Bill # H7457: Increasing Access to Social Work Services through a Loan Repayment Program for Social Workers in the Areas of Highest Need 

Licensed social workers are among the lowest-paid licensed professionals. The average annual salary for child, family, and school social workers in the US is less than $55,000. In RI, the numbers are only slightly better, with a mean annual income of $63,000 per year. Yet, a two-year master’s degree in social work (MSW) in Rhode Island costs over $62,000 a year for out-of-state residents and over $33,000 a year for in-state residents at public universities. The average social work student in RI leaves graduate school with over $60,000 in debt. Combined with undergraduate debt, this could give students up to $100,000 or more in loans. The debt-to-income ratio is unmanageable and often dissuades students from staying, entering, or remaining in the social work field.

Can you take a few minutes to advocate on behalf of social workers?  Fact Sheet Linked Here