A Representative Profile of MSW Graduates in the United States

As the United States faces burgeoning behavioral health needs and a growing recognition of the inextricable link between social conditions and health outcomes and quality-of-life indicators, a current representative profile of the MSW workforce with respect to sociodemographic and employment characteristics can provide a reference point for ongoing assessments of that workforce. The profile also can establish a baseline by which efforts to bolster the diversity and strength of the MSW workforce can be grounded. The core aim of the current study was to generate a nationally representative, descriptive profile of MSW graduates in the United States using a sample of 1,028 MSW graduates (representing a subpopulation of 691,061 individuals) from the 2021 National Survey of College Graduates. Weighted univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to generate a descriptive profile of MSW graduates with respect to sociodemographic, education, and employment characteristics. Study findings can help employers, health services researchers, policymakers, and practitioners understand the context of the MSW workforce as it relates to diversity, labor workforce projection data, and student loan and salary considerations. This information can guide future policy and training goals to support the future vitality of the social work profession.