Florida · Social Work

Best colleges for Social Work in Florida

Ranked by graduate earnings

Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University and University of South Florida are the top bachelor's Social Work programs in Florida by graduate earnings. Florida International University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,626, College Scorecard. University of Central Florida, University of South Florida and Florida Atlantic University award the most Social Work degrees in Florida: 321, 261 and 152 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 16 Florida colleges offer Social Work and award 1,514 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Social Work program prepares students to support individuals and communities in overcoming challenges and improving their well-being. This field focuses on advocacy, education, and resource connection, making it ideal for those…

Institutions
16
offering CIP 44.07
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,514
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$36,407
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
9
College Scorecard
Median net price
$24,719
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
59%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Healthcare Social Workers
$66,920
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 9 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Florida International University
Miami Public · Bachelor's degree
$41,6265574%—$18,800
2Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton Public · Bachelor's degree
$39,91215263%—$21,101
3University of South Florida
Tampa Public · Bachelor's degree
$37,45826177%—$21,875
4University of West Florida
Pensacola Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,5733959%—$17,373
5Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,4078057%—$18,837
6University of Central Florida
Orlando Public · Bachelor's degree
$35,35832178%—$22,375
7Saint Leo University
Saint Leo Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$34,46310445%$18,986$33,457
8Florida State University
Tallahassee Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,6048986%—$15,193
9Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee Public · Bachelor's degree
$31,4017053%—$27,000

Colleges awarding the most Social Work degrees in Florida

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Central Florida
Orlando Public
321$35,358
2University of South Florida
Tampa Public
261$37,458
3Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton Public
152$39,912
4Barry University
Miami Private not-for-profit
132Not reported
5Saint Leo University
Saint Leo Private not-for-profit
104$34,463
6Florida State University
Tallahassee Public
89$32,604
7Ana G. Mendez University
Orlando Private not-for-profit
89Not reported
8Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers Public
80$36,407
9Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee Public
70$31,401
10Florida International University
Miami Public
55$41,626
Show the other 6 Florida colleges offering Social Work
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Southeastern UniversityLakelandPrivate not-for-profit55
University of West FloridaPensacolaPublic39
Nova Southeastern UniversityFort LauderdalePrivate not-for-profit32
University of North FloridaJacksonvillePublic26
Warner UniversityLake WalesPrivate not-for-profit5
Florida Memorial UniversityMiami GardensPrivate not-for-profit4

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Healthcare Social Workers (SOC 21-1022).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+7.7%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~18,400
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$68,090
typically Master's degree

Top skills

SpeakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionWritingActive Learning

What Healthcare Social Workers earn in Florida

Jobs in Florida
10,520
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$66,920
median $64,820
Best-paying metro
$70,310
Naples-Marco Island, FL

Related careers

Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$57,970 avg · 14,000 jobs
Healthcare Social Workers
$66,920 avg · 10,520 jobs
Social and Community Service Managers
$83,870 avg · 8,600 jobs
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
$55,310 avg · 5,150 jobs
Social Workers, All Other
$69,060 avg · 4,800 jobs
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
$52,570 avg · 4,490 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Social Work programs in Florida.

Which Florida colleges award the most Social Work degrees?+

University of Central Florida (321 graduates a year), University of South Florida (261 graduates a year) and Florida Atlantic University (152 graduates a year) award the most Social Work degrees in Florida, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 16 Florida colleges offer Social Work.

What is the best college for Social Work in Florida?+

By graduate earnings, Florida International University leads among bachelor's Social Work programs in Florida, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,626, College Scorecard. Florida Atlantic University and University of South Florida follow. By degrees awarded, University of Central Florida is the largest, with 321 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Social Work program in Florida has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Florida International University tops the list at $41,626. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Healthcare Social Workers earn in Florida?+

The average annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in Florida is $66,920 (median $64,820), across about 10,520 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Social Work program?+

The Social Work program prepares students to support individuals and communities in overcoming challenges and improving their well-being. This field focuses on advocacy, education, and resource connection, making it ideal for those…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Healthcare Social Workers?+

The national job outlook is about +7.7% growth with around 18,400 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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