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2024 Best Social Work Schools

438 Colleges in the United States
58,326 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$37,651 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #13 in popularity, social work is one of the most sought-after degree programs in the nation. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 438 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for social work students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 58,326 degrees in social work during the 2020-2021 academic year.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Social Work School

Best Social Work Schools The social work program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for Social Work rankings. We derive our Best Overall Social Work School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your Social Work Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Social Work
Bachelor's Degrees in Social Work
Master's Degrees in Social Work
Doctor's Degrees in Social Work

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Social Work Schools list to help you make the college decision. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.


 

Best Schools for Social Work in the United States

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the social work degrees they offer, see the list below. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Social Work

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,081 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$50,797 Median Starting Salary

University of Southern California is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in social work. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were roughly 1081 social work students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the social work major at University of Southern California earn $13,146 above the typical college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Southern California

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
197 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$53,585 Median Starting Salary

Every student who is interested in social work needs to look into University of California - Berkeley. Located in the midsize city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were approximately 197 social work students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the social work degree program at University of California - Berkeley make $15,934 more than the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in social work from University of California - Berkeley

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
175 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$44,819 Median Starting Salary

University of Chicago is a wonderful option for students interested in a degree in social work. UChicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Chicago. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were approximately 175 social work students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent data year. Social Work degree recipients from University of Chicago receive an earnings boost of around $7,168 above the average earnings of social work majors.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Chicago

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
501 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$51,895 Median Starting Salary

It's difficult to beat Columbia University in the City of New York if you want to pursue a degree in social work. Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 501 social work students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent data year. Those social work students who get their degree from Columbia University in the City of New York make $14,244 more than the average social work student.

More information about a degree in social work from Columbia University in the City of New York

5
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
555 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$67,566 Median Starting Salary

NYU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #27 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.

There were about 555 social work students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the social work major at New York University earn $29,915 more than the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in social work from New York University

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
417 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$50,296 Median Starting Salary

UMB is a moderately-sized public university located in the large city of Baltimore.

There were about 417 social work students who graduated with this degree at UMB in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the social work degree program at University of Maryland - Baltimore make $12,645 more than the average college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Maryland - Baltimore

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
267 Social Work Degrees Awarded
4.1% Growth in Graduates

WUSTL is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Saint Louis. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were roughly 267 social work students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent year we have data available. Those social work students who get their degree from Washington University in St Louis earn $4,676 more than the average social work grad.

More information about a degree in social work from Washington University in St Louis

8
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
180 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$61,285 Median Starting Salary

UPenn is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Philadelphia. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were roughly 180 social work students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent data year. Those social work students who get their degree from University of Pennsylvania earn $23,634 more than the average social work student.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Pennsylvania

9
Yeshiva crest
Yeshiva University
New York, NY
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
282 Social Work Degrees Awarded
24.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of New York, Yeshiva is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. This university ranks 17th out of 142 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were about 282 social work students who graduated with this degree at Yeshiva in the most recent year we have data available. Social Work degree recipients from Yeshiva University receive an earnings boost of approximately $11,673 above the typical income of social work graduates.

More information about a degree in social work from Yeshiva University

10
Boston U crest
Boston University
Boston, MA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
324 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$40,678 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Boston, Boston U is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 6th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were about 324 social work students who graduated with this degree at Boston U in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the social work degree program at Boston University earn $3,027 above the standard college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in social work from Boston University

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
92 Social Work Degrees Awarded
9.8% Growth in Graduates

UCLA is a very large public university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.

There were roughly 92 social work students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the social work program at University of California - Los Angeles make $21,046 more than the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in social work from University of California - Los Angeles

12
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
403 Social Work Degrees Awarded
0.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #29 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.

There were approximately 403 social work students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year. Social Work degree recipients from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor get an earnings boost of about $7,655 above the typical earnings of social work majors.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
170 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$43,527 Median Starting Salary

UW Seattle is a very large public university located in the large city of Seattle. This university ranks 1st out of 51 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were about 170 social work students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Social Work degree recipients from University of Washington - Seattle Campus get an earnings boost of approximately $5,876 above the typical income of social work graduates.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
543 Social Work Degrees Awarded
13.6% Growth in Graduates

DU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Denver. This university ranks 3rd out of 33 schools for overall quality in the state of Colorado.

There were about 543 social work students who graduated with this degree at DU in the most recent data year. Those social work students who get their degree from University of Denver receive $7,502 more than the typical social work graduate.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Denver

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
784 Social Work Degrees Awarded
3.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of New Brunswick, Rutgers New Brunswick is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 44 schools for overall quality in the state of New Jersey.

There were approximately 784 social work students who graduated with this degree at Rutgers New Brunswick in the most recent data year. Social Work degree recipients from Rutgers University - New Brunswick receive an earnings boost of around $12,080 above the typical earnings of social work majors.

More information about a degree in social work from Rutgers University - New Brunswick

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
237 Social Work Degrees Awarded
4.6% Growth in Graduates

UT Austin is a fairly large public university located in the city of Austin. A Best Colleges rank of #36 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UT Austin is a great university overall.

There were approximately 237 social work students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year. Those social work students who get their degree from The University of Texas at Austin earn $2,458 more than the typical social work grad.

More information about a degree in social work from The University of Texas at Austin

17
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
208 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$36,000 Median Starting Salary

UW - Madison is a very large public university located in the city of Madison. A Best Colleges rank of #30 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UW - Madison is a great university overall.

There were roughly 208 social work students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the social work program state that they receive average early career income of $36,000.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Wisconsin - Madison

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
450 Social Work Degrees Awarded
6.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the midsize city of Tempe, ASU - Tempe is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 26 schools for overall quality in the state of Arizona.

There were roughly 450 social work students who graduated with this degree at ASU - Tempe in the most recent data year. Those social work students who get their degree from Arizona State University - Tempe make $3,350 more than the average social work student.

More information about a degree in social work from Arizona State University - Tempe

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
526 Social Work Degrees Awarded
0.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Columbus, Ohio State is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 96 schools for overall quality in the state of Ohio.

There were roughly 526 social work students who graduated with this degree at Ohio State in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the social work program earn about $37,750 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in social work from Ohio State University - Main Campus

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
226 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$40,501 Median Starting Salary

UIUC is a very large public university located in the city of Champaign. A Best Colleges rank of #34 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UIUC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 226 social work students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the social work program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign get $2,850 more than the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
574 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$48,519 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Boston, Simmons is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 13th out of 63 colleges for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were roughly 574 social work students who graduated with this degree at Simmons in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the social work program at Simmons University get $10,868 more than the average college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in social work from Simmons University

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
1,058 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$50,196 Median Starting Salary

Fordham U is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Bronx. This university ranks 10th out of 142 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 1058 social work students who graduated with this degree at Fordham U in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the social work major at Fordham University make $12,545 more than the standard college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in social work from Fordham University

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
317 Social Work Degrees Awarded
2.2% Growth in Graduates

Loyola Chicago is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Chicago. This university ranks 4th out of 85 colleges for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were about 317 social work students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Chicago in the most recent data year. Those social work students who get their degree from Loyola University Chicago make $5,192 more than the typical social work grad.

More information about a degree in social work from Loyola University Chicago

24
U of U crest
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
326 Social Work Degrees Awarded
8.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of Salt Lake City, U of U is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 13 colleges for overall quality in the state of Utah.

There were approximately 326 social work students who graduated with this degree at U of U in the most recent year we have data available. Those social work students who get their degree from University of Utah make $4,230 more than the average social work student.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Utah

25
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
201 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$43,293 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 22nd out of 168 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 201 social work students who graduated with this degree at SDSU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the social work degree program at San Diego State University earn $5,642 more than the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in social work from San Diego State University

Rest of the Top Best Social Work Schools

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31
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, NY
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40
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
41
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

42
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA

43
44
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, IL
45
46
Widener crest
Widener University
Chester, PA
47
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL
48
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Additional Award Winners

This section shows the remainder of the colleges awarded a Best Social Work Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 438 different United States social work schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
51 University of Georgia Athens, GA
52 University of Maryland - Baltimore County Baltimore, MD
53 University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Norman, OK
54 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
55 University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, IL
56 The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN
57 Capella University Minneapolis, MN
58 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA
59 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
60 Rutgers University - Newark Newark, NJ
61 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
62 University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire Eau Claire, WI
62 Walden University Minneapolis, MN
63 St Catherine University Saint Paul, MN
64 Florida International University Miami, FL
65 University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MA

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great schools for Social Work students that almost earned our Best Social Work Schools award.

Rank College Location
66 University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND
67 Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA
68 Baylor University Waco, TX
69 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI
70 Minnesota State University - Mankato Mankato, MN
71 Bethel University Minnesota Saint Paul, MN
72 Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ
73 California State University - East Bay Hayward, CA
74 Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global Marion, IN
75 University of New Hampshire - Main Campus Durham, NH
76 Smith College Northampton, MA
77 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA
78 Seattle University Seattle, WA
79 The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL
80 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
81 California Baptist University Riverside, CA
82 Anna Maria College Paxton, MA
83 University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO
84 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ
85 University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Whitewater, WI
86 Rhode Island College Providence, RI
87 George Mason University Fairfax, VA

Social Work by Region

View the Best Social Work Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

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Social Work Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Social Work 57,401
Child Advocacy & Policy 485
Other Social Work 440

View All Social Work Concentrations >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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