By: The Capella University Editorial Team with Irene Abrego Nicolet, PhD, NCSP, LSSP, Vice President and Dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Reading Time: 10 minutes
Job growth projections and salary figures are drawn from Lightcast data and reflect national trends. Actual outcomes vary based on factors such as experience, industry, location, skills and economic conditions, and are not representative of Capella University graduate results.
A career path in social work often starts with a choice about where to begin your educational journey: with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or by moving directly into a Master of Social Work (MSW) if you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field. While these degrees are often compared, they aren’t competing credentials. They represent different stages of a social work career journey.
Some social workers start with a BSW and move on to an MSW later. Others begin graduate study with a bachelor’s degree in a different field. Both are common paths, and neither is the “wrong” way into the field.
Find an educational path in social work that matches your starting point and your career goals by understanding what each degree teaches you and the career paths it can help you prepare for.
Understanding the social work education pathway
Social workers help individuals, families and communities navigate some of life’s toughest moments, from mental health challenges to family crises. They also may help provide them with access to essential resources like housing, healthcare and financial assistance. Their responsibilities can change depending on their area of practice.
Social work education builds in stages, progressing from foundational to advanced degrees:
Depending on your background, current education level and career goals, you can enroll in a BSW or directly apply for MSW programs.
No matter your starting point, it’s crucial to choose a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). CSWE accreditation is typically required for licensure, so it should be a top priority when comparing programs.
If you’re a working adult, online social work degree programs can be a more flexible option to complete your education compared to traditional, on-campus ones that might require you to pause your career.
However, online doesn’t necessarily mean entirely remote. In most CSWE-accredited online social work degrees, you will still have to complete supervised experience hours on-site in an agency setting.
A BSW is an undergraduate degree that teaches you the broad skill sets that social workers apply across populations and settings.
Capella University’s online BSW program helps you build generalist practice skills and knowledge. The coursework focuses on the history of social welfare and policy, research methods and human behavior.
It also introduces the three levels of social work practice: micro (individual), mezzo (group) and macro (policy/administration).
This CSWE-accredited program combines online learning with two supervised, on-site practicums, so you can connect theory with professional, real-world practice and develop career-focused skills.
A BSW can prepare you for a range of roles, for example:
Social workers can work in child and youth services, individual and family services, services for the elderly and persons with disabilities and many other settings. While compensation varies by role, the median annual salary for social workers in the U.S. in 2025 was $62,765, according to Lightcast data.
The job roles and employment settings mentioned throughout this blog are examples and give you an idea of what a career in social work might look like. Every position has its own requirements for education, certification, licensure and qualifications. Capella University cannot guarantee any specific job title, promotion, salary increase or career outcome.
Some states let you pursue licensure at the bachelor’s level, which can qualify you for generalist practice roles. That license is separate from clinical licensure, which requires a graduate degree and generally isn’t available to BSW holders alone.
A BSW may be sufficient for professionals who want to:
An MSW builds on your BSW or another undergraduate degree. Professionals with a bachelor’s degree in other fields may choose to apply for MSW programs directly rather than going through another bachelor’s degree.
While a BSW gives you a broad introduction, an MSW teaches you more advanced social work practice skills and can prepare you to pursue initial licensure.
The online MSW program at Capella University goes deeper into the topics covered in the BSW, but also covers areas like clinical supervision and leadership in social work practice, psychopathology and advanced interventions, social policy and planning as well as advanced research and statistical methods for program evaluation.
It also includes two foundation practicums and three advanced practicums, so you learn to refine your skills and apply social work best practices in real-world settings.
If you already hold a CSWE-accredited BSW, you may qualify for Capella’s online MSW – Advanced Standing program.
The program typically lets you skip the MSW’s foundational coursework and move directly into specialized coursework, giving you more room to focus on the areas that matter most to you. This is why it’s especially useful for recent BSW graduates who want to continue straight into advanced social work education.
An online MSW program can prepare you for a broader range of advanced and specialized roles. The MSW is also the minimum educational requirement to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), although state-specific requirements apply. It’s important to research the license requirements in the state where you intend to practice.
Roles you may pursue with an MSW include:
Social workers can practice in a variety of settings, including general medical and surgical hospitals, individual and family services, offices of mental health practitioners (except physicians) and residential mental health and substance abuse facilities.
Licensed social workers can potentially earn more, with Lightcast data stating that the annual median salary for licensed clinical social workers in the U.S. in 2025 was $67,870, although that can vary significantly based on your role and settings.
These job titles, work settings and salaries give you a general career outlook in social work after completing an MSW. However, the exact position you get will depend on every employer’s requirements for education, certification and licensure.
An MSW may be the right next step for professionals who want to:
Whether a BSW or MSW is the better fit depends on your current education level, career stage and professional goals.
|
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) |
Master of Social Work (MSW) |
Who it’s for |
Students beginning their social work education |
BSW graduates or individuals with a bachelor’s degree in another field |
Focus |
Generalist social work practice and foundational knowledge |
Advanced practice, specialization, leadership and clinical skills |
Typical scope of practice |
Generalist practice in social work |
Advanced or specialized practice, including clinical work |
Clinical practice |
Does not typically qualify graduates for clinical social work |
Provides the educational foundation required to pursue clinical social work licensure in most states, but actual licensure pathways are unique to each individual |
Licensure |
Bachelor’s-level licensure may be available in some states. Typically not sufficient for independent or clinical practice |
Required for advanced and clinical licensure pathways in most states |
To help you find out which path fits your aspirations, here’s how the decision typically plays out based on your current situation.
A BSW is often a good starting point if you don’t have a bachelor’s degree. It provides essential social work knowledge and could provide you with direct opportunities to enter the workforce in introductory or generalist roles.
If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, you may be able to apply directly to an MSW program.
With a BSW, you can pursue generalist roles or continue your education with an MSW. Many social workers spend time in introductory roles after earning their BSW, then enroll in an MSW as their goals evolve.
If you’re ready to deepen your expertise or pursue licensure, an MSW-Advanced Standing program can help you build directly on your BSW without repeating foundational coursework.
An MSW is typically required for careers involving clinical social work, psychotherapy, supervision and many leadership positions. These roles generally call for licensure and supervised field experience beyond the degree itself.
Before enrolling in a social work program, check your state’s licensing requirements and university licensure disclosures to make sure the program and its field education structure align with your intended pathway.
Education can lay the groundwork, but most degree programs also include site-based learning, as it is often required for licensure. Here’s the general licensing process, though your state’s specific requirements will apply:
The ASWB laws and regulations database can help you find state-specific requirements.
Field experience matters even at the bachelor’s level because generalist practice is a hands-on skill built through supervised work with real clients. This is why Capella’s BSW program includes two field placements or practicums, each requiring a minimum of 400 hours of supervised, site-based experience.
Many states offer licenses for social work at the bachelor’s level, which can help you pursue generalist practice roles under supervision, but requirements vary widely.
For example, Texas does not explicitly require a minimum number of supervised clinical hours when applying for a Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW) in the state. By contrast, Michigan requires applicants for the Bachelor’s Social Work License to complete 4,000 hours of post-degree supervised work experience.
Field experience is mandatory for licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or any other role that allows independent practice, with many states requiring between 2,000 and 4,000 hours of clinical supervised work experience.
To help with this, students in Capella’s MSW program must complete five practicums, while students in the Advanced Standing program complete three.
In most states, you can’t practice independently with a master’s-level license, but it can help you pursue additional credentials, like the LCSW license, for independent clinical practice. But again, requirements differ for each state and credential.
For instance, in New York, applicants for licensure as a “Licensed Master Social Worker” do not need to have a minimum amount of experience. On the other hand, applying for licensure as a “Licensed Clinical Social Worker” in New York requires you to complete at least three years of full-time supervised post-graduate clinical experience
Take the next step in your social work journey
Whether you pursue a BSW or an MSW depends on where you’re standing today and what your career goals are.
Wherever you start from, Capella offers CSWE-accredited online BSW and MSW degrees in the GuidedPath learning format. These structured, online programs can make it easier to balance your work and education as you prepare for your social work career.
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