 
Social workers held about 477,000 jobs in 2002. About 4 out of 10 jobs were in State or local government agencies, primarily in departments of health and human services. Most private sector jobs were in the health care and social assistance industry. Although most social workers are employed in cities or suburbs, some work in rural areas. The following tabulation shows 2002 employment by type of social worker.
| Child, family, and school social workers |
274,000 |
| Medical and public health social workers |
107,000 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers |
95,000 |
|