“Is getting a master's degree in social work worth it?”

Yes, getting a masters degree in social work is definitely worth it. There are three educational levels for social workers, the Bachelor's degree, BSW (4yrs), the Master's Degree, MSW, two additional years and the Doctorate Degree . There are many opportunities for a MSW. A master's level social worker may also become licensed by the state they practice in. To be eligible to sit for a license exam, 3000 supervised clinical hours must be completed. These hours are often obtained through an internship or paid work experience. With a license you can establish a private clinical practice, become a Medicare provider, contract with agencies as an independent practitioner. A hospital may employ a BSW but they must have a licensed MSW to receive accreditation. Traditional jobs include public welfare and social services, military, VA, medical with specialties like pediatrics or hospice, outpatient or hospital and adoption. Doctorate level social workers often work in research and are involved with policy making. Community advocates are found at all levels and some have become mayors and congress representatives. Corporate social work refers to social workers in business settings

Getting a Master's Degree in Social Work is definitely worth it. There are so many things for a social worker to do - So many places to work, schools, hospitals, office setting, college settings, nursing homes, just to name a few.

I do think it is worth it. I'd recommend the MSW or becoming a LPC if you are wanting to provide direct counseling.