Maryland · Social Work

Best colleges for Social Work in Maryland

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Morgan State University and Salisbury University are the top bachelor's Social Work programs in Maryland by graduate earnings. University of Maryland-Baltimore County leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,316, College Scorecard. University of Maryland, Baltimore, Salisbury University and Morgan State University award the most Social Work degrees in Maryland: 282, 249 and 128 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 10 Maryland colleges offer Social Work and award 810 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
10
offering CIP 44.07
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
810
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$37,612
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,244
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
50%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Healthcare Social Workers
$72,140
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 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
1University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,3167570%—$22,500
2Morgan State University
Baltimore Public · Bachelor's degree
$39,05912841%—$35,000
3Salisbury University
Salisbury Public · Bachelor's degree
$34,91724968%—$23,552
4Bowie State University
Bowie Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,9892538%—$31,000
5Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$37,8361150%—$26,000
6Coppin State University
Baltimore Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$37,6121526%—$28,750
7Hood College
Frederick Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$32,805657%$23,244$25,578

Colleges awarding the most Social Work degrees in Maryland

Top 9 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 Maryland, Baltimore
Baltimore Public
282Not reported
2Salisbury University
Salisbury Public
249$34,917
3Morgan State University
Baltimore Public
128$39,059
4University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore Public
75$40,316
5Bowie State University
Bowie Public
25$32,989
6McDaniel College
Westminster Private not-for-profit
13Not reported
7Frostburg State University
Frostburg Public
11$37,836
8Cecil College
North East Public
6Not reported
9Hood College
Frederick Private not-for-profit
6$32,805
Show the other 1 Maryland colleges offering Social Work
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Coppin State UniversityBaltimorePublic15

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 Maryland

Jobs in Maryland
4,750
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$72,140
median $76,440
Best-paying metro
$74,970
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV

Related careers

Healthcare Social Workers
$72,140 avg · 4,750 jobs
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$75,400 avg · 4,710 jobs
Social and Community Service Managers
$97,210 avg · 4,300 jobs
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
$72,980 avg · 2,250 jobs
Counselors, All Other
$54,130 avg · 1,750 jobs
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
$77,530 avg · 1,370 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Social Work programs in Maryland.

Which Maryland colleges award the most Social Work degrees?+

University of Maryland, Baltimore (282 graduates a year), Salisbury University (249 graduates a year) and Morgan State University (128 graduates a year) award the most Social Work degrees in Maryland, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 10 Maryland colleges offer Social Work.

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

By graduate earnings, University of Maryland-Baltimore County leads among bachelor's Social Work programs in Maryland, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,316, College Scorecard. Morgan State University and Salisbury University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Maryland, Baltimore is the largest, with 282 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Maryland-Baltimore County tops the list at $40,316. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Healthcare Social Workers earn in Maryland?+

The average annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in Maryland is $72,140 (median $76,440), across about 4,750 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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