# What can you do with a Social Work degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/social-work/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** A Social Work degree commonly leads to roles such as newly qualified social worker, family support worker and personal adviser (leaving care). Five years after graduating, Social Work graduates had median earnings of £32,900 (middle half: £22,700–£40,300), and 91.4% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Health and social care graduates is education (34.4% of those in work).

Social work is a professional qualifying course when approved. First roles are usually in local authorities or related services. Official figures appear when an extract is loaded.

## What jobs can you get with a Social Work degree?

- **Newly qualified social worker**: Holds a protected caseload under ASYE-style arrangements where the employer provides them. Skills often asked for: assessments, case recording, supervision.
- **Family support worker**. Skills often asked for: home visits, parenting programmes, safeguarding flags.
- **Personal adviser (leaving care)**. Skills often asked for: pathway plans, housing liaison, advocacy.
- **Youth worker**. Skills often asked for: group work, risk logs, partnerships.

## Where do Social Work graduates work?

Health and social care graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Education | 34.4% | £32,900 |
| Health and social work | 28.9% | £27,800 |
| Public administration and defence | 13.1% | £35,500 |
| Administrative and support services | 7% | £21,600 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 6.2% | £29,100 |
| Wholesale and retail | 2.8% | £21,600 |
| Other service activities | 1.4% | £27,400 |
| Hospitality (accommodation and food) | 1% | £22,300 |

## How much do Social Work graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Social work (CAH15-04-01). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £32,200 | £26,000–£35,500 | 93.7% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £33,300 | £24,500–£38,400 | 93.5% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £32,900 | £22,700–£40,300 | 91.4% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £36,200 | £23,800–£45,400 | 88.2% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Health and social care graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [Glasgow Caledonian University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/glasgow-caledonian-university/) | £40,100 | 65 |
| [Robert Gordon University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/robert-gordon-university/) | £39,700 | 85 |
| [University of Portsmouth](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-portsmouth/) | £39,200 | 65 |
| [Open University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/open-university/) | £38,100 | 380 |
| [Southampton Solent University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/southampton-solent-university/) | £37,900 | 60 |
| [Anglia Ruskin University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/anglia-ruskin-university/) | £36,600 | 70 |
| [London Metropolitan University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/london-metropolitan-university/) | £36,200 | 50 |
| [Cardiff Metropolitan University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/cardiff-metropolitan-university/) | £36,100 | 80 |
| [De Montfort University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/de-montfort-university/) | £35,900 | 70 |
| [University of Winchester](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-winchester/) | £35,900 | 50 |

## Is Social Work the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You can hold risk, law, and a family’s story in the same visit.
- You accept that the job is regulated and inspected.
- You want placements, not only campus seminars.

It may not suit you if:
- You wanted a purely academic sociology degree.
- You dislike court reports, duty rotas, or recording.
- You expected an easy emotional workload.

## Interview questions for Social Work graduate roles

Newly qualified social-worker and family-support interviews usually test law in practice, recording, and how you hold risk. These prompts are editorial illustrations, not a local-authority bank.

- You arrive for a visit and nobody answers. What do you do, and what do you write? (What it tests: Professional curiosity, recording, and not closing the case in your head.)
- A parent asks you not to write something down. How do you respond? (What it tests: Transparency about records and why some things cannot stay off the file.)
- Two professionals disagree about risk. How do you contribute in a meeting? (What it tests: Evidence, the child’s lived experience, and not collapsing into the loudest voice.)
- How would you explain a child-protection process to a family in plain English? (What it tests: Anti-oppressive communication without hiding the legal reality.)
- You are over caseload and a new referral arrives. What do you do? (What it tests: You escalate capacity; you do not silently drop a child.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with a Social Work degree?

Common starting roles include newly qualified social worker, family support worker, personal adviser (leaving care) and youth worker. Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Health and social care graduates in work were education (34.4%), health and social work (28.9%) and public administration and defence (13.1%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Social Work graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Social Work graduates of £32,200 one year after graduating, £33,300 three years after graduating, £32,900 five years after graduating and £36,200 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is a Social Work degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 91.4% of Social Work graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £32,900. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Social Work 85 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Health and social care graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Health and social care were at Glasgow Caledonian University (£40,100), Robert Gordon University (£39,700) and University of Portsmouth (£39,200). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Social Work in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Social%20Work