Best Social Work Colleges for Social Mobility (2026)
Updated
This page lists 221 colleges in the United States for Social Work that clear Azimuth's mobility threshold among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally. University of California-Berkeley ranks 1st on this list and reports an average net price of $13,481.
The same school posts an average net price of $5,311 for families earning under $30,000. Providence College ranks 2nd on this list, with an average net price of $48,523.
Fordham University ranks 3rd on this list, with an average net price of $44,338. The group includes 206 public and 15 private nonprofit institutions.
The list is overwhelmingly public: 206 of the 221 schools are public, and just 15 are private nonprofit. CUNY Hunter College posts the lowest average net price on the list at $2,984.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 10 years after entry | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Pell share | Mobility percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $92,446 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 28.6% | 98th |
| University of California-Berkeley reports median earnings of $92,446 for all students ten years after entry, and sits at the 98th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (88 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($67,393) | ||||||
| 2 | Providence College · Providence, RI | $87,054 | $48,523 | $28,152 | 13.4% | 60th |
| A private nonprofit university in Providence, Providence College has an average net price of $48,523 and a Pell share of 13%. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (17 graduates), Community Organization and Advocacy (10 graduates) | ||||||
| 3 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $85,569 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 21.4% | 74th |
| Fordham University ranks 3rd on this list, with median earnings of $85,569 ten years after entry and an average net price of $32,474 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (16 graduates) | ||||||
| 4 | New York University · New York, NY | $82,509 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 17.9% | 93rd |
| At the 93rd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, New York University posts median earnings of $82,509 for all students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (31 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($59,593) | ||||||
| 5 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL | $81,054 | $14,355 | $2,038 | 23.4% | 98th |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign combines a Pell share of 23% with an average net price of $2,038 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (76 graduates) | ||||||
| 6 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $79,164 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 17.1% | 82nd |
| Syracuse University reports median earnings of $79,164 for all students ten years after entry, and its mobility index sits at the 82nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Administration (85 graduates), Human Services, General (24 graduates), Social Work (20 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($89,732) | ||||||
| 7 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $78,988 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 35.2% | 98th |
| With a Pell share of 35%, San Jose State University reports median earnings of $78,988 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (79 graduates) | ||||||
| 8 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $78,466 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 14.9% | 95th |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 8th on this list and posts an average net price of $6,384 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (51 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($59,256) | ||||||
| 9 | Marquette University · Milwaukee, WI | $78,257 | $31,487 | $22,269 | 18.4% | 78th |
| A private nonprofit university in Milwaukee, Marquette University reports median earnings of $78,257 for all students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (14 graduates) | ||||||
| 10 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $76,343 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 30.1% | 98th |
| George Mason University sits at the 98th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, alongside a Pell share of 30%. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (65 graduates), Public Administration (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($67,973), Social Work ($55,715) | ||||||
| 11 | Adelphi University · Garden City, NY | $75,482 | $30,783 | $24,095 | 31.0% | 61st |
| Adelphi University reports median earnings of $75,482 ten years after entry and an average net price of $24,095 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (43 graduates) | ||||||
| 12 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $75,121 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 25.9% | 99th |
| The University of Texas at Austin ranks 12th on this list, with median earnings of $75,121 for all students ten years after entry and a Pell share of 26%. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (67 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($59,850) | ||||||
| 13 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $74,502 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 39.4% | 97th |
| Stony Brook University posts median earnings of $74,502 ten years after entry and sits at the 97th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (62 graduates) | ||||||
| 14 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $74,479 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 27.9% | 99th |
| A public university in New Brunswick, Rutgers University-New Brunswick reports an average net price of $24,406 alongside a 28% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (83 graduates), Public Policy Analysis (18 graduates) | ||||||
| 15 | University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, WI | $73,792 | $17,354 | $4,200 | 15.9% | 96th |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 15th on this list and carries an average net price of $4,200 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (71 graduates) | ||||||
| 16 | Loyola University Chicago · Chicago, IL | $71,530 | $36,079 | $28,992 | 23.8% | 77th |
| Loyola University Chicago, a private nonprofit university in Chicago, reports median earnings of $71,530 ten years after entry and sits at the 77th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (67 graduates), Human Services, General (6 graduates) | ||||||
| 17 | Seton Hall University · South Orange, NJ | $70,196 | $31,446 | $19,623 | 32.5% | 74th |
| Seton Hall University admits a 32% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and reports an average net price of $19,623 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($63,559) | ||||||
| 18 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD | $69,960 | $16,467 | $5,087 | 30.0% | 89th |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County posts median earnings of $69,960 ten years after entry and an average net price of $16,467 across all income levels. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (112 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($58,412) | ||||||
| 19 | James Madison University · Harrisonburg, VA | $69,954 | $23,322 | $11,444 | 17.1% | 93rd |
| Ranked 19th on this list, James Madison University sits at the 93rd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a 17% Pell share. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (64 graduates), Public Administration (48 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($71,626), Social Work ($52,991) | ||||||
| 20 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC | $68,758 | $17,303 | $6,382 | 19.6% | 95th |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh carries an average net price of $6,382 for families earning under $30,000 and posts median earnings of $68,758 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (67 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($53,209) | ||||||
| 21 | University of Georgia · Athens, GA | $68,726 | $13,936 | $8,085 | 16.8% | 94th |
| A public university in Athens, University of Georgia reports an average net price of $13,936 and a 17% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (46 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($48,747) | ||||||
| 22 | Texas Christian University · Fort Worth, TX | $68,424 | $36,660 | $17,956 | 14.3% | 71st |
| Texas Christian University ranks 22nd on this list with median earnings of $68,424 ten years after entry and an average net price of $17,956 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (28 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($65,536) | ||||||
| 23 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $68,077 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 42.2% | 97th |
| San Francisco State University sits at the 97th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants is 42%. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (28 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($68,524) | ||||||
| 24 | University at Albany · Albany, NY | $67,979 | $17,167 | $11,112 | 43.7% | 94th |
| University at Albany posts median earnings of $67,979 ten years after entry and an average net price of $17,167 across all income levels. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (29 graduates), Social Work (22 graduates) | ||||||
| 25 | Ramapo College of New Jersey · Mahwah, NJ | $67,541 | $18,173 | $9,008 | 28.2% | 82nd |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey reports median earnings of $67,541 for its students ten years after entry, and sits at the 82nd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (57 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($58,371) | ||||||
How this list is ordered
Schools first had to sit at or above the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility pillar; those that qualified are ordered by the school's median earnings of all students ten years after entry, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The metric covers all federally aided students at the institution who were working and not enrolled, measured ten years after entry. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. University of California-Berkeley leads with $92,446, and the gap to second-ranked Providence College is $5,392.
Job market context in the United States
The occupations linked to Social Work in the United States include such roles as Social and Human Service Assistants, Child, Family, and School Social Workers, and Healthcare Social Workers. Across those occupations, the median annual wage is $64,756, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $51,418. The linked occupations have about 707,100 projected openings a year, or about 2,051 openings a year for every hundred graduates, and more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.8% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings, the market figures describe the occupations, and the two are not the same measure.
Related rankings
- Public Administration Colleges for Social Mobility
- Public Administration Colleges in the United States