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What is a social work supervisor and how to become one
A career in social work may be influenced by different factors from advice, particular research fields, and even the academy. The task of supervising is another way to advance one's career and theoretically improve one's conceivable outcomes, often in a specialized field of work. Social work supervisors manage employees, take leadership steps, and sometimes even play several roles while ensuring their smooth operation.
The demand for social workers in the U.S. is increasing. The U.S. Labor Statistics Bureau forecasts employment growth in this field to be much higher than average at 16% from 2016 to 2026. New social workers would likely be accompanied by a demand for managers and other representatives. In comparison, managers of social work should predict higher wages.
According to the BLS, in 2019, the mean wage of social work supervisors in the city was $51,980. The average salary for the supervisors of social work is over $55,000 annually.
What general advice would you give to a Social Work Supervisor?
Leanne Charlesworth Ph.D.
Professor, Director, Undergraduate Program, Chair, Nazareth College of Rochester
Avg. Salary $62,939
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 12%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 2.17%
Asian 6.29%
Black or African American 12.85%
Hispanic or Latino 19.18%
Unknown 5.18%
White 54.32%
Genderfemale 76.55%
male 23.45%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Social Work Supervisor career paths
Key steps to become a social work supervisor
Explore social work supervisor education requirements
Start to develop specific social work supervisor skills
Skills 
Percentages Social Work 31.16% Patients 6.28% MSW 5.47% Child Welfare 5.39% Social Services 4.80% Complete relevant social work supervisor training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New social work supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a social work supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real social work supervisor resumes.Research social work supervisor duties and responsibilities
- Collaborate with partners including public and private agencies to achieve permanency for children.
- Provide training and weekly supervision to MSW and BSW level staff in the traditional and therapeutic foster care programs.
- Provide ongoing adjustment to illness support to patients and families through hospitalization, bereavement counseling, and crisis intervention.
- Input data from assessments into the MDS system for submission to Medicare.
Prepare your social work supervisor resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your social work supervisor resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a social work supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Social Work Supervisor Resume templates
Build a professional Social Work Supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Social Work Supervisor resume.
Apply for social work supervisor jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a social work supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Social Work Supervisor Job
Are you a Social Work Supervisor?
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Average social work supervisor salary
The average Social Work Supervisor salary in the United States is $62,939 per year or $30 per hour. Social work supervisor salaries range between $47,000 and $83,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do social work supervisors rate their job?
Social Work Supervisor reviews
Helping others
Getting approval and watching families go through their proceed with difficulties
Secondary trauma and balancing administrative work with direct services.
Updated January 8, 2025
