Career comparison
Social worker vs. Clinical psychologist
Clinical psychologists earn more: a median of $100,580, $41,030 (69%) above social workers at $59,550.
Clinical psychologists have the stronger outlook: +12% projected growth through 2035, vs. +4%.
Getting in is faster for social workers: about 2 years vs. 7 years for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Social worker | Clinical psychologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $59,550 | $100,580 |
| Top 10% earn over | $95,530 | $180,960 |
| Growth to 2035 | +4% | +12% |
| Openings per year | 33,900 | 4,100 |
| Jobs today | 405,100 | 81,300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Time to qualify* | 2 years | 7 years |
| Training cost* | $30K–$90K | $0–$250K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Social worker
Clinical psychologist
Switching from one to the other
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Getting in
Social worker
- Entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Required: ASWB exam · State social work license
Clinical psychologist
- Entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Prior experience
- None
Required: EPPP licensing exam · Supervised hours · State psychologist license
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Exposure to disease
Social worker: 43% usually work over 40 hours a weekClinical psychologist: 36% usually work over 40 hours a week
Social worker: core tasks
- Maintain case history records and prepare reports.
- Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
- Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts to help children who face problems, such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty.
- Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
- Address legal issues, such as child abuse and discipline, assisting with hearings and providing testimony to inform custody arrangements.
Clinical psychologist: core tasks
- Conduct assessments of patients' risk for harm to self or others.
- Document patient information including session notes, progress notes, recommendations, and treatment plans.
- Identify psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues and diagnose disorders, using information obtained from interviews, tests, records, or reference materials.
- Write reports on clients and maintain required paperwork.
- Counsel individuals, groups, or families to help them understand problems, deal with crisis situations, define goals, and develop realistic action plans.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Service Orientation.
New for a social worker moving to clinical psychologist: Active Learning.
New for a clinical psychologist moving to social worker: Judgment and Decision Making.
Interests (Holland codes): Social worker: Social, Conventional, Investigative. Clinical psychologist: Social, Investigative, Conventional.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Social worker
+4%
about as fast as average · 33,900 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Clinical psychologist
+12%
faster than average · 4,100 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a social worker or a clinical psychologist?
Clinical psychologists earn more: a median of $100,580, $41,030 (69%) above social workers at $59,550.
Which has the better job outlook?
Clinical psychologists have the stronger outlook: +12% projected growth through 2035, vs. +4%.
How long does it take to become a clinical psychologist?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 7 years, with tuition of roughly $0 to $250,000. Required: EPPP licensing exam, Supervised hours, State psychologist license.
How long does it take to become a social worker?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 2 years, with tuition of roughly $30,000 to $90,000. Required: ASWB exam, State social work license.