This diverse group makes the highest average salary ($65,630) in the state.
Area | 10% (Lowest Earning) | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% (Highest Earning) |
United States | $37,500 | $46,340 | $61,420 | $81,660 | $95,560 |
Illinois | $36,390 | $45,210 | $66,620 | $85,680 | $97,050 |
Table data taken from 2022 BLS reports for social workers (all other).
Some types of social workers that might make up this catch-all category include:
- Forensic social workers.
- Financial social workers.
- Gerontology social workers.
- Hospice, palliative care, and other specialty healthcare social workers.
- Immigration and refugee social workers.
- Social workers who work for nonprofits with very specific focuses.
- Racial and social justice advocates.
Because the BLS lumps these diverse professionals together, it’s difficult to pinpoint which category has the most salary potential and why. Generally, though, all of these professionals must have an extremely niche skill set.
For instance, immigration social workers must often be bilingual, forensic social workers need a strong knowledge of the law, and gerontology social work requires familiarity with things like dementia. Though some BSW programs allow students to specialize, such a focused curriculum is more common at the Master’s level.