Social worker here, and in my field it’s expected to get paid like shit. Everyone goes into school knowing it.
A few months back I received an offer to work for an IT department at an entry level position for $20/hr. I almost accepted it, but instead took the offer letter to my supervisor and asked her to give me a reason to stay at my current job: “It’s disheartening working in a field where I could jump ship and make more at an entry level position than the one that requires a college degree and professional license.”
She took the letter to HR and we were able to negotiate a pay raise not just for me, but the whole department, and a comprehensive company-wide annual raise policy based on inflation.
Often times in the mental health world we accept the shit pay because it’s non-profit. Fuck that excuse. If you’re billing insurance, they can afford to pay your salary. Don’t let them tell you otherwise.