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Best Colleges with Social Work Degrees in the U.S.

Social work is a profession that prepares individuals to assess, counsel, and aid individuals, families, and communities with different personal obstacles. Some of the matters that social workers can help with are finances, employment, housing, and child care. Academic courses for the degree include instruction in social welfare policy, case work planning, social counseling and intervention strategies, administrative procedures and regulations, oppression, child welfare and family services, employment services, and disability counseling. There's in-class coursework and supervised field experience within the social work degree program. Aside from the degree, social workers also need to fulfill licensing, certification, and/or registration requirements as determined by each state. A career as a social worker will earn jobs in all sectors of health and welfare services including public agencies, private businesses, hospitals, clinics, schools, nursing homes, private practices, police departments, and courts. The Council on Social Work Education is the main accrediting body for baccalaureate and master's social work programs.Social workers counsel individuals to help them overcome struggles and better adjust to life. They also refer the individual or family to community resources that provide services ranging from legal aid to job placement. There are many specialties in the social work profession including disaster relief, adoption and foster care, and domestic violence. Some job titles to consider are caseworker, mental health assistant, group home worker, and residential counselor.
The Best Social Work Colleges of 2019
Rank | School Name | Location | Description | Rating | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA |
University of Southern California offers 2 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large city. In 2015, 1,439 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 1,434 Master's degrees, and 5 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 52 Reviews |
Read more: University of Southern California Reviews
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2 | Fordham University | Bronx, NY |
Fordham University offers 4 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large city. In 2015, 639 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 618 Master's degrees, 16 Bachelor's degrees, and 5 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 24 Reviews |
Read more: Fordham University Reviews
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3 | New York University | New York, NY |
New York University offers 5 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large city. In 2015, 563 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 520 Master's degrees, 35 Bachelor's degrees, 8 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 60 Reviews |
Read more: New York University Reviews
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4 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | New Brunswick, NJ |
Rutgers University-New Brunswick offers 3 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large public university in a small city. In 2015, 646 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 568 Master's degrees, 74 Bachelor's degrees, and 4 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 96 Reviews |
Read more: Rutgers University-New Brunswick Reviews
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5 | The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX |
The University of Texas at Arlington offers 4 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large public university in a large city. In 2015, 554 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 344 Master's degrees, 182 Bachelor's degrees, 22 Certificates degrees, and 6 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 40 Reviews |
Read more: The University of Texas at Arlington Reviews
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6 | CUNY Hunter College | New York, NY |
CUNY Hunter College offers 2 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large public university in a large city. In 2015, 485 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 485 Master's degrees. | Based on 12 Reviews |
Read more: CUNY Hunter College Reviews
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7 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | Columbus, OH |
Ohio State University-Main Campus offers 3 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large public university in a large city. In 2015, 400 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 246 Master's degrees, 151 Bachelor's degrees, and 3 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 164 Reviews |
Read more: Ohio State University-Main Campus Reviews
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8 | University of New England | Biddeford, ME |
University of New England offers 1 Social Work Degree program. It's a medium sized private university in a mid sized suburb. In 2015, 303 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 303 Master's degrees. | Based on 4 Reviews |
Read more: University of New England Reviews
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9 | Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, IL |
Loyola University Chicago offers 7 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large city. In 2015, 397 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 363 Master's degrees, 22 Bachelor's degrees, 7 Certificates degrees, and 5 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 16 Reviews |
Read more: Loyola University Chicago Reviews
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10 | Washington University in St Louis | Saint Louis, MO |
Washington University in St Louis offers 2 Social Work Degree programs. It's a large private university in a large suburb. In 2015, 233 students graduated in the study area of Social Work with students earning 226 Master's degrees, and 7 Doctoral degrees. | Based on 36 Reviews |
Read more: Washington University in St Louis Reviews
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List of Social Work Schools in the U.S.
School Logo | School Name | Average tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students |
---|---|---|---|---|
|
University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA |
5/5
|
16 : 1 | 43,401 |
|
Fordham University Bronx, NY |
5/5
|
16 : 1 | 15,286 |
|
New York University New York, NY |
5/5
|
8 : 1 | 50,027 |
|
Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ |
3/5
|
13 : 1 | 49,428 |
|
The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX |
3/5
|
39 : 1 | 41,988 |
|
CUNY Hunter College New York, NY |
2/5
|
19 : 1 | 22,918 |
|
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH |
3/5
|
15 : 1 | 58,663 |
|
University of New England Biddeford, ME |
5/5
|
22 : 1 | 7,794 |
|
Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL |
5/5
|
15 : 1 | 16,437 |
|
Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO |
5/5
|
9 : 1 | 14,688 |
|
University of Chicago Chicago, IL |
5/5
|
7 : 1 | 15,391 |
|
University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA |
3/5
|
21 : 1 | 38,189 |
|
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA |
5/5
|
12 : 1 | 24,876 |
|
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI |
3/5
|
7 : 1 | 43,651 |
|
Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA |
5/5
|
15 : 1 | 14,354 |
|
Adelphi University Garden City, NY |
5/5
|
14 : 1 | 7,256 |
|
Florida State University Tallahassee, FL |
2/5
|
25 : 1 | 40,830 |
|
Aurora University Aurora, IL |
4/5
|
21 : 1 | 5,423 |
|
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA |
4/5
|
7 : 1 | 28,649 |
|
University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, SC |
3/5
|
20 : 1 | 33,724 |
|
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN |
3/5
|
18 : 1 | 27,845 |
|
The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX |
3/5
|
18 : 1 | 50,950 |
|
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN |
3/5
|
12 : 1 | 30,105 |
|
University of Denver Denver, CO |
5/5
|
14 : 1 | 11,797 |
|
Wayne State University Detroit, MI |
3/5
|
14 : 1 | 27,140 |
Find Local Colleges Offering Social Work Degrees
Getting a Social Work Degree Online
Schools offering online Social Work degrees
Online Social Work degrees are available at a variety of different schools with as many as 618 degrees earned at the most popular school. Read more below about all schools that have offered online Social Work degrees. If you are interested learning more about getting a degree online, check out our page dedicated to online degree information.
School Name | Certificate | Associate's | Bachelor's | Master's | Doctoral |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fordham University | 0 | 0 | 0 | 618 | 0 |
Rutgers University-New Brunswick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 568 | 0 |
The University of Texas at Arlington | 0 | 0 | 0 | 344 | 0 |
Wayne State University | 5 | 0 | 109 | 327 | 0 |
University of New England | 0 | 0 | 0 | 303 | 0 |
- 12 Certificates
- 24 Associate's
- 26 Bachelor's
- 34 Master's
What degrees do people get in Social Work?
Degree Level | Program Length | Colleges | Graduates |
---|---|---|---|
Associate's | 2-year Length | 159 Colleges | 1,848 Graduates |
Bachelor's | 4-year Length | 579 Colleges | 21,164 Graduates |
Certificates | < 1 year Length | 88 Colleges | 647 Graduates |
Doctoral | 1-2 year Length | 75 Colleges | 407 Graduates |
Master's | 1+ years Length | 290 Colleges | 26,329 Graduates |
Social Work Degree Overview
On the start of the search for Social Work degrees, know that there are many possibilities for a traditional degree as well as higher education choices. Earning a degree in Social Work may take more time than just your traditional degree as it is common to get advanced degrees as companion to the traditional. The most typical Social Work degree earned was a master's degree, however, schools more commonly offer a bachelor's degree. The second most popular Social Work degree that people receive is a bachelor's degree. While a master's degree is slightly more popular, both are very typical options. Although a doctoral degree is offered at some schools, getting an advanced degree is not very common. With your goals in mind, look for the Social Work degree that can match your flexibility and needs in addition to finding a school with the right opportunities for you to earn that degree.
Average cost of college for a Social Work degree
Average Tuition and Fees for a 2 year Degree
Average Tuition and Fees | School Control | Student Residence |
---|---|---|
$4,415 | Public | In-State |
$9,088 | Private | In-State |
$7,899 | Public | Out-of-State |
$9,088 | Private | Out-of-State |
Average Tuition and Fees for a 4 year Degree
Average Tuition and Fees | School Control | Student Residence |
---|---|---|
$8,159 | Public | In-State |
$26,069 | Private | In-State |
$19,104 | Public | Out-of-State |
$26,081 | Private | Out-of-State |