What can you do with a Social Work degree from University of Tennessee, Knoxville?

First, some facts. Of the Social Work graduates from University of Tennessee, Knoxville we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:


These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Slightly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 70%, Social Work graduates from University of Tennessee, Knoxville have a slightly higher likelihood (+3%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 70%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, 40% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests you may need more than just a Bachelors degree to be competitive as a Social Work graduate.

See the details:

View a random Social Work graduate from University of Tennessee, Knoxville and our analysis:


Relevance score: 100%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2015 from University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a Bachelor of Science In Social Work in Social Work. Also pursued further education since (see below).

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Counselor/Drug Court Liasion
Gibson Recovery Center
Feb 2017 - May 2017
The role of Counselor/Drug Court Liaison at Gibson Recovery Center directly utilizes skills and knowledge from the Bachelor's degree in Social Work, particularly in counseling and support for individuals with substance use issues, aligning closely with the educational background.

FURTHER DEGREES DONE SINCE GRADUATING
Master of Social Work (MSW)
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
2015 - 2016
ABOUT

Experienced Therapist with a demonstrated history of working in the Substance Abuse field. Skilled in Group Therapy, Microsoft Excel, Customer Service, Treatment Planning, and Data Analysis. Strong community and social services professional with a Master of Social Work (MSW) focused in Macro from University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

What jobs can you get with a Social Work degree from University of Tennessee, Knoxville?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


Looking at the job paths of folks who graduated with a degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, it seems like many of them have ended up in roles that are quite relevant to social work, especially in the early stages of their careers. Positions like Case Managers, Counselors, and Family Intervention Specialists are definitely aligned with the skills and knowledge they gained during their studies. These roles involve directly helping individuals and families, which is basically what social work is all about. For example, being a Forensic Social Worker or a Social Worker at a medical group means those graduates are right in the thick of applying their education in real-world settings that make a difference in people’s lives.

However, there are also quite a few who veered off the path and took jobs that don’t really connect with social work at all. Roles like Satisfaction Assurance at Custom Ink or Assistant Manager at a spirits company show that not everyone stuck to the core of social work. While some of these positions may offer useful transferable skills such as client interaction or team management, they don’t require the specialized training in social work that these graduates went through. So, overall, while it’s clear that many of these graduates have found roles that are relevant, there's also a notable number who stepped into jobs that don't leverage their social work education directly.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Social Work graduates (this is across all Social Work graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Tennessee, Knoxville):

What kind of career trajectories do Social Work graduates from University of Tennessee, Knoxville have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

When it comes to graduates from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a degree in Social Work, their career trajectories show a mix of dedication to their field and some unexpected turns. For many, the first job right out of college tends to be related to social work, as seen with roles like Case Manager and Counselor. These positions usually focus on providing direct support to individuals and families in need, which aligns perfectly with the skills and knowledge gained during their studies. However, as time goes on, the career paths can diverge a bit more than you might expect. For example, some graduates have shifted towards managerial roles in completely different sectors, like office management and sales, indicating that while they started in social work, other career opportunities caught their interest over the years.

Looking at their five to ten-year marks, it's clear that a significant number of graduates have either remained rooted in social work or moved into somewhat related fields. A few have created their own businesses or transitioned into roles like financial consultants, which, while not directly tied to social work, can still carry some transferable skills like client management and interpersonal communication. However, there are also instances where graduates seem to stray far from their original purpose, with careers in areas like satisfaction assurance and even working as a florist. So, while many UTK Social Work graduates do start their careers related to their major, some veer off into entirely different careers as they gain experience, suggesting a broader range of opportunities that may not be purely within the social work realm.

How hard is a Social Work degree from University of Tennessee, Knoxville?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, or really anywhere, can be a mix of challenging and rewarding. It involves a lot of coursework that dives deep into human behavior, social systems, and ethics, which can be tough, especially if you're not super into those subjects. There are also fieldwork components where you get hands-on experience, and that can be demanding in terms of time and emotional energy. Overall, I'd say it's about average in difficulty—it's not a breeze, but if you’re passionate about helping people and are willing to put in the effort, you'll probably find it manageable and pretty fulfilling!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Social Work.

Do Social Work graduates from University of Tennessee, Knoxville tend to make good money?

Looking at the job histories of these Social Work grads from UT Knoxville, it seems like their earnings might be on the lower side, especially in those early roles. Many started in positions like case managers or counselors, which typically don't pay a ton, especially right out of school. A few have shifted into higher-paying roles, like with the grads who moved into financial consulting, but overall, the job paths in social work tend to be more about passion than big paychecks. The ones who became business owners may have a shot at better money, depending on their success. So, while they’re making a decent living, it doesn’t seem like they're rolling in it, you know?

What buzzwords do Social Work graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Social Work (this is across all Social Work graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to University of Tennessee, Knoxville). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Social Work?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Social Work (ordered by the average relevance score of their Social Work graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College Score Count
Temple University 95 13
University of North Texas 93 12
Eastern Michigan University 93 21
Wayne State University 92 18
Northeastern Illinois University 92 22
City University of New York-Herbert H. Lehman College 91 11
Bridgewater State University 90 13
Liberty University 89 10
Ferris State University 89 12
University of Maryland Baltimore County 89 15
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania 89 10
Virginia Commonwealth University 88 18
University of Arkansas 88 10
Illinois State University 87 11
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 87 12
The University of Memphis 87 10
North Carolina Central University 87 13
Aurora University 87 19
Florida State University 86 22
Colorado State University 86 14
California State University-Sacramento 86 22
University of Houston-Downtown 86 10
Saginaw Valley State University 86 12
State University of New York College at Brockport 85 11
Texas State University 83 18
James Madison University 83 11
Florida Atlantic University 83 19
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 83 10
University of North Carolina at Wilmington 83 10
Western Illinois University 82 10
Millersville University of Pennsylvania 82 12
Winona State University 82 15
Indiana University Bloomington 81 11
Western Michigan University 80 13
Oakland University 80 15
Florida International University 79 11
North Carolina State University 79 13
University of Cincinnati 79 11
East Carolina University 79 13
Morgan State University 79 10
The Ohio State University 78 16
Grand Valley State University 78 14
Metropolitan State University of Denver 78 11
University of West Florida 78 10
Georgia State University 77 10
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 77 16
University of Washington 76 10
The University of Texas at Arlington 75 29
Southern Connecticut State University 75 13
University of South Florida 74 14
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 74 14
Minnesota State University, Mankato 74 10
Saint Leo University 73 10
Cleveland State University 72 15
University of Central Florida 70 14
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 70 10
Texas A&M University-Commerce 69 11
Michigan State University 67 10
Arizona State University 64 26
Appalachian State University 64 10