Illinois · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

Best colleges for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions in Illinois

Ranked by graduate earnings

Northwestern University, Bradley University and Adler University award the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees and certificates in Illinois: 71, 57 and 45 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 37 Illinois colleges offer Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions and award 776 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program focuses on equipping students with the skills needed to support individuals facing mental health challenges and social issues. This program is ideal for those interested…

Institutions
37
offering CIP 51.15
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
776
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$41,139
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
1
College Scorecard
Median net price
$20,078
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
47%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
$58,130
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top institution, 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
1Northern Illinois University
Dekalb Public · Bachelor's degree
$41,1392149%—$29,804

Colleges awarding the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees in Illinois

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). 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)
1Northwestern University
Evanston Private not-for-profit
71Not reported
2Bradley University
Peoria Private not-for-profit
57Not reported
3Adler University
Chicago Private not-for-profit
45Not reported
4Southwestern Illinois College
Belleville Public
43Not reported
5Lewis University
Romeoville Private not-for-profit
32Not reported
6Trinity International University - Illinois
Deerfield Private not-for-profit
31Not reported
7Moody Bible Institute
Chicago Private not-for-profit
30Not reported
8City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King College
Chicago Public
29Not reported
9Elgin Community College
Elgin Public
29Not reported
10Northern Illinois University
Dekalb Public
21$41,139
Show the other 27 Illinois colleges offering Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley CollegeChicagoPublic83
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeChicagoPublic65
Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicagoPublic36
The Chicago School at ChicagoChicagoPrivate not-for-profit19
College of DuPageGlen EllynPublic19
Governors State UniversityUniversity ParkPublic14
Oakton CollegeDes PlainesPublic14
Parkland CollegeChampaignPublic13
Heartland Community CollegeNormalPublic12
Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicagoPrivate not-for-profit11
Roosevelt UniversityChicagoPrivate not-for-profit11
Wheaton CollegeWheatonPrivate not-for-profit11
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Graduate only)EvanstonPrivate not-for-profit10
College of Lake CountyGrayslakePublic10
National Louis UniversityChicagoPrivate not-for-profit9
William Rainey Harper CollegePalatinePublic9
Stautzenberger College - Rockford Career CollegeRockfordPrivate for-profit7
Institute for Clinical Social Work (Graduate only)ChicagoPrivate not-for-profit6
Moraine Valley Community CollegePalos HillsPublic6
South Suburban CollegeSouth HollandPublic6
Illinois Central CollegeEast PeoriaPublic5
Waubonsee Community CollegeSugar GrovePublic5
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaignPublic3
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright CollegeChicagoPublic1
Kankakee Community CollegeKankakeePublic1
University of St FrancisJolietPrivate not-for-profit1
University of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfieldPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (SOC 21-1023).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+9.7%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~13,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$60,060
typically Master's degree

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoringLearning Strategies

What Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn in Illinois

Jobs in Illinois
3,460
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$58,130
median $49,960
Best-paying metro
$61,050
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Related careers

Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$70,670 avg · 19,860 jobs
Psychiatric Technicians
$46,090 avg · 9,410 jobs
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
$95,590 avg · 5,810 jobs
Healthcare Social Workers
$68,190 avg · 4,910 jobs
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
$58,130 avg · 3,460 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions programs in Illinois.

Which Illinois colleges award the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees?+

Northwestern University (71 graduates a year), Bradley University (57 graduates a year) and Adler University (45 graduates a year) award the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees and certificates in Illinois, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 37 Illinois colleges offer Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions.

Which Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program in Illinois has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Northern Illinois University tops the list at $41,139. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn in Illinois?+

The average annual wage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in Illinois is $58,130 (median $49,960), across about 3,460 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program?+

The Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program focuses on equipping students with the skills needed to support individuals facing mental health challenges and social issues. This program is ideal for those interested…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

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

What is the job outlook for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers?+

The national job outlook is about +9.7% growth with around 13,500 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).

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions in other statesCaliforniaColoradoGeorgiaMinnesotaWashingtonNew HampshireKansasSouth Dakota

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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