Best colleges for Social Work in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
CUNY York College, CUNY Lehman College and CUNY Hunter College are the top bachelor's Social Work programs in New York by graduate earnings. CUNY York College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,742, College Scorecard. CUNY Hunter College, Columbia University and Fordham University award the most Social Work degrees in New York: 643, 625 and 564 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 35 New York colleges offer Social Work and award 5,310 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…
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY York College Jamaica Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,742 | 65 | 32% | — | $9,500 |
| 2 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,300 | 214 | 51% | — | $12,690 |
| 3 | CUNY Hunter College New York Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,227 | 643 | 57% | — | $9,608 |
| 4 | Keuka College Keuka Park Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,642 | 147 | 58% | $24,177 | $40,593 |
| 5 | SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,695 | 38 | 33% | — | $23,312 |
| 6 | Nazareth University Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,126 | 83 | 73% | $27,945 | $26,250 |
| 7 | Roberts Wesleyan University Rochester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $37,100 | 47 | 67% | $22,729 | $26,596 |
| 8 | SUNY Brockport Brockport Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,054 | 131 | 55% | — | $23,354 |
| 9 | University at Albany Albany Public · Bachelor's degree | $32,913 | 166 | 61% | — | $23,000 |
| 10 | College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,021 | 61 | 34% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Social Work degrees in New York
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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Hunter College New York Public | 643 | $42,227 |
| 2 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 625 | Not reported |
| 3 | Fordham University Bronx Private not-for-profit | 564 | Not reported |
| 4 | Yeshiva University New York Private not-for-profit | 502 | Not reported |
| 5 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 379 | $26,837 |
| 6 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook Public | 296 | Not reported |
| 7 | University at Buffalo Buffalo Public | 232 | Not reported |
| 8 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx Public | 214 | $42,300 |
| 9 | Adelphi University Garden City Private not-for-profit | 201 | Not reported |
| 10 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | 178 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 25 New York colleges offering Social Work
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| University at Albany | Albany | Public | 166 |
| Keuka College | Keuka Park | Private not-for-profit | 147 |
| Binghamton University | Vestal | Public | 140 |
| SUNY Brockport | Brockport | Public | 131 |
| Touro University | New York | Private not-for-profit | 121 |
| Long Island University | Brookville | Private not-for-profit | 109 |
| Nazareth University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 83 |
| State University of New York at Plattsburgh | Plattsburgh | Public | 72 |
| CUNY York College | Jamaica | Public | 65 |
| College of Staten Island CUNY | Staten Island | Public | 61 |
| Daemen University | Amherst | Private not-for-profit | 61 |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center (Online) | New York | Public | 54 |
| Roberts Wesleyan University | Rochester | Private not-for-profit | 47 |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College | Brooklyn | Public | 40 |
| SUNY Buffalo State University | Buffalo | Public | 38 |
| Marist University | Poughkeepsie | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Siena University | Loudonville | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs | Private not-for-profit | 20 |
| Mercy University | Dobbs Ferry | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| SUNY at Fredonia | Fredonia | Public | 14 |
| Niagara University | Niagara University | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
| St. Joseph's University - New York | Brooklyn | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| Iona University | New Rochelle | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| Molloy University | Rockville Centre | Private not-for-profit | 6 |
| Dominican University New York | Orangeburg | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Healthcare Social Workers (SOC 21-1022).
Top skills
What Healthcare Social Workers earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Social Work programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Social Work degrees?+
CUNY Hunter College (643 graduates a year), Columbia University (625 graduates a year) and Fordham University (564 graduates a year) award the most Social Work degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 35 New York colleges offer Social Work.
What is the best college for Social Work in New York?+
By graduate earnings, CUNY York College leads among bachelor's Social Work programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $44,742, College Scorecard. CUNY Lehman College and CUNY Hunter College follow. By degrees awarded, CUNY Hunter College is the largest, with 643 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Social Work program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, CUNY York College tops the list at $44,742. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Healthcare Social Workers earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in New York is $75,170 (median $73,070), across about 20,440 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.
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