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2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major

320 Ranked Colleges
33,304 Degrees Awarded
$30,100 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Social Work Major

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Social Work is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 9th of all the majors we analyze. In 2021-2022, 58,037 degrees were awarded to students with this major.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 33,304 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,979 and $43,370 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major” ranking looked at 320 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social work. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their social work program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Social Work Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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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 “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree social work students.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Work

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Our Lady of the Lake University. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major. Located in San Antonio, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 240 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Our Lady of the Lake University Social Work Report

2
The Erikson Institute crest
Erikson Institute
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Erikson Institute. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 21 students in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Erikson Institute

3
Simmons crest
Simmons University
Boston, Massachusetts

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Simmons University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 504 students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read more about Social Work at Simmons University

4
Aurora crest
Aurora University
Aurora, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Aurora University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Aurora University is located in Aurora, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 519 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Aurora University Social Work Report

5
Brescia University crest
Brescia University
Owensboro, Kentucky

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Brescia University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Brescia University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Owensboro, Kentucky. It awarded 35 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brescia University Social Work Report

6
Western New Mexico University crest
Western New Mexico University
Silver City, New Mexico

Western New Mexico University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking, coming in at #6. This small school is located in Silver City, New Mexico, and it awarded 171 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at Western New Mexico University

7
Fordham U crest
Fordham University
Bronx, New York

Fordham University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. Fordham U is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Bronx, New York. It awarded 884 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Social Work at Fordham U

8

With a ranking of #8, Southern University at New Orleans did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Southern University at New Orleans is a small school located in New Orleans, Louisiana that handed out 62 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

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 Southern University at New Orleans Social Work Report

9
Walla Walla U crest
Walla Walla University
College Place, Washington

Walla Walla University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. Walla Walla U is a small school located in College Place, Washington that handed out 77 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at Walla Walla University

10

University of Maryland - Baltimore landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. UMB is a public institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 390 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UMB Social Work Report

11
Widener crest
Widener University
Chester, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #11, Widener University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Widener is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chester, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 288 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Widener Social Work Report

12
JCSU crest
Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, North Carolina

Johnson C Smith University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. Johnson C Smith University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 25 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Social Work at Johnson C Smith University

13
Bryn Mawr crest
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Bryn Mawr College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. Located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 79 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Bryn Mawr College

14
15
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts

Smith College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Smith College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Northampton, Massachusetts. It awarded 98 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Smith Social Work Report

16
Spring Arbor crest
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, Michigan

Spring Arbor University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. This small school is located in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and it awarded 114 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.

Read full report on Social Work at Spring Arbor

17
Concord University crest
Concord University
Athens, West Virginia

Concord University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. This small school is located in Athens, West Virginia, and it awarded 77 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Read more about Social Work at Concord University

18
Springfield College crest
Springfield College
Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. Springfield College is a small school located in Springfield, Massachusetts that handed out 108 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Springfield College Social Work Report

19
Yeshiva crest
Yeshiva University
New York, New York

With a ranking of #19, Yeshiva University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Yeshiva University is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 313 masters’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at Yeshiva

20

With a ranking of #20, University of New England did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Biddeford, Maine, and it awarded 160 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at University of New England

21
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

Hunter College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking, coming in at #21. This large school is located in New York, New York, and it awarded 601 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Hunter College Social Work Report

22

Alabama A & M University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. Normal, Alabama is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 64 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Alabama A & M University

23
DU crest
University of Denver
Denver, Colorado

University of Denver came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. DU is a fairly large school located in Denver, Colorado that handed out 574 masters’s social work degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at University of Denver

24
Marywood crest
Marywood University
Scranton, Pennsylvania

Marywood University ranked #24 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major list. Located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 82 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full Marywood University Social Work Report

25
Clarke crest
Clarke University
Dubuque, Iowa

Clarke University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major ranking. Dubuque, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 24 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Clarke University Social Work Report

Rest of the Best 49 in Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major

Not only did these schools make the top 49 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Augsburg crest
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, MN
28
29
30
Dominican U crest
Dominican University
River Forest, IL
31
Adelphi crest
Adelphi University
Garden City, NY
32
33
Union crest
Union University
Jackson, TN
34
35
Nazareth crest
Nazareth College
Rochester, NY
36
Louisiana College crest
Louisiana College
Pineville, LA
37
Walden University crest
Walden University
Minneapolis, MN
38
39
40
41
Monmouth crest
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, NJ
42
43
44
Campbellsville University crest
Campbellsville University
Campbellsville, KY
45
46
47
48
49
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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