College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s

51 Ranked Colleges
5,032 Degrees Awarded
$42,659 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master's

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s” ranking.

Social Work is the 13th most popular major in the country with 58,326 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, social work graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $37,651 and had an average of $26,679 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Great Lakes region, there were 10,408 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,459 and $27,818 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 5,032 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,892 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s” ranking, we looked at 51 colleges that offer a degree in social work. To top this list, a school must have a successful social work program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Social Work Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Social Work Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s”.

1
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

Out of the 51 schools in the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Aurora University landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Aurora, Illinois, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 478 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Aurora

2

Out of the 51 schools in the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis landed the #2 spot on the list. IUPUI is a public institution located in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 407 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full IUPUI Social Work Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 384 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full U-M Social Work Report

4

Out of the 51 schools in the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Ohio State University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. Ohio State University - Main Campus is located in Columbus, Ohio and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 356 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Ohio State University - Main Campus

5
Wayne State crest
Wayne State University
Detroit, Michigan

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wayne State University. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s. This large school is located in Detroit, Michigan, and it awarded 326 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Social Work at Wayne State

6
Loyola Chicago crest
Loyola University Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 253 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola University Chicago Social Work Report

7

University of Illinois at Chicago ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. UIC is a large school located in Chicago, Illinois that handed out 248 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at University of Illinois at Chicago

8

Case Western Reserve University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Cleveland, Ohio is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 197 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Social Work at Case Western

9

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this large public school handed out 174 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

10
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 166 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UChicago Social Work Report

11

Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global is a private not-for-profit institution located in Marion, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 156 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full IWU Social Work Report

12

With a ranking of #12, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 155 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Social Work Report

13

University of Wisconsin - Madison did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #13. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 133 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UW - Madison Social Work Report

14
Spring Arbor crest
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, Michigan

Spring Arbor University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #14. This small school is located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 126 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Spring Arbor University Social Work Report

15

Grand Valley State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Grand Valley State University is a public institution located in Allendale, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 115 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at GVSU

16

Cleveland State University landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Cleveland State University is located in Cleveland, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 100 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Social Work at Cleveland State University

17
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, Illinois

Dominican University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Dominican University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 74 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Dominican U Social Work Report

18

University of Akron Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Akron, Ohio, this fairly large public school awarded 70 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Social Work Report

19
Eastern Michigan crest
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Eastern Michigan is located in Ypsilanti, Michigan and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Social Work at Eastern Michigan University

19

With a ranking of #19, University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school awarded 63 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Cincinnati - Main Campus

19

Youngstown State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #19. Youngstown State University is located in Youngstown, Ohio and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 63 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Full Youngstown State University Social Work Report

22

With a ranking of #22, Northeastern Illinois University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. This medium-sized school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 61 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Northeastern Illinois University Social Work Report

23

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s list. UW - Green Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It awarded 59 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Full UW - Green Bay Social Work Report

24
Saginaw Valley State University crest
Saginaw Valley State University
University Center, Michigan

Saginaw Valley State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking, coming in at #24. This medium-sized school is located in University Center, Michigan, and it awarded 54 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Saginaw Valley State University Social Work Report

25
Madonna crest
Madonna University
Livonia, Michigan

Madonna University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Social Work Major in the Great Lakes Region for a Master’s ranking. Madonna is a private not-for-profit institution located in Livonia, Michigan. The school has a small population, and it awarded 52 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Madonna University Social Work Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options