Social Work major

Social Work: courses, careers, and where to study

Social Work prepares graduates for licensed direct practice with individuals, families, and communities, combining behavioral sciences with field placements and an explicit ethical framework.

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Social Work earn a median $51,790 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $39,212 to $64,160 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). By credential and college

A Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) is a CSWE-accredited professional degree that prepares graduates for entry-level licensed social-work practice (LSW or LBSW depending on state). Programs combine social-work theory, human behavior, social policy, research, and practice methods with at least 400 hours of supervised field placement. A BSW is the standard prerequisite for an Advanced Standing MSW program (about 1 year vs the standard 2-year MSW), which then qualifies graduates for clinical practice (LCSW after supervised hours).

Social Work is one of the most direct-entry social-service majors and is consistently in high demand across child welfare, healthcare, mental health, schools, and community organizations.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Social Work maps to CIP 44.0701, Social Work, within the PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS family. The official definition:

A program that prepares individuals for the professional practice of social welfare administration and counseling, and that focus on the study of organized means of providing basic support services for vulnerable individuals and groups. Includes instruction in social welfare policy; case work planning; social counseling and intervention strategies; administrative procedures and regulations; and specific applications in areas such as child welfare and family services, probation, employment services, and disability counseling.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What credential Social Work is awarded as

Of the 57,689 Social Work credentials U.S. colleges reported conferring in 2024-25:

  • Certificate: 1%, 636 credentials.
  • Associate: 3%, 1,976 credentials.
  • Bachelor's: 31%, 17,641 credentials.
  • Graduate: 65%, 37,436 credentials.

This mix is fairly consistent nationally: across the 50 states reporting it, the certificate share moves by about 4 percentage points between the 10th and 90th percentile state, so the credential is more a property of the field than of where you study it. See the full study.

Credentials conferred in 2024-25, U.S. Department of Education IPEDS completions. A certificate is a different credential from a degree, not a lesser one, and this counts what was awarded rather than what a college currently offers.

What you'll study

  • Generalist social-work practice with individuals, families, groups, communities
  • Human behavior and the social environment
  • Social welfare policy and history
  • Social-work research methods
  • Diversity, equity, and ethics
  • Field placements (400+ supervised hours)
  • Crisis intervention and case management
  • Trauma-informed practice

Typical careers

Typical salary range: $48,000–$65,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 child, family, and school social workers median $58,570)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

How much do Social Work graduates earn?

Nationally, bachelor's graduates in Social Work earn a median $51,790 four years after graduating; the middle half of programs ranges from $39,212 to $64,160 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).

National median earnings four years after graduating for Social Work, by credential
CredentialNational medianMiddle half of programs
Bachelor's$51,790$39,212 to $64,160
Associate's$39,409$25,788 to $51,126
Undergraduate certificate$43,190$25,536 to $55,809
Master's$65,123$51,662 to $79,737
Professional degree$64,950$51,859 to $84,269
Doctoral$98,285$75,685 to $127,916
Post-baccalaureate certificate$59,439$49,036 to $71,487

Compare Social Work programs in your state

Highest-earning bachelor's Social Work programs

Ordered by median earnings: one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality. Federal program group: Social Work. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars, for graduates who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled. Programs need at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort to be listed; multi-state systems whose figures pool campuses are not listed. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 10 June 2026. How much the college matters, by major. Graduate programs over the new federal loan caps.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Social Work, with what each one pays and how many openings it is projected to average each year. Ordered by projected annual openings, largest first. Linked titles open the full CampusPin career page.

Occupations associated with Social Work by the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, with median annual wage, projected annual openings, projected employment change, and the education most entrants typically hold.
OccupationMedian payOpenings / yrProjected changeMost entrants hold
Child, Family, and School Social Workers$58,57035,100+3.4%Bachelor's degree
Social and Community Service Managers$78,24018,600+6.4%Bachelor's degree
Healthcare Social Workers$68,09018,400+7.7%Master's degree
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$60,06013,500+9.7%Master's degree
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$64,5207,900+2.6%Bachelor's degree
Marriage and Family Therapists$63,7807,700+12.6%Master's degree
Counselors, All Other$49,8307,400+12.6%Master's degree
Social Workers, All Other$69,4807,000+3.9%Bachelor's degree
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary$76,2101,300+2.3%Doctoral or professional degree

Crosswalk: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. Pay, openings and projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024 wages, Employment Projections). 9 of these 9 occupations report a median wage.

“Most entrants hold” is what BLS observes about people already working in the occupation. It is not a legal requirement, not an admission rule, and not a guarantee of entry. Studying Social Work does not guarantee any specific occupation, and many of these roles are entered from several different fields. Projected openings are a projection, not jobs promised.

Before you commit to a Social Work major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Social Work program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Social Work department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Some public-service fields require programmatic accreditation for licensure (for example, social-work programs accredited by CSWE). Verify the accreditation and licensure rules that apply to Social Work in your state.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Social Work careers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Social Work program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

Colleges that awarded the most Social Work credentials

Largest by credentials conferred in 2024-25. This measures the size of the graduating class, not quality, and it is not a ranking.

Based on credentials this institution reported conferring in the federal IPEDS completions collection for 2024-25. It confirms the field was awarded that year, not that the program currently accepts students, and it covers only the fields CampusPin tracks. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Search Social Work schools

Where Social Work credentials were awarded

40 states have a distinct enough set of Social Work colleges to be worth its own page.

Social Work by state

Every Social Work program with its own CampusPin page

290 programs in 46 states, A to Z by state and then by college. Each page gives what the program's graduates earned four years after finishing, what they borrowed in federal loans, the monthly payment, and how the program compares with others in its state and the nation. The figure beside each college is the median for its largest credential with at least 30 graduates (U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23). The list is alphabetical; it is not a ranking.

Social Work programs in Alabama, 7 programs
Social Work programs in Arizona, 3 programs
Social Work programs in Arkansas, 2 programs
Social Work programs in California, 22 programs
Social Work programs in Colorado, 4 programs
Social Work programs in Connecticut, 6 programs
Social Work programs in Delaware, 1 program
Social Work programs in District of Columbia, 1 program
Social Work programs in Florida, 11 programs
Social Work programs in Georgia, 4 programs
Social Work programs in Hawaii, 1 program
Social Work programs in Idaho, 4 programs
Social Work programs in Illinois, 11 programs
Social Work programs in Indiana, 8 programs
Social Work programs in Iowa, 3 programs
Social Work programs in Kansas, 5 programs
Social Work programs in Kentucky, 9 programs
Social Work programs in Louisiana, 6 programs
Social Work programs in Maine, 3 programs
Social Work programs in Maryland, 6 programs
Social Work programs in Massachusetts, 9 programs
Social Work programs in Michigan, 13 programs
Social Work programs in Minnesota, 11 programs
Social Work programs in Mississippi, 3 programs
Social Work programs in Missouri, 6 programs
Social Work programs in Nebraska, 1 program
Social Work programs in Nevada, 2 programs
Social Work programs in New Hampshire, 1 program
Social Work programs in New Jersey, 8 programs
Social Work programs in New Mexico, 2 programs
Social Work programs in New York, 23 programs
Social Work programs in North Carolina, 13 programs
Social Work programs in North Dakota, 2 programs
Social Work programs in Ohio, 12 programs
Social Work programs in Oklahoma, 2 programs
Social Work programs in Oregon, 2 programs
Social Work programs in Pennsylvania, 11 programs
Social Work programs in Rhode Island, 1 program
Social Work programs in South Carolina, 2 programs
Social Work programs in Tennessee, 8 programs
Social Work programs in Texas, 17 programs
Social Work programs in Utah, 4 programs
Social Work programs in Virginia, 7 programs
Social Work programs in Washington, 4 programs
Social Work programs in West Virginia, 3 programs
Social Work programs in Wisconsin, 6 programs

Related majors

Put this major in context

The salary above is an occupation-wide median from federal data, not a starting wage or a guarantee. These CampusPin guides and reports help you read it well, see where a Social Work degree can lead, and weigh it against cost and program quality.

Explore Community & Social Service careers

Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.

Explore Management careers

Median pay, job outlook, and the occupations this field covers.

How one major leads to many careers

Why a single Social Work degree can open more than one path, and how to read the occupations above.

Why a median wage is not a starting salary

How to read a BLS median, and why early-career pay usually sits below it.

When accreditation and licensure matter

How program accreditation and state licensure can shape a Social Work path before you enroll.

Does a pricier college pay off?

How college cost lines up with graduation and earnings, an association, not a ranking.

Does picking a major narrow your college list?

Across the federal completions data, most fields barely change which colleges are on the table. Which ones genuinely do.

Certificate or degree?

What credential a field is usually awarded as is mostly set by the field itself, not by the state, with a short list of exceptions.

How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.