LCSW-C Salary and other Salary Confusion

[puppywuvluv84]

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(1) So I've searched on various job-finder sites for workers needed who fall under the title of LCSW. I've heard that as a social worker, you shouldn't expect a lot of money, but as I'm looking at the salaries, I'm a little surprised at how much you have the potential to make.

For instance, a Social Worker at the Court Services and Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia has a Salary Range: $77,353 - $100,554 per year. This is just one example, but I've found numerous others where, after 5 yrs of experience, one can make around $70,000. Now, I'm not sure what you all consider "a lot" of money, but to me, that's a decent amt. It's not in the 6-figures, but it's not too bad, either.

Do social workers REALLY make that bad of a salary?

(2) I ultimately want to become an LCSW-C and open a private practice. I was actually urged to do so by a mentor who has his PhD. I originally wanted a PhD to do counseling in a private practice, but he said it was more efficient to go the social work route, and that I could avoid a great deal of paper work with insurance companies. (And no, he did not say this bc he doubted my abilities.)

So...how much can an LCSW-C make in a private practice as a psychotherapist?

I'm in Baltimore, MD, btw.

 

[lookitssara]

Look on the clinical board at one of the million posts regarding private practice.

Essentially, the success and your salary are based on overhead, business sense, marketing, and how saturated the market is. The only differences you'll see between the PsyD/PhD and LCSW going private practice are: 1) some people wanna see someone with Dr. first and 2) insurance - check out what insurance billing is like in MD. If someone can't bill their insurance for therapy with an LCSW, you're in for a rough road.

Also, the % of LCSW that go into private practice is small, because it's not an easy task. And, in regards to the pay for the position you posted, DC has a high cost of living which bumps that up, the govt pays better than nonprofits usually, and I would reckon that correction services struggles to get workers and this pays more then say, a LCSW working with children.

 

[puppywuvluv84]

I wasn't sure if the clinical board was appropriate to answer this question since I don't plan on getting a PhD or PsyD.

That definitely makes sense about DC's high cost of living contributing to how much they're willing to pay.

What is so difficult about going into private practice besides gaining clients?

I guess I'm asking because the person who I wish to follow in the footsteps of made it all look pretty simple from the outside...This person worked for a private hospital where he counseled short-term, inpatient adolescents. He then gave his business card and other information to adolescents' parents so that they could continue to see him as a therapist after they were discharged from the hospital. He eventually got fed up with some of the hospital's policies and moved to his private practice...and his clients followed him.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I wasn't sure if the clinical board was appropriate to answer this question since I don't plan on getting a PhD or PsyD.

That definitely makes sense about DC's high cost of living contributing to how much they're willing to pay.

What is so difficult about going into private practice besides gaining clients?

I guess I'm asking because the person who I wish to follow in the footsteps of made it all look pretty simple from the outside...This person worked for a private hospital where he counseled short-term, inpatient adolescents. He then gave his business card and other information to adolescents' parents so that they could continue to see him as a therapist after they were discharged from the hospital. He eventually got fed up with some of the hospital's policies and moved to his private practice...and his clients followed him.

This is often not allowed in many hospitals, so make sure to really look into what is needed to build a private practice. It is probably 80% business/marketing and 20% training/skill.

 

[pingouin]

This is often not allowed in many hospitals, so make sure to really look into what is needed to build a private practice. It is probably 80% business/marketing and 20% training/skill.

I was going to say.. that sounds a bit sketchy to me. That sounds a LOT like a dual relationship from which the therapist benefits quite a bit financially. I've never looked at psychology's code of ethics, but that would be very much a violation of social work's. And probably actionable toward your license if you had one (which you would if you had a private practice). I would hope the two fields are similar in this regard.

 

[lookitssara]

The American Counselor's Association's code of ethics says you cannot recruit new clients/patients from the community agency you are currently working at.

 

[BohuMSW]

(2) I ultimately want to become an LCSW-C and open a private practice. I was actually urged to do so by a mentor who has his PhD. I originally wanted a PhD to do counseling in a private practice, but he said it was more efficient to go the social work route, and that I could avoid a great deal of paper work with insurance companies. (And no, he did not say this bc he doubted my abilities.)

So...how much can an LCSW-C make in a private practice as a psychotherapist?

I'm in Baltimore, MD, btw.

Please don't become a social worker if don't want to actually want to be a social worker. If just want to be a "therapist" without getting a PhD please become an Licensed Professional Counselor instead.

 

[BlackSkirtTetra]

Please don't become a social worker if don't want to actually want to be a social worker. If just want to be a "therapist" without getting a PhD please become an Licensed Professional Counselor instead.

I know this post is old, but I just saw this comment and I have to say that I disagree fully.

There are plenty of people who do psychotherapy and nothing else, who have their education in social work. The training you get with an MSW and with an MS in MHC are different, but both can prepare you to go the route of becoming a psychotherapist. The major difference is that the MSW can also prepare you to go the route of community engagement, administration, and activism, whereas Mental Health Counseling degrees most often don't.

It sounds like you may not realize that a "social worker" includes people who do only therapy. They are therapists, but they're also social workers.

Within social work, there is a lot of room for a lot of things. That's the nature of having such a wide, generalist field.