Counseling vs. Social Work: What’s the Difference?
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Counselors provide mental health services directly to patients, while social workers provide various services to individuals and groups. This guide provides information regarding the differences between counseling and social work. Learn about the educational pathways, relevant skills, licensure requirements, and salary potential between master of social work (MSW) and master of counseling degrees.
Popular Online MSW Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Counseling vs. Social Work: Choosing the Right Path
Counseling and social work roles share some similarities and key differences. In the following section, explore the different educational programs, licensing processes, and general patient populations for the counseling and social work professions.
Education
A candidate typically needs a bachelor of social work (BSW) degree for entry-level social work positions. Depending on the state, BSW holders may provide non-clinical services unsupervised, including client needs assessment, case management, intervention plan creation and implementation, and resource referrals. They can also advocate for policy changes and engage in community organizing.
A typical BSW curriculum focuses on diverse populations, ethics, human behavior, and social welfare policy. BSW students also complete supervised field experiences. BSW holders may qualify for advanced standing admission for MSW programs and graduate in one year instead of two.
Earning an MSW and a clinical social worker license prepares graduates to practice both clinical and non-clinical social work independently. Social workers with an MSW and non-clinical licensure can offer advanced generalist services unsupervised but can only practice clinical social work under supervision. Clinical social workers log additional post-masters supervised clinical training hours.
Coursework in MSW programs typically focuses on advanced topics in social work, including leadership and administration, policy development, and research, and direct practice with individuals, families, and groups. MSW students can concentrate in areas like addictions, forensics, mental health, rehabilitation, and school social work. Clinical MSW students acquire clinical assessment and diagnostic skills through coursework and supervised practicums and internships.
Social work students should ensure that the BSW or MSW programs hold accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education.
A master’s degree in counseling prepares graduates to become licensed professional counselors. Coursework includes counseling skills and techniques, developmental psychopathology, legal and ethical issues in counseling, and multicultural counseling. The curriculum also features hands-on supervised field experience.
Counseling programs offer concentration opportunities in such areas as behavioral disorders, clinical mental health counseling, marriage and family counseling, school counseling, and substance use.
Students should choose Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs-accredited master’s in counseling programs.
Skill Sets
Social workers and counselors develop many of the same skills, including the ability to communicate effectively and think critically.
During their degree programs, learners pursuing an MSW focus on understanding social policy and learning how to work within social systems. Social workers are also trained to focus on human growth and development.
Counseling students focus on gaining a deeper understanding of human growth and development, along with how to provide trauma therapy.
Both counseling and social work patients learn how to help patients address substance abuse and addiction disorders.
Patient Care
Counselors typically focus on helping families and individuals with a specific set of problems, particularly patients with mental health conditions. In contrast, social workers may focus on providing a various services to individuals and communities.
Counselors tend to provide support in only one service. Social workers often refer patients to other services and resources to provide them with the complete and specialized treatment they need.
Requirements and Certifications
Social work and counseling licensing requirements differ based on scope of practice. Clinical social work requires each professional to earn a master’s degree, while some direct services social work roles requires only a bachelor’s degree. Counselors must earn a master’s degree to pursue certification.
Social work licensure requires candidates to complete and pass the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam. All states use the exams provided by the ASWB for social work licensure.
Social work licensing opportunities feature different designations, including licensed social worker, licensed clinical social worker, licensed independent clinical social worker, and licensed independent social worker. The differences are based on professional scope of practice in some cases, while in others states have created different names (such as LCSW vs LICSW) for the same or very similar credentials.
Counseling vs. Social Work: Which Degree Should I Choose?
Degrees in social work and counseling both require learners to complete fieldwork and work directly with clients to manage their mental, emotional, and social health. Counseling degrees explore deep research in human development and related topics.
Both fields typically pay similar salaries, but the patient population options may differ. Clinical social workers must receive more extensive training than direct services social workers.
Master of Social Work Degree
An MSW degree prepares learners with the advanced knowledge and skills they need to pursue licensure after graduation. Earning an MSW typically takes degree-seekers 1-2 years of full-time study. Social work programs at the master’s level focus on equipping learners with the competencies necessary to work as healthcare social workers, school social workers, therapists, and clinical social workers.
Master’s programs expose graduates to more advanced career opportunities and higher salary benefits. Degree-seekers at the master’s level can explore flexible online program options through many colleges and universities.
Students interested in careers as social workers in unsupervised settings should pursue MSW programs. Graduates can consider careers as medical social workers, child and family social workers, and mental health or substance use social workers.
Master of Counseling Degree
Students interested in becoming a licensed counselor can pursue a master of counseling degree. These master’s programs typically require degree-seekers to satisfy around 30 credits of coursework. Students who enroll full time usually take between 1-2 years to graduate.
Throughout the rigorous curriculum, learners focus on multicultural counseling, psychopathology, disabilities, and more. In addition to their coursework, a counseling student typically completes a practicum or capstone component.
Many master’s programs prefer applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in counseling or related fields. During the admission process, each applicant should provide a completed application, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, and a current resume.
Social Worker Salary vs Counselor Salary
Social work vs. counseling salary information can vary depending on the particular career, the setting, certifications, educational background, and experience level. According to 2024 Payscale data, the average social work professionals earn salaries ranging from $55,852-$66,892. Meanwhile, counselor salaries range between $54,505-$57,006. The list of salaries below is not exhaustive but represents some of the most common positions in both fields.
Clinical Social Worker
Clinical social workers provide therapy to individuals in need of emotional or mental support. These social workers also coordinate additional services to help meet clients’ individual needs.
Average Salary:$63,483
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
These social workers provide therapy and counseling, and may also assist with placing patients in jobs, finding living arrangements, and meeting basic needs.
Average Salary:$66,892
Social Worker
Social workers help people navigate problems in their daily lives. These professionals help patients in healthcare settings and offer services and support to families and children in need. They can also focus on the academic needs of children in schools.
Average Salary:$55,852
Mental Health Therapist
These therapists oversee interactions with clients to provide therapy and suggest additional services. They apply many different psychological methods, including psychoanalysis and behavioral therapy.
Average Salary:$54,505
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed professional counselors provide care to individuals with mental illnesses, imbalances, or disorders. These counselors set goals for patients to help maintain their mental health.
Median Salary:$57,006
Social Work and Counseling Resources
- Social Welfare Action Agency: The Social Welfare Action Agency coordinates with its various social chapters to work for social change locally and nationally. This social policy-oriented organization integrates social services with the broader pursuit of social justice.
- Association of Social Work Boards: ASWB supports and serves the social work regulatory community and pursues the vision of licensing all social workers in order to protect clients and client systems.
- American Counseling Association: ACA works to further counselors’ professional development through a nationwide collection of divisions, regions, and branches. This association offers continuing education opportunities and conferences to entry-level practitioners and experienced professionals alike.
- American Mental Health Counselors Association: Founded in 1976, the AMHCA offers two publications, conferences, continuing education opportunities, and preferred liability insurance rates for students and experienced counseling professionals.
Social Work vs. Counseling: Frequently Asked Questions
Social work vs. counseling: which degree should I choose?
While social workers and counselors have significant professional overlap, in general, social workers may focus more on social policy, working within social systems, and understanding human growth and development. Counseling students focus on gaining a deeper understanding of human growth and development, along with concentrations on trauma therapy.
Is a social worker a counselor?
While social workers provide therapy and counseling to their clients, they follow different pathways to licensure and different job titles. Counselors specialize in providing guidance, while social workers focus on different capacities of therapy, depending on their licensure.
Can I get a social work and counseling dual degree?
Yes. Some schools offer dual degrees in both fields. Most aspiring professionals tend to choose one degree, but certain institutions offer pathways to earn both simultaneously.
What are the similarities between social work and counseling?
Social workers and counselors both aim to help people deal with the problems they face in their lives. These professionals often use psychotherapy to help clients or patients talk through their issues and develop effective coping strategies to deal with emotional and psychological concerns.
