Clinical Social Work: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries
Program Overview
Clinical Social Work is a specialized field focused on delivering mental health and psychosocial support within medical and healthcare environments. This program equips professionals to address emotional, behavioral, and social challenges faced by patients and their families, integrating clinical expertise with healthcare system operations.
- Social Work in Healthcare Settings: Applies core social work principles within hospitals and clinical environments to support patient well-being and care coordination.
- Psychiatric Case Work: Involves the assessment and management of mental health conditions through structured, evidence-based clinical processes.
- Clinical Interviewing Techniques: Develops advanced communication skills to gather accurate, empathetic, and comprehensive patient histories.
- Therapeutic Intervention Strategies: Focuses on applying modalities such as cognitive-behavioral, trauma-informed, and family systems approaches to promote recovery.
- Psychosocial Evaluation and Testing: Trains in the use of standardized tools to assess emotional, cognitive, and social functioning in clinical contexts.
- Patient and Family Counseling: Emphasizes supportive, solution-focused dialogue to help individuals and families navigate illness, treatment, and transitions.
- Social Rehabilitation: Addresses functional recovery and reintegration into community life through individualized support and resource access.
- Patient Care Planning: Involves collaborative development of holistic, individualized treatment plans that consider psychological, social, and medical needs.
- Medical Record-Keeping: Ensures accurate, ethical, and compliant documentation of clinical interactions and treatment progress.
- Support Services Liaison: Facilitates connections between patients and community resources, advocacy networks, and multidisciplinary care teams.
Clinical Social Work Graduate Trends (2010-2024)
Clinical Social Work Career Pathways & Salary Outlook
The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Clinical Social Work degrees, including Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary, Healthcare Social Workers and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 325,200 professionals.
National Average Salaries
| Occupation | Median Salary | Salary Range | Total Employment | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary 25-1113 | $76,210 | $45,370 - $129,280 | 13,350 | N/A |
| Healthcare Social Workers 21-1022 | $68,090 | $45,030 - $100,870 | 185,940 | $32.74 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers 21-1023 | $60,060 | $39,620 - $104,130 | 125,910 | $28.88 |
Clinical Social Work Salary Map by State
Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $48,007 in Montana to $96,453 in California—a 101% difference. The highest-paying states include California, Hawaii, and New York. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 325,200 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.
Average Salary Range:
Top Universities for Clinical Social Work by Graduate Enrollment
Below are the top 48 institutions offering Clinical Social Work programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Clinical Social Work is found at University of Kentucky (UK) (420 graduates), Capella University (393 graduates), Florida State University (FSU) (388 graduates), New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) (200 graduates), and University of Washington (UW), Seattle Campus (191 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 3,296 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.
| College Name | Award Levels | Graduates | Location | Control | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky (UK) |
Postbac Cert.
|
420 | Lexington, Kentucky | Public | uky.edu |
| Capella University |
Master's
|
393 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Private | capella.edu |
| Florida State University (FSU) |
Master's
|
388 | Tallahassee, Florida | Public | fsu.edu |
| New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
200 | Las Vegas, New Mexico | Public | nmhu.edu |
| University of Washington (UW) |
Master's
|
191 | Seattle, Washington | Public | washington.edu |
| Michigan State University (MSU) |
Master's
|
175 | East Lansing, Michigan | Public | msu.edu |
| Florida Atlantic University (FAU) |
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (Professional)
|
163 | Boca Raton, Florida | Public | fau.edu |
| University of West Florida (UWF) |
Master's
|
128 | Pensacola, Florida | Public | uwf.edu |
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico (UIPR) |
Master's
Post-Master's
|
106 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Private | metro.inter.edu |
| Western Michigan University (WMU) |
Master's
|
103 | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Public | wmich.edu |
| Florida International University (FIU) |
Master's
|
95 | Miami, Florida | Public | fiu.edu |
| University of South Dakota (USD) |
Bachelor's
Master's
|
95 | Vermillion, South Dakota | Public | usd.edu |
| Universidad Ana G. Mendez (UAGM Carolina) |
Master's
|
70 | Carolina, Puerto Rico | Private | uagm.edu |
| University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
Master's
|
69 | Columbia, Missouri | Public | missouri.edu |
| Central Community College (CCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
|
68 | Grand Island, Nebraska | Public | cccneb.edu |
| Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) |
Bachelor's
|
55 | Portales, New Mexico | Public | enmu.edu |
| Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
|
46 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Public | ivytech.edu |
| University of Southern Indiana (USI) |
Master's
|
42 | Evansville, Indiana | Public | usi.edu |
| University of Maryland (UMB) |
Postbac Cert.
|
39 | Baltimore, Maryland | Public | umaryland.edu |
| Loma Linda University (LLU) |
Master's
|
37 | Loma Linda, California | Private | llu.edu |
| Utica University |
Master's
|
35 | Utica, New York | Private | utica.edu |
| Metropolitan Community College Area (MCC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
31 | Omaha, Nebraska | Public | mccneb.edu |
| Southeast Community College Area (SCC) |
Associate's
|
27 | Lincoln, Nebraska | Public | southeast.edu |
| University of Alabama (UAB) |
Master's
|
26 | Birmingham, Alabama | Public | uab.edu |
| University of North Florida (UNF) |
Master's
|
24 | Jacksonville, Florida | Public | unf.edu |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (PUCPR) |
Master's
|
22 | Ponce, Puerto Rico | Private | pucpr.edu |
| Colorado State University (CSU) |
Postbac Cert.
|
21 | Fort Collins, Colorado | Public | colostate.edu |
| University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) |
Master's
|
20 | University, Mississippi | Public | olemiss.edu |
| University of the Pacific (UOP) |
Master's
|
19 | Stockton, California | Private | pacific.edu |
| Harcum College |
Associate's
|
19 | Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania | Private | harcum.edu |
| Central Texas College (CTC) |
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
|
19 | Killeen, Texas | Public | ctcd.edu |
| University of Indianapolis (UIndy) |
Master's
|
16 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Private | uindy.edu |
| Grand View University |
Master's
|
16 | Des Moines, Iowa | Private | grandview.edu |
| University of Southern Mississippi (USM) |
Master's
|
13 | Hattiesburg, Mississippi | Public | usm.edu |
| University of Memphis (UofM) |
Postbac Cert.
|
13 | Memphis, Tennessee | Public | memphis.edu |
| Fairfield University |
Master's
|
12 | Fairfield, Connecticut | Private | fairfield.edu |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (PUCPR) |
Master's
|
12 | Arecibo, Puerto Rico | Private | pucpr.edu |
| Indiana State University (ISU) |
Master's
|
11 | Terre Haute, Indiana | Public | indstate.edu |
| University of Akron |
Postbac Cert.
|
11 | Akron, Ohio | Public | uakron.edu |
| Pima Community College (PCC) |
Associate's
|
10 | Tucson, Arizona | Public | pima.edu |
| Seattle Central College |
Associate's
|
10 | Seattle, Washington | Public | seattlecentral.edu |
| Simmons University |
Master's
|
9 | Boston, Massachusetts | Private | simmons.edu |
| Institute for Clinical Social Work (ICSW) |
Doctorate (Research)
|
7 | Chicago, Illinois | Private | icsw.edu |
| Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) |
Other Award
|
4 | Santa Fe, New Mexico | Public | sfcc.edu |
| Saint Mary's College |
Master's
|
2 | Notre Dame, Indiana | Private | saintmarys.edu |
| Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC) |
Associate's
Other Award
|
2 | Macy, Nebraska | Public | thenicc.edu |
| Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico |
Master's
|
1 | Mayaguez, Puerto Rico | Private | mayaguez.pucpr.edu |
| Agape College of Business and Science |
Associate's
|
1 | Fresno, California | Private | acbscollege.org |
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the most common questions about Clinical Social Work programs
How much can I earn with a Clinical Social Work degree?
Salaries for Clinical Social Work graduates vary by role and location. Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary earn a median of $76,210 annually, while Healthcare Social Workers earn around $68,090. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in California average $96,453 compared to $48,007 in Montana. Approximately 325,200 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.
Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.
Which universities have the largest Clinical Social Work programs?
Currently 48 accredited institutions offer Clinical Social Work degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include University of Kentucky (UK) (420 graduates), Capella University (393 graduates), and Florida State University (FSU) (388 graduates).
Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.
Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.
Is enrollment in Clinical Social Work growing or declining?
Graduate numbers have increased over the past decade, rising from 795 in 2010 to 3,296 in 2023-24. This represents a 315% increase overall from 2010.
The field remains specialized with steady interest, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.
Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.
What career paths are available with a Clinical Social Work degree?
This degree prepares you for roles such as Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary, Healthcare Social Workers, and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers. Related occupations employ approximately 325,200 professionals nationwide.
Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.
Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.
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