What can you do with a master’s degree in social work?

Social work doesn’t tend to be the most lucrative career path, but it opens doors to a variety of growing job opportunities. The number of jobs for social workers is expected to increase 9% between 2021 and 2031, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In all, that would amount to an additional 64,000 jobs on top of the more than 708,000 nationwide as of 2021.

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As for pay, social workers earned a median annual salary of around $50,000 in May 2021. But that amount can vary widely depending on the specific types of roles social workers occupy, and where they work. As such, some social workers can expect higher salary levels—but it all depends on several factors, including their qualifications.

As the demand for social workers grows, those who are interested in the field might consider earning a master’s degree in social work. And an advanced degree can help you break into the field, or open up additional paths within social work.

The broad world of social work

Social work is broad, but generally involves working with members of local communities in relation to chronic problems such as homelessness, mental health crises, or food insecurity. The list doesn’t end there, and that’s what makes an advanced degree in social work so versatile: The foundational skills that students learn can be used in just about any setting.

“What I often say is people who think they know social work don’t know all of the things that social work touches,” says Nancy Smyth, professor and interim associate dean for faculty development at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. “When it comes to human-service-related master’s degrees, [a master’s in social work] is one of the most versatile,” she says. “The work is all about helping families and supporting families.”

The field that social work graduates end up going into may—and often does—require additional licenses from a specific state. While that is yet another hoop to jump through for prospective students, the versatility of the degree almost guarantees employment postgraduation. And that’s particularly true as the U.S. transitions to a post-pandemic era, with a newfound appreciation for frontline workers, health care professionals, and those working in schools.

“The need for more social workers is there,” says Smyth, “the impact of the pandemic on society has left people understanding how people’s mental health and wellness have been affected in ways we don’t fully understand.” As such, people need help, and in numerous ways, which leads to a vast array of potential career paths for social workers.

Some of the most common sectors for postgraduation employment for MSW students are health care, social assistance, and education. Roughly one-fifth of graduates end up working for nonprofits of one form or another, according to NYU’s Silver School of Social Work. On a more granular level, some of the most common primary employment settings for graduates of Columbia University’s 2019 MSW class were in outpatient health and mental health centers, social and human service agencies, hospitals, schools (both K–12 and higher education), and social advocacy and welfare organizations.

‘If you can think of it, you can probably create a position within it’

Though a career in social work does present a lot of opportunities, it can be tough work—especially when you’re coming face-to-face with people experiencing various levels of crises related to meeting their basic needs in often impoverished or underserved areas.

With that in mind: It may not be for everyone. Or MSW students may want to be selective about where and how they hope to practice social work after they graduate.

“In social work, you’re going to get your hands dirty by being down in the trenches,” says Corina D. Segovia-Tadehara, an associate professor and director of the MSW program at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. Though Weber State’s program is still new, Segovia-Tadehara says there’s a renewed interest in social work from numerous parties, including the student body at Weber State. 

“The last four years have really brought in a different caliber of student,” she says. “These people want to make a difference and help.”

And after graduation, students are entering all sorts of fields in Utah and beyond—proof of the wide-ranging career possibilities that social work offers. “We have students in government, hospital settings, school settings, community mental health, and several students doing internships in private practice agencies,” she says. “One thing I’ve always prided about social work is that if you can think of it, you can probably create a position within it.”

Social workers often end up working in fields you may not expect, either, Smyth says. 

“Social workers often go into management and run organizations, and many are going into entrepreneurial work and starting their own businesses,” she says. Interestingly, many social workers actually end up working in a radically different field, too. 

“A lot of social workers go into real estate—it’s less about sales as it is about understanding who someone is, what they’re looking for, and finding the right fit,” Smyth says, adding that this meshes perfectly with a social worker’s skill set.

And for those who want to stick with social work, despite the siren call of real estate or even politics, the ability to try out different areas of practice and job types will always be there, the experts say.

“You can land a social worker job when you graduate, and if you decide after two years that you want to expand your knowledge base, you can go somewhere else,” says Segovia-Tadehara. “No one will question your decision.”

Check out all of Fortune’s rankings of degree programs, and learn more about specific career paths.