HELP!

[Shelby.Pacheco96]

I'm just now starting my graduate school search. I live in Columbus, Ohio and I would like to stay in state. I have decided that I am either interested in pursuing a Psy.D or a MSW. Any recommendations? I know that I want to work one on one with clients. I am afraid that a MSW wouldn't give me the independence that I want, nor the money in mid-career salary that I need to support my family. Is there a major difference in careers or salary for people with a MSW or Psy.D? I am having a hard time finding real information from real people with real experiences, so I decided to give this site a shot!!! Thanks!

 

I am currently studying psychology at Otterbein University and I plan to begin graduate school in the fall of 2017.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Shelby.Pacheco96

[Jax_Nise]

I recommend reaching out to alumni associations where you are looking to apply for either program for feedback should this website not provide you the information you are looking for. I am a current first year MSW student in California so I have a bias. MSW allows you to do whatever you want to do. I think you should decide on the importance of clinical one on one service. As for salary, it depends on your location, target population, sector (private-public), and of course experience. These are just some things I thought of but there is more to this discussion.

[sunnyskies13]

I am biased too as I am a current MSW student. But I did consider the whole psychology vs. social work thing too. If anything it's the Psy.D. that won't give you independence. MSW you can do a variety of work in a variety of fields. Psy.D. is kind of stuck within mental health or therapy fields. It just depends on what you want to do with your degree. 

[tea drinker]

An MSW with a subsequent license will allow you  to work anywhere.  Your focus or specialization in this field should be your passion.  Your MSW will be the vehicle that takes you where your want to be!  If health and therapy is not your thing, there is social justice, policy writing, community organization and development, human resources management, forensics and the list goes on. 

[UMichHopeful93]

Have to agree with everyone else, an MSW is probably the best way to go. Also, PhD programs are extremely competitive to get into. As far as school choice goes, I think Ohio State is probably your best bet, as it's close by, you'll have in-state tuition, and is nationally well-recognized as an institution. 

Good luck! 

[olayak]

I'm a social worker and it's sad but many people have the completely wrong idea.  I bet if you said "I want to be a psychotherapist" they would think it was a great idea. Guess what,  they are the same!  A social worker IS a psychotherapist and many go into private practice.  It is what you make of it, and where you live, but I know social workers making over $200,000 or more.  Some write books, some teach classes, some have private therapy practices, etc.  

Suze Ormond, the financial guru, is a social worker.  Graham Stedman, Oprah's boyfriend, is a social worker.  When she won an Oscar, Hillary Swank forgot to thank her husband and instead thanked her therapist.  Her therapist is a social worker.  She makes a lot of money working only work celebrities.  

It's also an extremely versitile career with many social workers going on to be administrators, directors and officers of agencies, like hospitals. I'm sure if you told your parents that you want to be CEO of a hospital, they wouldn't mind. Part of Social Work studies focuses on administration and policy, so many social workers do that. Or go on to start non profits or become lobbyist or politicians in DC. Many become professors or write books. If you told your parents that you wanted to be a politician, a famous author, or a college professor, would they feel the same way?  

You could also someday start your own mental health CLINIC, where other therapists work for you.

Sure, many people work low paying jobs in social work, but that's because they like working for that particular agency in that job.  Some of us want to get down in the dirt and really help raise people up from the most basic level.  But it doesn't mean that those are the only jobs.  It's a VERY versatile field, and you are only limited by what you choose to do with it. 

I'm a social worker, make good money with great benefits and I absolutely LOVE my job.  

As someone recently told me, it is unlikely to see the CEO of a hospital with a PhD but it is common to see one with a MSW. 

[UMichHopeful93]

I don't think I could agree with olayak more! Just Google "MSW is the new MBA" and you'll see why corporations are in search of MSWs rather than MBAs - because corporations need guidance on ethics, policy, organization and evaluation. Occasionally, they also need in-house counselors. Social work has a terribly strong stigma of being low-paying, when in turn, it's quite the opposite for most who get an MSW. If you look at most of the top 20 MSW programs and their websites, they list typical income for job offers after graduation, and it's typically above $50,000. Not to mention an employment rate of over 95 percent for graduates. I'd say, overall, an MSW is very sound investment regardless of the direction you want to take your career.