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CIP 44.0701 Public Administration and Social Services

Social Work

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

55,661

2025 · 778 schools

International share

1.3%

727 international students

Bachelor's degrees

17,894

0.6% international

Master's degrees

34,748

1.6% international

Overview

Social Work is a dynamic and impactful field that focuses on enhancing the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. It encompasses a wide range of practices aimed at addressing social issues, promoting social justice, and improving the quality of life for vulnerable populations. Social workers are trained to assess clients' needs, develop intervention strategies, and connect them with necessary resources.

The curriculum for a Social Work degree typically includes courses in psychology, sociology, and human behavior, as well as specialized training in areas such as mental health, child welfare, and substance abuse. Students also engage in fieldwork, providing them with practical experience in various settings, including schools, hospitals, and community organizations.

One of the key aspects of Social Work is its commitment to social justice and advocacy. Social workers often play a crucial role in policy-making and community organizing, striving to address systemic inequalities and ensure that marginalized voices are heard. They are equipped with skills to navigate complex social systems and work collaboratively with other professionals to implement effective solutions.

In the United States, Social Work is recognized as a licensed profession, with various levels of certification and specialization available. Graduates can pursue careers as clinical social workers, school social workers, or community organizers, among other roles. The demand for social workers continues to grow, reflecting the increasing recognition of mental health and social issues in society. Overall, Social Work is a fulfilling profession that enables individuals to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2002 to 2025, graduates grew 75% and the international share went from 1.4% to 1.3%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
50.0%
Asian
3.0%
Hispanic
20.3%
Black
17.3%
Other
8.0%
Intl.
1.3%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 778 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 209 40
#9 University of Chicago Illinois 173 21
#12 Columbia University in the City of New York New York 615 77
#16 Washington University in St Louis Missouri 112 21
#20 University of California-Berkeley California 171 2
#20 University of California-Los Angeles California 115 2
#25 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Michigan 507 19
#27 University of Southern California California 485 4
#27 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina 158 3
#31 Boston College Massachusetts 251 41
#31 New York University New York 379 26
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 257 2
#34 Boston University Massachusetts 346 12
#34 The University of Texas at Austin Texas 204 4
#34 University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin 202 4
#44 Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Jersey 765 6
#44 Case Western Reserve University Ohio 166 13
#44 Ohio State University-Main Campus Ohio 572 6
#49 University of Washington-Seattle Campus Washington 65 2
#52 University of Georgia Georgia 240 15
#59 Florida State University Florida 89 0
#59 Tulane University of Louisiana Louisiana 182 0
#59 University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minnesota 108 3
#59 Stony Brook University New York 296 1
#59 University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pennsylvania 198 4
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 81 4
#72 Syracuse University New York 178 3
#73 University of Connecticut Connecticut 196 1
#73 Howard University D.C. 177 0
#73 Indiana University-Bloomington Indiana 36 0
#73 Rutgers University-Newark New Jersey 65 0
#73 Binghamton University New York 140 1
#73 North Carolina State University at Raleigh North Carolina 143 0
#85 Fordham University New York 564 4
#85 University at Buffalo New York 232 8
#90 Yeshiva University New York 399 25
#90 Baylor University Texas 151 5
#90 Texas Christian University Texas 35 1
#95 University of Illinois at Chicago Illinois 205 5
#95 University of Missouri-Columbia Missouri 36 1
#95 Rutgers University--Camden New Jersey 44 1
#100 Auburn University Alabama 41 1
#100 Chapman University California 3 0
#100 Florida International University Florida 55 3
#100 University of South Florida-Main Campus Florida 261 0
#100 University of Iowa Iowa 149 0
#100 Saint Louis University Missouri 101 3
#100 Creighton University Nebraska 15 0
#109 Fairfield University Connecticut 7 1
#109 University of New Hampshire-Main Campus New Hampshire 115 1
#109 Temple University Pennsylvania 175 1
#109 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Tennessee 418 1
#116 University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Oklahoma 331 0
#116 Brigham Young University-Provo Utah 46 3
#121 Arizona State University-Tempe Arizona 306 3
#121 University of Denver Colorado 519 6
#121 University of Central Florida Florida 310 1
#121 Loyola University Chicago Illinois 289 1
#121 SUNY at Albany New York 166 6
#121 University of South Carolina-Columbia South Carolina 137 3
#121 George Mason University Virginia 165 2
#133 Miami University-Oxford Ohio 106 2
#133 University of Vermont Vermont 81 1
#137 University of Alabama at Birmingham Alabama 30 0
#137 California State University--Long Beach California 317 4
#137 San Diego State University California 220 1
#137 San Jose State University California 242 1
#137 University of Maryland-Baltimore County Maryland 75 2
#137 University of Houston Texas 261 3
#137 James Madison University Virginia 44 0
#148 California State University-Los Angeles California 365 2
#148 Catholic University of America D.C. 77 6
#148 University of Kansas Kansas 242 3
#148 University of Kentucky Kentucky 1,075 4
#156 The University of Alabama Alabama 206 2
#156 California State University-Fullerton California 126 3
#156 Quinnipiac University Connecticut 46 0
#156 Florida A&M University Florida 70 0
#156 Kansas State University Kansas 28 0
#156 University of St Thomas (MN) Minnesota 74 2
#156 Montclair State University New Jersey 130 3
#156 Seton Hall University New Jersey 51 2
#156 University of Portland Oregon 11 1
#156 Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia 452 1
#169 Colorado State University-Fort Collins Colorado 170 0
#169 Bradley University Illinois 10 0
#169 DePaul University Illinois 14 0
#169 Simmons University Massachusetts 483 1
#169 Monmouth University New Jersey 107 1
#169 Touro College New York 121 2
#169 University of North Carolina at Charlotte North Carolina 179 0
#179 Gallaudet University D.C. 21 1
#179 University of Louisville Kentucky 253 1
#179 University of Mississippi Mississippi 52 0
#179 CUNY Hunter College New York 643 6
#179 University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Ohio 167 1
#179 University of Utah Utah 283 3
#179 Seattle University Washington 55 0
#186 University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii 139 2
#186 University of Detroit Mercy Michigan 5 0
#186 Wayne State University Michigan 353 7
#186 Texas Tech University Texas 46 2
#191 Samford University Alabama 28 0
#191 University of Arkansas Arkansas 110 0
#191 Florida Atlantic University Florida 127 6
#191 Georgia State University Georgia 137 2
#191 Rowan University New Jersey 18 0
#191 Adelphi University New York 200 1
#202 Sacred Heart University Connecticut 128 0
#202 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Louisiana 456 3
#202 University of Massachusetts-Boston Massachusetts 25 0
#202 East Carolina University North Carolina 117 0
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 152 3
#208 California State University--Fresno California 159 2
#208 California State University-Sacramento California 233 0
#208 Mississippi State University Mississippi 23 0
#208 University of North Carolina at Greensboro North Carolina 94 0
#208 Xavier University Ohio 18 0
#208 Belmont University Tennessee 15 0
#208 University of North Texas Texas 66 0
#219 Illinois State University Illinois 76 2
#219 Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indiana 503 1
#219 University of Nevada-Reno Nevada 317 1
#219 North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina 71 0
#219 University of North Carolina--Wilmington North Carolina 151 0
#219 Gannon University Pennsylvania 4 0
#227 San Francisco State University California 91 1
#227 Ball State University Indiana 106 5
#227 University of North Dakota North Dakota 118 1
#227 West Chester University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 137 2
#227 University of Texas-San Antonio Texas 60 0
#227 West Virginia University West Virginia 132 1
#236 University of North Florida Florida 26 0
#236 Bethel University Minnesota 29 0
#236 University of Nevada--Las Vegas Nevada 121 1
#236 Pacific University Oregon 27 0
#236 Portland State University Oregon 427 4
#236 Chatham University Pennsylvania 3 0
#236 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 49 0
#236 University of Texas-Arlington Texas 855 6
#250 University of Missouri--Kansas City Missouri 24 0
#250 New Mexico State University-Main Campus New Mexico 120 2
#250 La Salle University Pennsylvania 31 1
#250 Lipscomb University Tennessee 7 1
#250 University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Texas 269 0
#250 University of Wyoming Wyoming 58 0
#262 Aurora University Illinois 719 0
#262 University of Maine Maine 66 1
#262 University of New England Maine 101 0
#262 Andrews University Michigan 36 7
#262 Central Michigan University Michigan 32 0
#262 George Fox University Oregon 38 0
#262 University of Texas--El Paso Texas 76 0
#276 Northern Arizona University Arizona 193 0
#276 Harding University Arkansas 25 0
#276 California Baptist University California 211 1
#276 University of St. Francis Illinois 47 0
#276 Marian University (IN) Indiana 13 0
#276 Western Michigan University Michigan 77 1
#276 University of Missouri--St. Louis Missouri 97 0
#276 Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Ohio 87 0
#276 Widener University Pennsylvania 206 0
#288 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Illinois 78 0
#288 University of Indianapolis Indiana 18 0
#288 Wichita State University Kansas 90 1
#288 University of Memphis Tennessee 119 1
#288 Texas State University Texas 173 0
#288 Utah State University Utah 122 1
#288 University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee Wisconsin 229 1
#299 Azusa Pacific University California 91 0
#299 Southern Connecticut State University Connecticut 160 0
#299 Boise State University Idaho 329 0
#299 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Minnesota 108 0
#299 University of Nebraska--Omaha Nebraska 143 0
#299 University of Toledo Ohio 59 1
#299 Concordia University Wisconsin Wisconsin 63 0
#308 Oakland University Michigan 150 0
#308 University of Southern Mississippi Mississippi 133 0
#308 Maryville University of Saint Louis Missouri 31 0
#308 North Carolina Central University North Carolina 103 0
#308 Abilene Christian University Texas 15 4
#317 Morgan State University Maryland 128 2
#317 Ferris State University Michigan 114 1
#317 Kean University New Jersey 40 0
#317 University of Mary North Dakota 14 0
#317 Prairie View A&M University Texas 86 1
#317 Marshall University West Virginia 67 1
#317 Augusta University Georgia 10 0
#328 East Tennessee State University Tennessee 71 1
#332 University of South Alabama Alabama 16 0
#332 Clark Atlanta University Georgia 46 1
#332 Mercy University New York 19 0
#332 University of Findlay Ohio 3 0
#332 Texas A&M University--Kingsville Texas 33 0
#332 Texas Woman's University Texas 51 1
#342 Mississippi College Mississippi 9 0
#342 Missouri State University Missouri 141 0
#342 Daemen University New York 61 0
#342 Campbell University North Carolina 5 0
#342 University of Akron Ohio 55 0
#342 Cleveland State University Ohio 209 0
#342 Lincoln Memorial University Tennessee 2 0
#342 University of Texas--Tyler Texas 5 0
#342 Kennesaw State University Georgia 64 0
#353 Jacksonville State University Alabama 70 0
#353 Arkansas State University Arkansas 108 0
#353 Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville Illinois 44 0
#353 University of Michigan--Flint Michigan 40 0
#353 Plymouth State University New Hampshire 19 0
#353 Youngstown State University Ohio 166 1
#353 Trevecca Nazarene University Tennessee 8 0
#353 University of Houston--Clear Lake Texas 19 0
#353 University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Puerto Rico 78 0
#353 Pennsylvania Western University Pennsylvania 233 1
#365 Troy University Alabama 211 0
#365 Indiana State University Indiana 16 0
#365 Northern Kentucky University Kentucky 133 0
#365 University of Louisiana--Monroe Louisiana 7 0
#365 Jackson State University Mississippi 133 0
#365 The University of Montana Montana 161 0
#365 Liberty University Virginia 317 2
#365 Eastern Washington University Washington 158 0
#376 University of Arkansas--Little Rock Arkansas 142 1
#376 Barry University Florida 132 3
#376 Belhaven University Mississippi 9 0
#376 Tennessee State University Tennessee 27 2
#382 University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska 23 0
#382 Grand Canyon University Arizona 731 0
#382 University of Colorado--Colorado Springs Colorado 126 0
#382 Saint Leo University Florida 104 1
#382 Southeastern University Florida 52 1
#382 Valdosta State University Georgia 39 0
#382 Idaho State University Idaho 62 2
#382 Chicago State University Illinois 12 0
#382 Concordia University-Chicago Illinois 6 0
#382 Governors State University Illinois 39 2
#382 National Louis University Illinois 30 0
#382 Southern University and A&M College Louisiana 20 0
#382 University of Southern Maine Maine 72 1
#382 Wright State University-Main Campus Ohio 60 1
#382 Northeastern State University Oklahoma 51 2
#382 Angelo State University Texas 103 0
#382 East Texas A&M University Texas 117 0
#382 Lamar University Texas 15 0
#382 Tarleton State University Texas 99 0
#382 Texas Southern University Texas 31 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Puerto Rico 24 0
#382 Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus Puerto Rico 14 0
#382 Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus Puerto Rico 45 0
#382 Chamberlain University-Illinois Illinois 150 0
LAC #22 Smith College Massachusetts 129 2
LAC #31 Bryn Mawr College Pennsylvania 75 0
LAC #41 Skidmore College New York 20 0
LAC #49 St. Olaf College Minnesota 10 2
LAC #72 Saint Anselm College New Hampshire 5 0
LAC #78 Saint Mary's College Indiana 4 0
LAC #78 Hope College Michigan 23 1
LAC #91 Juniata College Pennsylvania 6 1
LAC #100 Whittier College California 4 0
LAC #106 Pacific Lutheran University Washington 19 0
LAC #111 Luther College Iowa 11 2
LAC #119 Meredith College North Carolina 7 0
LAC #119 Christopher Newport University Virginia 17 0
LAC #140 Alcorn State University Mississippi 13 0
LAC #142 Eastern Connecticut State University Connecticut 32 0
LAC #146 Gordon College Massachusetts 2 0
LAC #150 Dillard University Louisiana 9 0
LAC #166 Fort Valley State University Georgia 20 0
LAC #172 Brigham Young University-Idaho Idaho 65 1
LAC #172 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Wisconsin 98 0
LAC #176 Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia 6 0
LAC #177 Grambling State University Louisiana 67 0
LAC #178 Tougaloo College Mississippi 6 0
LAC #180 Alabama State University Alabama 30 0
LAC #181 Warren Wilson College North Carolina 7 0
LAC #181 Bethany College West Virginia 6 1
LAC #184 CUNY Medgar Evers College New York 40 0
LAC #184 Texas A&M University-Texarkana Texas 4 0
LAC #184 West Virginia State University West Virginia 13 1
— Walden University Minnesota 1,505 3
— University of Massachusetts Global California 355 0
— Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global Indiana 346 0
— Metropolitan State University of Denver Colorado 293 0
— Arizona State University Digital Immersion Arizona 283 2
— University of Maryland, Baltimore Maryland 282 3
— Salisbury University Maryland 249 2
— Grand Valley State University Michigan 240 3
— CUNY Lehman College New York 214 7
— Spring Arbor University Michigan 204 0
— Campbellsville University Kentucky 202 2
— California State University--San Bernardino California 197 1
— California State University-Northridge California 189 3
— Western New Mexico University New Mexico 187 3
— Connecticut State Community College Connecticut 182 2
— Our Lady of the Lake University Texas 178 0
— Rhode Island College Rhode Island 175 0
— California State University-Chico California 168 2
— Bridgewater State University Massachusetts 160 0
— Appalachian State University North Carolina 152 1
— Fort Hays State University Kansas 151 2
— Eastern Michigan University Michigan 149 0
— Keuka College New York 147 0
— Salem State University Massachusetts 146 1
— Ramapo College of New Jersey New Jersey 145 0
— Winona State University Minnesota 142 0
— Millersville University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 139 1
— Westfield State University Massachusetts 134 1
— Stockton University New Jersey 133 1
— Winthrop University South Carolina 133 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Child, Family, and School Social Workers 392,550 $30.77 $64,000
Social and Community Service Managers 209,330 $42.73 $88,880
Healthcare Social Workers 187,630 $34.51 $71,790
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers 132,810 $32.71 $68,030
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists 89,390 $35.16 $73,130
Marriage and Family Therapists 66,740 $37.00 $76,960
Social Workers, All Other 62,930 $36.50 $75,910
Counselors, All Other 28,580 $27.99 $58,210
Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary 12,610 — $83,940

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2002–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.