With almost 60,000 professionals working within its borders, Chicago has the third largest social service workforce in the nation, beaten only by Los Angeles and New York City. But while the Windy City and its coastal cousins share similar issues, its midwestern-meets-metropolitan culture creates a social landscape unlike any other — for better and for worse.
For that reason, Chicago is perhaps one of the best places in Illinois to start a career in social work. No matter your passion or specialty, someone in Chicago needs an advocate like you.
But carving out your own place in this world of service can be intimidating. With this guide to social work jobs and salaries in Chicago, you can get an overview of the city’s most pressing issues and most dynamic career opportunities for impassioned advocates.
Social Work Jobs in Chicago: Careers That Matter
Of the 60,000 social service professionals in Chicago, about 17,000 are social workers. Many are employed by the government-run Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. If you’re investigating social worker jobs in Chicago, this agency is a great place to start.
The Department of Family and Support Services is made up of multiple divisions that focus on different populations and issues including:
- Children and families.
- The homeless.
- Seniors.
- Immigrants.
- Victims of domestic and gender-based violence.
- People who need help entering or reentering the workforce.
These divisions offer a wealth of job opportunities to social workers in the metro area, but they’re not your only option. Whether you’re a new or veteran social worker, here are a few roles to consider, types of employers to explore, and why they’re important to making Chicago a safer, healthier, and more equitable place.
Child and Family Welfare Social Worker
Child and family welfare social workers are the backbone of any community’s social service workforce. They’re in charge of connecting families to relevant services, providing counseling to children and families, and removing children from dangerous living situations.
In Chicago, the Children Services Division (CDS) of the Department of Family and Support Services is the main government child welfare agency. However, the CDS works with a number of non-government delegate agencies, as well. This includes foster and adoption agencies, childcare services, and pediatric behavioral health providers — all of which are sources of social work jobs in Chicago.
School Social Worker
While the Chicago Public School District (CPS) is one of the largest in the nation with about 380,000 students, enrollment has faltered over the last decade. According to local advocates, schools in the city’s most underserved neighborhoods often feel the brunt of the burden. Budget cuts leave no room for engaging extracurriculars or even much-needed repairs.
So while school social workers are vital to ensuring students’ academic, emotional, and social growth, in Chicago, they’re also instrumental to ushering in systemic change. They lobby for legislative reform, find resources for the students they serve, bring balance to a district marred by inequity.
School social work jobs in Chicago can be found through CPS as well as the Archdiocese of Chicago, various private schools, and education staffing agencies. The city’s schools may need help, but with student-focused initiatives like the Please Stay mental health program, there’s hope for a brighter future.
Community Health Social Worker
Global warming, emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic, and pollution affect everyone. But like with issues with the public school system, Chicago’s most vulnerable people are affected the most. That’s where community health social workers and public health professionals step in.
Community health social work jobs in Chicago are impressively diverse. Your duties might include running community clinics, connecting people to resources like affordable healthcare and screenings, driving awareness campaigns, or even conducting research. The Chicago Department of Public Health’s childhood lead poisoning prevention campaign is a great example of this. Even though lead poisoning has decreased drastically, the CDPH keeps it at bay with community education programs, accessible blood testing, and strict environmental code enforcement.
The CDPH, community-based nonprofits, and health clinics often hire community health social workers. Other potential employers include hospitals, many of which have programs dedicated to the needs of specific underserved neighborhoods. These organizations may also be a great place to look for healthcare social work jobs in Chicago.
Criminal Justice Social Worker/ Forensic Social Worker
While crime in Chicago is often overblown in national headlines, a 2023 survey conducted by Lurie Children’s Hospital and the CDPH found that violence ranks among parents’ top 10 concerns for the city’s youth. And with poverty, inequitable mental healthcare access, and a history of segregation fueling the fire, there’s certainly grounds for concern.
Forensic social workers (also called criminal justice social workers) work on every side of the issue. Some help victims navigate the intimidating justice system and advocate for their rights in court. Others administer counseling and therapy to people in jails and prisons. They can also be found serving at-risk youth, conducting research, and advising law enforcement and legislators.
Depending on the population you want to serve, forensic social work jobs in Chicago can often be found through probation offices, youth centers, law offices, the court system, and city and state nonprofits.
Social Work Salaries in Chicago
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average social worker salary in Chicago ranges between $56,690 and $64,890 depending on specialty. For most types of social workers, average salaries in Chicago are higher than state averages.
However, comparably higher average salaries are only one advantage. The possibility of increasing your salary throughout your career is another.
The top-earning social workers in Chicago often bring home salaries $20,000 to $30,000 higher than average. These professionals typically have a Master of Social Work (MSW), are Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs) or high-level administrators, and have years of experience. Your own salary potential may differ based on education, specialty, employer, and other factors.
In the following table, the 10% column represents the lowest-earning professionals for each category. The 90% column represents the highest-earning.
Social Work Specialty | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) | 75% | 90% |
Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $38,350 | $46,410 | $56,940 | $76,690 | $99,090 |
Healthcare Social Workers | $43,280 | $48,030 | $62,260 | $75,580 | $81,230 |
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $33,970 | $43,420 | $48,470 | $65,530 | $86,970 |
Social Workers (All Other) | $36,680 | $45,200 | $61,630 | $85,860 | $97,050 |
Table data taken from 2022 BLS reports for the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area.
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for child, family, and school social workers, healthcare social workers, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and social workers (all other) are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2024.