We’re incredibly excited to share our 3rd annual “State of Social Work” report with the world of Social Workers. The report is derived from 323 responses from the Social Work community collected in December 2024.
It’s our sincere hope that the insights in this report help Social Workers (and aspiring Social Workers) better understand the state of the Social Work profession and make more informed decisions about how to thrive within it.
Would you like to see the full report and download the infographic? Click this link and share your email address and we’ll send you both: Download Full Report + Infographic
Who Took the Survey?
The 2025 State of Social Work survey reached a diverse group of respondents in terms of experience, age, and geographic location.
Experience Level
Among respondents, 21% had less than three years of experience in the field, 20% had between three and five years of experience, 19% had between five and ten years of experience, 16% had between ten and fifteen years of experience, and 25% had more than fifteen years of experience.
This was relatively similar to last year’s survey, with a slight skew towards more tenured social workers (25% with 15+ years vs. 23% last year) and away from less tenured Social Workers (21% with <3 years vs. 25% last year)
Age
In terms of age, 9% were in the 21-29 age range, 23% in the 30-39 age range, 26% in the 40-49 age range, 28% in the 50-59 age range, and 15% were 60 or older.
This distribution skewed slightly older than last year’s State of Social Work survey, where we had only 14% 60 or older and only 26% in the 50-59 age range.
Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
Of the respondents to this year’s survey, 86% identified as female, 12% as male, and 2% as non-binary or declined to identify.
In terms of race and ethnicity, 45% identified as Black, 49% as White, 2% as Asian, and 3% as American Indian or Alaskan Native.
16% of respondents identified as Mexican, Mexican-American, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Cuban-American, or a member of another Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino group.
This was a similar distribution to last year, where 47% of respondents identified as Black (vs. 45%) and 86% also identified as female.
Geography
The survey included respondents from 47 states (3 more than last year!) and the District of Columbia. Of those surveyed, 83% were currently employed as Social Workers (last year: 84%)
Findings About the ASWB Exam and Licensing
Most respondents (72%) are currently studying for an Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam. Of those studying, 37% are preparing to take the Masters exam, and 60% are studying for the Clinical Exam. Only 4% of respondents are preparing for the Bachelors exam.
The % of respondents studying for an ASWB exam was notably higher than last year (64%), and the distribution shifted significantly towards Clinical exam takers.
Motivation to Take Exam
When asked about their primary reason for taking the exam:
- 36% of respondents cited the desire to “acquire a valuable credential” (-1%)
- 21% said the exam was “required for a job they are applying for” (+9%)
- 9% said it was “required for their current job” (-1%)
- 6% said they wanted to “build skills as a social worker” (-4%)
Last year, here were respondent’s answers to the same question:
- 37% of respondents cited the desire to “acquire a valuable credential”
- 12% said the exam was “required for a job they are applying for”
- 10% said it was “required for their current job”
- 10% said they wanted to “build skills as a social worker”
Again this year, we saw the desire to “acquire a valuable credential” decrease and the “required for a job they are applying for” increase substantially year over year.
Changes Respondents Want to See in the ASWB Exam
5 common themes emerged in terms of what changes respondents wanted to see in the ASWB exam in the future:
- Reduction in Test Length or Complexity
- “The test is too long, and it feels exhausting to complete in one sitting.”
- “Simplify the structure and reduce the number of questions; it’s overwhelming.”
- “Shorter exams would help focus on knowledge rather than endurance.”
- Clearer Questions and Less Ambiguity
- “Less ambiguous answer selections.”
- “Rethink wording for questions. Some of the questions can be confusing. The vignettes are too long. Are they trying to confuse us? I know this test is supposed to be used as a measurement of knowledge; however, this is not the only measurement to determine a good clinician.”
- “Some of the questions have multiple correct answers, and it’s unclear which one they want you to choose. That’s frustrating.”
- More Practice Materials
- “It would be helpful to have access to more free or affordable practice exams tailored to the test format.”
- “Provide detailed study guides and realistic mock exams to better prepare for the actual test.”
- “We need more sample questions with explanations for the correct answers to understand the reasoning behind them.”
- Improvements in Scoring System
- “Offer a percentile ranking or comparison to peers for a better understanding of performance.”
- “Adjust the passing score to be more achievable while still reflecting competence.”
- “The scoring system is too vague; a breakdown of performance by specific topic would be very helpful.”
- More Practical and Scenario-Based Questions
- “I would like more scenarios and less definitions. I may not remember what a word means, but I definitely know practice and policies. I’ve spent extra time on learning definitions and human behavior theories before testing again.”
- “More realistic practical questions.”
- “More practical for people that have been in the field for years and/or short answer.”
Several of these desires were similar to respondents’ wishes from last year including Improved Exam Structure/Content and Improved Testing Conditions and Environment.
Overall, the 2025 State of Social Work survey provides valuable insights into the motivations and experiences of Social Workers preparing for ASWB exams and areas where improvements could be made in the exam process.
How Did Your University or College Prepare You for the ASWB Exam?
47% of respondents said that their college or university either “Did not prepare them” or only “Somewhat prepared them” for the ASWB exam (1 or 2 on a 5-point scale).
This is a dramatic finding, revealing that Social Work programs need to do much more to ready their students for licensing exams!
Did you know Agents of Change can help your college or university prepare students for the ASWB exam? Learn more about how we partner with higher education institutions here.
Findings About Social Work Careers
This year, we saw incredible career diversity, with 235 specific job titles mentioned by respondents!
The Top 10 Categories of Social Work Careers:
- Clinician/private practice (2025: 29%; 2024: 36%; 2023: 17%)
- Medical/hospital (2025: 22%; 2024: 13%; 2023: 20%)
- Child and family (2025: 9%; 2024: 11%; 2023: 6%)
- Case management (2025: 6%; 2024: 9%; 2023: 7%)
- Education (2025: 19%; 2024: 7%; 2023: 13%)
- Substance use and addiction (2025: 5%; 2024: 4%; 2023: 3%)
- Community: (2025: 4%; 3% in 2024)
- Hospice (2025: 4%; 2024: 2%; 2023: 3%)
- Homelessness (2025: 1%; 2024: 1%; 2023: 2%)
- Employment (2025: 1%; 2024: 1%; 2023: 1%)
Changing Jobs and Motivations
The survey also found that 42% of respondents were either “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to change their jobs in the next 12 months (increasing 3% from last year).
Of those planning to change jobs:
- 57% cited the desire to earn a higher salary as their primary reason (2024: 61%; 2023: 64%)
- 15% said they wanted to change to a role with lower levels of stress (2024: 17%; 2023: 13%)
- 5% wanted to find more flexibility in their work hours (2024: 7%; 2023: 10%)
Most Likely to Change Jobs
When examining the top 10 categories of Social Work represented, the three types of Social Work that were most likely to want to change jobs were Case Management (67% reported being very or somewhat likely to change jobs), Child and Family (50% reported being very or somewhat likely to change jobs), and Community (47% reported being very or somewhat likely to change jobs).
These were similar to 2024, where the top 3 categories likely to change jobs were Community, Substance Use and Addiction, and Child and Family.
Least Likely to Change Jobs
The three least likely to want to change jobs were Education (30% reported being very or somewhat likely to change jobs), Clinician/Private Practice (36% reported being very or somewhat likely to change jobs), and Hospice (44% reported being very or somewhat likely to change jobs).
These were similar to 2024 where the least likely to change jobs were Medical/Hospital, Hospice, and Education.
Highest Stress Level Social Work Careers
In terms of stress levels, the three types of Social Work with the highest reported stress levels were Child and Family (79% reported very or somewhat high stress), Case Management (58% reported very or somewhat high stress), and Medical/Hospital (56% reported very or somewhat high stress).
These were meaningfully different from last year, where the three types of Social Work with the highest reported stress levels were Community (75% reported very or somewhat high stress), Child and Family (72% reported very or somewhat high stress), and Substance Use and Abuse (58% reported very or somewhat high stress).
Lowest Stress Level Social Work Careers
The three types of Social Work with the lowest reported stress levels were Hospice (22% reported very or somewhat high stress), Community (36% reported very or somewhat high stress), and Substance Use and Addiction (40% reported very or somewhat high stress).
These were meaningfully different from last year, where the three types of Social Work with the lowest reported stress levels were Hospice (33% reported very or somewhat high stress), Education (45% reported very or somewhat high stress), and Medical/Hospital (46% reported very or somewhat high stress).
Social Worker Salaries and Adequate Pay
In 2025, we asked about salary for the first time in our State of Social Work survey.
47% of Social Workers replied that they were “not adequately paid for their work” or only “somewhat adequately paid for their work” (1 or 2 on a 5 point scale).
Salary by Social Work Career Category
Top 3 “NOT Paid Adequately for My Work”
- Homelessness (75%)
- Hospice (67%)
- Case Management (58%)
Top 3 “Paid Adequately for My Work”
- Medical/Hospital (41%)
- Case Management (33%)
- Education (30%)
Interestingly, Case Management shows up with a high % of both 1’s and 2’s and 4’s and 5’s, indicating a high level of pay variability in this specific field of Social Work.
Findings About the Future of Social Work
According to the 2025 State of Social Work survey, 62% of respondents are either “very positive” or “somewhat positive” about the future of Social Work, while 24% are neutral. This is a slight decrease from 2024, where 64% were “very positive” or “somewhat positive.”
Level of Positivity About Future Varies Based on Experience
However, the level of positivity varies meaningfully based on the respondent’s level of experience in the field.
Among those with less than three years of experience as a Social Worker, 66% reported being somewhat or very positive about the future of Social Work.
This number decreased to 58% among those with three to five years of experience, decreased further to 55% among those with five to ten years of experience, then increased to 66% among those with ten to fifteen years of experience, and then decreased to 63% among those with more than fifteen years of experience.
These percentages have varied significantly by year (very positive or somewhat positive %):
- <3 years of experience:
- 2023: 71%
- 2024: 67%
- 2025: 66%
- 3-5 years of experience:
- 2023: 60%
- 2024: 67%
- 2025: 58%
- 5-10 years of experience:
- 2023: 57%
- 2024: 55%
- 2025: 55%
- 10-15 years of experience:
- 2023: 41%
- 2024: 55%
- 2025: 66%
- >15 years of experience:
- 2023: 71%
- 2024: 60%
- 2025: 63%
Reasons for Positivity
For those who were somewhat or very positive about the future of Social Work, the main reasons cited were:
Reasons for Negativity
On the other hand, those who were somewhat or very negative about the future of Social Work cited:
- Systemic Underpayment and Lack of Respect: Social Workers feel undervalued and underpaid despite their critical contributions to society. Many expressed frustration that other professions with comparable or lower educational requirements receive higher salaries and greater recognition.
- Barriers Created by Licensing and Education Requirements: The licensing process, particularly the ASWB exam, is seen as a major obstacle that discourages talented professionals. Many respondents highlighted the perceived inefficiency, bias, and financial burden of the current system, which hinders career progression and reduces morale.
- Workload and Emotional Demands: Social Workers frequently juggle multiple roles, often leading to burnout and high levels of stress. This issue is compounded by limited organizational support and the expectation to meet increasing demands with minimal resources.
- Professional Identity and Role Devaluation: The profession is experiencing a loss of identity, with Social Work roles increasingly outsourced to individuals in other fields. Respondents voiced concern that this devaluation undermines the unique skills and contributions of social workers and threatens the future of the profession.
- Political and Systemic Challenges: Changes in political leadership and systemic underfunding create uncertainty about the future of Social Work. Many fear that reduced prioritization of social services and the dominance of for-profit healthcare models could weaken the profession’s ability to address societal needs effectively.
AI and Potential Impact on Social Work
50% of Social Workers are “Neutral” on AI, by far the largest segment of the population.
19% of Social Workers are “Very Positive” or “Somewhat Positive.” 31% of Social Workers are “Very Negative” or “Somewhat Negative” about the potential impact of AI on Social Work.
Since last year, Social Workers, have shifted more negative on AI.
In 2024, 53% of Social Workers were “Neutral” on AI, 21% of Social Workers were “Very Positive” or “Somewhat Positive” and 26% of Social Workers were “Very Negative” or “Somewhat Negative”.
Reasons for Positivity with AI
For those who were somewhat or very positive about AI and its potential impact on Social Work, the main reasons cited were:
- Efficiency and Time-Saving Potential: Many respondents believe AI can enhance efficiency in social work by streamlining tasks such as documentation, note-taking, and treatment planning. These time-saving tools allow Social Workers to focus more on client interaction and delivering quality care while reducing administrative burdens.
- A Valuable Supplement, Not a Replacement: While AI is seen as a useful tool to support Social Work, respondents emphasized that it cannot replace the human connection integral to the profession. Empathy, emotional understanding, and human relationships remain central to Social Work, making AI a complement rather than a substitute.
- Cautious Optimism and Concerns About Over-Reliance: Respondents expressed cautious optimism about AI’s potential to improve outcomes and expand learning opportunities. However, there are concerns about ethical considerations, creativity loss, and the risk of over-reliance, which could diminish essential human skills and compromise personalized care.
Reasons for Negativity with AI
For those who were somewhat or very negative about AI and its potential impact on Social Work, the main reasons cited were:
- The Irreplaceable Value of Human Connection: Respondents strongly emphasized that Social Work is deeply rooted in empathy, compassion, and the human connection—qualities that AI cannot replicate. They believe that the emotional understanding and nonverbal communication essential to the profession are beyond the capabilities of AI, making it an inadequate substitute for human Social Workers.
- Concerns About Ethical and Practical Risks: Many voiced concerns about the ethical implications of using AI in a confidential and emotionally sensitive field like Social Work. They fear that reliance on AI could depersonalize treatment, introduce biases, and erode the therapeutic relationship between Social Workers and clients.
- Skepticism and Fear of Job Replacement: Respondents expressed anxiety that AI could be used to replace social workers with less costly and less qualified alternatives, undermining the profession’s integrity. They worry that the push for automation in therapeutic and administrative roles could lead to job losses and a diminished focus on the humanistic principles central to Social Work.
Findings About Continuing Education for Social Workers
In 2025, we asked for the first time about Continuing Education for Social Workers.
Respondents find Continuing Education content (also known as “CEs” or “CEUs”) in several key places:
- Online Search (64%)
- Coworker or Friend Recommendation (47%)
- Social Media (41%)
- Professional Association (40%)
- College or University (19%)
- Physical Mail (12%)
The amount that Social Workers spend annually on Continuing Education content varies significantly:
- 22% spend <$100 per year
- 17% spend $100 – $250 per year
- 20% spend $250 – $500 per year
- 12% spend >$500 per year
Download the Full Report + Infographic
Would you like to see the full report and download the infographic?
Click this link, share your email address, and we’ll send it to you: Download Full Report + Infographic.
By the way, did you know Agents of Change offers Continuing Education? Use code 10OFFCEBLOG for $10 OFF our Unlimited Access Subscription!
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► Learn more about the Agents of Change course here: https://agentsofchangeprep.com
About the Instructor, Meagan Mitchell: Meagan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has been providing individualized and group test prep for the ASWB for over 10 years. From all of this experience helping others pass their exams, she created the Agents of Change course to help you prepare for and pass the ASWB exam!
Find more from Agents of Change here:
► Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/aswbtestprep
► Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/agents-of-change-sw
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Disclaimer: This content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
