Any LCSW's out there making 80-100K? Please share your experiences.

[skywalking1990]

Hi I am entering into an MSW program and want to eventually get my LCSW...I am in NYS area. However, I have a wife/kids, debt and would appreciate those within the field that are making a good salary within the field 80-100K etc. to share how they got to that point in their career (what areas of SW to focus on, how long it takes etc). I will TRULY appreciate your advice.

thank you

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[skywalking1990]

Anyone out there?

 

[foreverbull]

This forum isn't nearly as active as the psychology forum, just as a heads up.

I can't speak to SW as a social worker, but as someone who worked closely with LCSWs, the more lucrative route may be to get into administration or clinical director positions if working in agencies, which will take several years to climb the ladder. You could work toward becoming the head SW at an agency and supervise other SWs.
I also know an LCSW who is building a private practice providing individual/couples/family therapy. If you work enough years counseling folks and build up enough of a reputation, you could make that salary, but it will take several years to get there because if you take insurance, you won't be reimbursed enough to make that salary unless you also have a lot of clients paying full fee out of pocket (depends on how affluent your city/area is). As someone starting out in private practice, I'd estimate that it'd take at least 5-10 years to make that salary, and that assumes you have a specialty/specialized training or niche that will get clients into the door.

Hope that helps!

 

[skywalking1990]

Awesome. Thank you! What do you mean by specialty/specialized training or niche? Do you mean like training in marriage & family therapy?

Also, what about a SW that works at a hospital and eventually wants to start their own private practice? Will not working at an agency be a loss for someone that wants to take the lucrative route?

Thank you so much for sharing!

This forum isn't nearly as active as the psychology forum, just as a heads up.

I can't speak to SW as a social worker, but as someone who worked closely with LCSWs, the more lucrative route may be to get into administration or clinical director positions if working in agencies, which will take several years to climb the ladder. You could work toward becoming the head SW at an agency and supervise other SWs.
I also know an LCSW who is building a private practice providing individual/couples/family therapy. If you work enough years counseling folks and build up enough of a reputation, you could make that salary, but it will take several years to get there because if you take insurance, you won't be reimbursed enough to make that salary unless you also have a lot of clients paying full fee out of pocket (depends on how affluent your city/area is). As someone starting out in private practice, I'd estimate that it'd take at least 5-10 years to make that salary, and that assumes you have a specialty/specialized training or niche that will get clients into the door.

Hope that helps!

 

[foreverbull]

Awesome. Thank you! What do you mean by specialty/specialized training or niche? Do you mean like training in marriage & family therapy?

Also, what about a SW that works at a hospital and eventually wants to start their own private practice? Will not working at an agency be a loss for someone that wants to take the lucrative route?

Thank you so much for sharing!

A niche would be more like seeing children, which is rare and in high demand, or being trained in something or with a special population like trauma survivors, EMDR, or trained in DBT to work with folks who have Borderline Personality Disorder, etc. Or specializing in working with hoarders, substance abuse, etc.

You could make the switch to private practice from any setting (hospital, community non-profit, etc.) as long as you are a licensed clinical social worker, so there's no limitation on that as long as you are fully licensed as a clinical social worker. Some states differ in terms of the nuts and bolts of how SW folks can practice or take insurance, so you might want to look into NY SW licensing laws.

 

[MAClinician]

Also not a SW, but I agree that to make that kind of money one needs to be in an administrative role. Executive director or Vice President in an agency setting. For-profit organizations might pay more but it depends. Not sure if there are LCSW/LICSW in admin roles in most hospitals. A private behavioral health hospital (one that adddresses mental health only and not surgery/ICU/maternity etc) could be another possibility.

Some SW's also bust ass in private practice. There is also the option of providing supervision or trainings to make more money.

 

[DD214_DOC]

Check into LCSW positions in the DoD (Department of Defense). I think these start out at GS11 or GS12 and are $60k thereabout.

 

[submarine1991]

Check into LCSW positions in the DoD (Department of Defense). I think these start out at GS11 or GS12 and are $60k thereabout.

My San Diego based LCSW colleagues start at $80,000, Work 4 10’s, etc. it’s certainly regional. I echo that the government/DoD is an excellent sector to make a decent salary.

 

[erg923]

My San Diego based LCSW colleagues start at $80,000, Work 4 10’s, etc. it’s certainly regional. I echo that the government/DoD is an excellent sector to make a decent salary.

DoD is in the middle of RIF mandates at many bases/posts, and use of contractors (rather than GS employees) is on the rise. As as psychologist, I get 1-2 inquires monthly from various orgs that hold government contracts to see if I would like to work at a USAF base in North Dakota.

 

[DD214_DOC]

DoD is in the middle of RIF mandates at many bases/posts, and use of contractors (rather than GS employees) is on the rise. As as psychologist, I get 1-2 inquires monthly from various orgs that hold government contracts to see if I would like to work at a USAF base in North Dakota.

This is true. The most recent iteration of the Defense Authorization Act basically lays out the plan to ditch employed civilians in favor of contract work or utilizing community resources.

 

[Goobernut]

DoD is in the middle of RIF mandates at many bases/posts, and use of contractors (rather than GS employees) is on the rise. As as psychologist, I get 1-2 inquires monthly from various orgs that hold government contracts to see if I would like to work at a USAF base in North Dakota.

I find this to be very cyclical. They get tired of contractors, then hire GS employees. Then get tired of the payroll being to heavy with GS employees and etc...

It’s always useful to know what part of the trend we’re in. I have found the contractor trend to “hot right now” for masters level therapists on military bases.