Best institutions to study Social Work
Compare 801 U.S. colleges offering Social Work by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 54 states.
Social Work programs report a median of $37,290 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 44.07 and the Healthcare Social Workers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Social Work programs
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 passionate about helping others and addressing social issues. Students engage in practical experiences to develop essential skills for effective practice in diverse settings. Designed for those interested in public administration and social services, the program offers specializations such as Youth Services/Administration and Forensic Social Work. Graduates are equipped to work in various environments, advocating for clients and collaborating with other professionals to ensure comprehensive care and support.
In the Social Work program, students develop core skills such as critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication. Coursework covers essential knowledge areas including psychology, sociology, therapy, and counseling, preparing students to understand and address the complex needs of clients.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · Graduate degree | $51,416 | 507 | 93% | — | — |
| 2 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND Public · Bachelor's degree | $49,695 | 118 | 60% | — | $26,000 |
| 3 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,750 | 91 | 50% | — | $17,259 |
| 4 | University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,151 | 23 | 38% | — | $28,750 |
| 5 | Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $47,734 | 51 | 69% | $27,376 | $25,721 |
| 6 | Metropolitan State University Saint Paul, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,637 | 65 | 44% | — | $29,615 |
| 7 | Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $47,192 | 34 | 48% | — | $27,000 |
| 8 | Viterbo University La Crosse, WI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $46,384 | 14 | 68% | $20,655 | $31,000 |
| 9 | Southwest Minnesota State University Marshall, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $46,368 | 38 | 45% | — | — |
| 10 | University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,973 | 14 | 33% | — | $49,652 |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin - River Falls River Falls, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,870 | 23 | 57% | — | $26,303 |
| 12 | University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage, AK Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,565 | 71 | 30% | — | $31,750 |
| 13 | Salem State University Salem, MA Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,450 | 146 | 50% | — | $27,000 |
| 14 | The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,371 | 91 | 71% | $21,150 | $37,059 |
| 15 | Bethel University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,259 | 29 | 71% | $25,225 | $25,000 |
| 16 | University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MA Public · Bachelor's degree | $45,227 | 25 | 49% | — | $27,947 |
| 17 | St Olaf College Northfield, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $45,146 | 10 | 84% | $18,124 | $27,000 |
| 18 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,906 | 192 | 93% | — | $13,719 |
| 19 | CUNY York College Jamaica, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,742 | 65 | 32% | — | $9,500 |
| 20 | Minot State University Minot, ND Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,731 | 37 | 45% | — | $27,000 |
| 21 | Winona State University Winona, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,546 | 142 | 57% | — | $27,000 |
| 22 | University of Nevada - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,427 | 121 | 51% | — | $21,686 |
| 23 | Capital University Columbus, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,344 | 15 | 60% | $22,920 | $43,038 |
| 24 | CUNY Medgar Evers College Brooklyn, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,311 | 40 | 20% | — | $15,096 |
| 25 | St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $44,257 | 77 | 61% | $21,042 | $30,912 |
| 26 | University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,135 | 105 | 48% | — | $25,237 |
| 27 | Governors State University University Park, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,133 | 41 | 22% | — | $33,983 |
| 28 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,015 | 293 | 32% | — | $29,578 |
| 29 | University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,948 | 47 | 46% | — | $26,750 |
| 30 | Saint Cloud State University Saint Cloud, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,726 | 71 | 40% | — | $27,996 |
| 31 | Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,471 | 67 | 57% | — | $27,000 |
| 32 | Augsburg University Minneapolis, MN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $43,303 | 30 | 52% | $23,585 | $25,737 |
| 33 | University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $43,198 | 87 | 65% | — | $23,111 |
| 34 | Briar Cliff University Sioux City, IA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,935 | 21 | 48% | $21,731 | $37,564 |
| 35 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,925 | 317 | 69% | — | $11,276 |
| 36 | Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,915 | 73 | 54% | — | $24,250 |
| 37 | Weber State University Ogden, UT Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,754 | 112 | 46% | — | $18,497 |
| 38 | University of Wisconsin - Superior Superior, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,487 | 18 | 42% | — | $29,166 |
| 39 | Fort Hays State University Hays, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,413 | 151 | 48% | — | $27,000 |
| 40 | Texas Southern University Houston, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,333 | 31 | 22% | — | $38,162 |
| 41 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,300 | 214 | 51% | — | $12,690 |
| 42 | Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,254 | 43 | 41% | — | $25,000 |
| 43 | Western New Mexico University Silver City, NM Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,250 | 263 | 32% | — | $35,448 |
| 44 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,227 | 643 | 57% | — | $9,608 |
| 45 | La Sierra University Riverside, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $42,213 | 8 | 60% | $26,504 | $35,500 |
| 46 | Harding University Searcy, AR Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,835 | 25 | 69% | $19,423 | $29,000 |
| 47 | Kansas State University Manhattan, KS Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,833 | 28 | 71% | — | $24,603 |
| 48 | Indiana University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,657 | 565 | 54% | — | $18,410 |
| 49 | Mars Hill University Mars Hill, NC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $41,643 | 9 | 45% | $20,402 | $29,133 |
| 50 | Florida International University Miami, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,626 | 55 | 74% | — | $18,800 |
Offered across 54 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 21-1022, Healthcare Social Workers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Social Work program can pursue careers in various settings, with a median wage of $68,090. The job outlook is promising, with a growth rate of 7.7% and approximately 18,400 annual openings. A typical education requirement for these roles is a master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Social Work
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 44.07.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 44.07 (Social Work) maps to 9 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9151 | Social and Community Service Managers |
| 21-1013 | Marriage and Family Therapists |
| 21-1019 | Counselors, All Other |
| 21-1021 | Child, Family, and School Social Workers |
| 21-1022 | Healthcare Social Workersprimary |
| 21-1023 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers |
| 21-1029 | Social Workers, All Other |
| 21-1092 | Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists |
| 25-1113 | Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Social Work programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
- Educate clients about end-of-life symptoms and options to assist them in making informed decisions.
- Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
- Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
- Utilize consultation data and social work experience to plan and coordinate client or patient care and rehabilitation, following through to ensure service efficacy.
- Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan.
Concentrations within Social Work
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Social WorkCIP 44.0701
A program that prepares individuals for the professional practice of social welfare administration and counseling, and that focus on the study of organized means of providing basic support services fo
- Youth Services/AdministrationCIP 44.0702
A program that prepares individuals to plan, manage, and implement social services for children, youth, and families
- Forensic Social WorkCIP 44.0703
A program that prepares individuals to serve as social workers in correctional facilities, mental health hospitals, the justice system, substance abuse treatment programs, and victim assistance
- Social Work, OtherCIP 44.0799
Any program providing instruction in social work and related services not listed above.
Common questions
What is the focus of the Social Work program?+
The program focuses on advocacy, education, and connecting clients with resources to improve their well-being.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
Students will enhance skills such as critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication.
What are the career prospects after graduation?+
The job outlook is strong, with a growth rate of 7.7% and around 18,400 annual openings.
What level of education is typically required?+
A master's degree is typically required for careers in social work.
How much do Social Work graduates earn?+
Social Work graduates report median earnings of $37,290 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Healthcare Social Workers occupation pays about $71,790 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Social Work?+
Social Work maps to CIP 44.07 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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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