- Hospitals and clinics
- Nursing homes
- Community mental health clinics
- Private practices
- State and local governments
- Schools
- Colleges and universities
- Substance abuse clinics
- Military bases and hospitals
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Although most social workers work in an office, they may spend a lot of time away from the office visiting clients. School social workers may be assigned to multiple schools and travel around the school district to see students. Understaffing and large case loads may make the work stressful.
In 2010, the industries employing the most child, family and school social workers were as follows:
| Individual and family services | 21% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 21% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 19% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private | 12% |
| Health care | 9% |
In 2010, the industries employing the most healthcare social workers were as follows:
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 31% |
| Nursing and residential care facilities | 13% |
| Individual and family services | 11% |
| Home health care services | 10% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 6% |
In 2010, the industries employing the most mental health substance abuse social workers were as follows:
| Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers | 17% |
| Individual and family services | 16% |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 14% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 10% |
| Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals; state, local, and private | 8% |
Social workers generally work full time. They may sometimes work evenings and weekends to see clients or attend meetings.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition
