2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 56,762 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, social work is the 8th most popular major in the United States.
At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 32,208 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 276 colleges that offered a degree in social work. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social work programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Featured schools near , edit
More Ways to Rank Social Work Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Pennsylvania is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It awarded 193 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
UPenn also took the #9 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UPenn are $41,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Out of the 276 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Chicago landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 199 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2019-2020.
UChicago also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UChicago are $61,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Washington University in St Louis is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Louis, Missouri. It awarded 247 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, WUSTL has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Washington University in St Louis are $56,562, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Work at Washington University in St Louis
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 379 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2019-2020.
U-M not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at U-M are $49,548.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Hunter College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Hunter is located in New York, New York and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 544 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Hunter is also in the top of our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at Hunter are $20,828, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #6, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Chapel Hill, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 142 students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UNC Chapel Hill also did well on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UNC Chapel Hill are $30,248.
Full University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Social Work Report
University of Wisconsin - Madison ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and it awarded 167 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
UW - Madison not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Los Angeles landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal State LA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 174 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - Los Angeles
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school handed out 150 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Social Work at University of Washington - Seattle Campus
Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 502 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Columbia also made our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Social Work at Columbia University in the City of New York
Lehman College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Bronx, New York, this fairly large public school awarded 81 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Lehman College are $21,000, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Berkeley ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 91 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 151 students in 2019-2020.
UIUC excels when it comes to social work quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #14, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 79 students in 2019-2020.
UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Los Angeles are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Fresno ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 49 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Fresno State are $17,581.
Read full report on Social Work at California State University - Fresno
With a ranking of #16, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UT Rio Grande Valley is a public institution located in Edinburg, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 86 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at UT Rio Grande Valley are $15,151, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #17, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a fairly large public school situated in Carson, California. It awarded 99 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Dominguez Hills are $17,884.
Full California State University - Dominguez Hills Social Work Report
With a ranking of #18, California State University - Stanislaus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school awarded 89 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Stan State are $18,540, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full California State University - Stanislaus Social Work Report
California State University - Long Beach ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 230 students in 2019-2020.
CSULB excels when it comes to social work quality. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Long Beach are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Fullerton landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 93 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of South Florida - Main Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 128 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at USF Tampa are $21,126, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #22, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Central Florida is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 194 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCF are $28,657.
Boston College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 217 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our master’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Boston College has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Boston College are $31,930, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #24. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 124 students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UMN Twin Cities is also in the top of our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities are $28,845, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Ohio State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Ohio State University - Main Campus is a public institution located in Columbus, Ohio. The school has a large population, and it awarded 365 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ohio State, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Ohio State are $37,141, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Social Work at Ohio State University - Main Campus
Rest of the Best 42 in Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k
Not only did these schools make the top 42 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Narrow Results by Region
Southeast
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Southeast Region
Rocky Mountains
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Rocky Mountains Region
Middle Atlantic
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Middle Atlantic Region
Southwest
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region
New England
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the New England Region
Plains States
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Plains States Region
Far Western US
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region
Great Lakes
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Great Lakes Region
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best Social Work Master's Degree Schools
Social Work students
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work
Social Work students
Most Popular Master's Degree Online Social Work Schools
Social Work students
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k)
Social Work students with family income less than $30k
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $48-$75k)
Social Work students with family income $48-$75k
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income Over $110k)
Social Work students with family income exceeding $110k
Highest Paid Master's Degree Social Work Graduates
Social Work students
Most Popular Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work
Social Work students
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (With Aid)
Social Work students getting aid
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $30-$48k)
Social Work students with family income $30-$48k
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $75-$110k)
Social Work students with family income $75-$110k
Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Army Medicine.
Featured Social Work Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.
