Master of social work programs focus on clinical assessment and management skills. Learners do not need a bachelor’s degree in social work to become part of a master’s program. Earning a master’s in social work usually takes two years. However, some programs allow graduates with a bachelor’s degree in social work to earn their master’s degree in social work within a year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that social work jobs will increase by 13% from 2019 to 2029. The projected need for social workers outpaces that for many other types of careers. The median earning potential for a social worker is $50,470 a year, or $24.70 an hour.
Best Schools for an Online Master’s in Social Work
*****
1. best online MBA programs
here are 10 schools that make up our 2018 list of best online MSW programs. These notable colleges were decided by ratings and reviews by students and alumni. The list is comprised of popular schools like University of Louisville, Boston University, the University of Southern California, and Fordham University. Arizona State University takes the #1 spot this year with a 100% student recommendation rating and a score of 88.63. Students commented on the impressiveness of the program, stating, “Arizona State University has been very supportive towards my goal of becoming a Licensed Social Worker. You are assigned a success coach who works with you to achieve your goal… The classes are short (7.5 weeks), which pushes you to be a better graduate student.”
For such a well-reviewed school Arizona State is very affordable with in-state tuition costing $6,098 – $11,304 and out-of-state tuition being $6,098 – $27,790. University of Louisville is similarly priced with in-state tuition currently set at $11,866 and out-of-state tuition being $24,476. The Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is $10,769 for in-state and $15,881 for out-of-state. About Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, one student commented, “The availability of staff is excellent and the work load is reasonable considering this is a graduate program. The school is responsive to questions from the bursars office to the professors in a timely matter and always kind and professional.” Check out our list below and click on the university names to read more student evaluations.
2. online msw programs
online msw programs
online msw programs combine different academic disciplines in their curriculum, such as law, sociology, psychology, and science.
Online online msw programs programs prepare students for careers in fields such as crime scene investigators, legal analysts, forensic scientists and probation officers. online msw programs positions are available at the federal, state, and local levels.
Cyber-crime is especially on the rise, and online msw programs degree holders who have a background in computer science or information technology can qualify for employment with the coveted Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Department of Homeland Security.
Payscale puts the mid-career salary of those who earn a online MSW programs bachelor’s degree at $58,400.00 per year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salaries of those who work in the online msw programs field range from $39,000 for jailers to almost $43,000 for private investigators, and approximately $70,000 for detectives and criminal investigators. online msw programs is a rewarding career that directly benefits society and helps society thrive.
3. Psychology
online MBA programs a degree in Psychology opens doors to work in many different fields. Psychologists can work in various capacities in the field of Human Services, online MSW programs, Marketing, Business, and others, or they can work independently.
Psychology is a growing field that is increasingly needed in many different areas of business and human services.
Areas of study include neuroscience, human development, personality theory, learning, memory and cognition, psychotherapy, emotion, sensation and perception, interpersonal relationships, personal adjustment, and abnormal behavior.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently ranked the 20 fastest-growing occupations in America, and Industrial-Organizational Psychologists is #1, with a median pay of $83,580 a year and a growth rate of 53% between now and 2022. This growth rate is higher than every other occupation. The mid-career salary for psychologists is $60,700.00, according to Payscale.
If you are interested in human behavior, what motivates people, their fears, hopes, and desires, and want to help in people’s lives, a degree in psychology will equip you for this kind of career.
4. Nursing
online MBA programs
According to Payscale, nurses are considered to be the #1 occupation that changes the world. An online degree in nursing involves taking hard and soft science classes, which include a range of topics such as chemistry, anatomy, psychology, biology, and sociology classes, all designed to prepare nurses for treating and caring for their patients.
Medical technology is advancing, and nurses manage patient data and administer treatments in an increasingly digital setting. Nursing informatics, data management, and health care delivery systems are courses that prepare students to engage and implement new medical technology.
U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Jobs” ranking listed Nursing as one of the top five careers due to its low unemployment rates and strong earning potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Registered Nurses can earn a median salary of nearly $64,700 a year with only an Associate’s degree. However, Registered Nurses can increase their salary by getting a bachelor’s degree. The mid-career median salary for a Registered Nurse with a bachelor’s degree is $65,200.
According to U.S. News & World Report, obtaining a four-year nursing degree can also promote nurses to management positions. PayScale lists the mid-career median salary for a nurse manager at $75,000, and a director at $78,300. Nurses who continue their education at the graduate level qualify for positions in nursing education and administration. For nurses interested in graduate school, online Master of Science in Nursing degree programs are offered to nurses who already have a bachelor’s degree, and also to nurses who don’t have a bachelor’s degree but hold the Registered Nurse credential.
5. Education
online MBA programs
PayScale ranks elementary education among the top 10 majors that change the world, and 75% of those with a bachelor’s in education believe that their job makes the world a better place.
An online bachelor’s degree in education involves learning how to engage and motivate students, assess student achievement and solve problems in the classroom.
According to the Bureau of Labor, elementary schools are expected to add almost 250,000 new teaching positions by the year 2020, in urban and rural school districts. And also according to the Bureau of Labor, teachers with expertise in special education and teaching English as a second language is in high demand given that there is a shortage of teachers with this training, so students pursuing an education degree can increase their job potential by getting a certificate in those areas.
Education degrees can be earned entirely online. Graduates must also earn their teaching license (certification requirements vary by state). Some school systems require teachers to obtain a master’s degree to keep their license—which often includes an increase in salary. Teachers can continue their education through an online Master of Education, or Master of Science degree program in areas such as education leadership and administration, curriculum and instruction, and teaching and learning—which explore effective teaching and learning practices and the development of new programs and technologies for use in modern educational settings.
6. Engineering
online MBA programs
A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering gives one of the highest starting salaries right out of college with a starting salary of $98,000.00 per year.
It’s easy to see the allure of getting an Engineering degree with such high earning capacity for a first job out of college. Engineering consistently ranks as one of the very best degrees for return on investment, which is due to the demand for Engineers in broad fields such as science, math, mechanical engineering, technology, and computers.
An online Bachelors degree in Engineering involves subjects such as math and science, chemistry, management, computer science, and the like. There are many different kinds of engineering degrees, such as petroleum, chemical, mechanical, nuclear, electrical, aerospace, and computer engineering. It is estimated that 3 million engineering jobs are currently available, with increasing demand each year. Often talented engineering students will be offered jobs before they’ve graduated.
7. online MBA programs
online MSW programs
Healthcare Administration is a rapidly growing field due to new technological advances, healthcare regulations, and a population that is living longer than ever before.
Because of the rapid growth of the market, Healthcare Administration is one of the most popular online bachelor’s degree programs. .
Healthcare Administrators are responsible for overseeing businesses in the medical field, such as doctor’s offices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes. Healthcare Administrators’ duties range from coordinating care, creating schedules, managing finances and working with doctors and medical staff. Healthcare Administrators do not provide medical care of any kind to patients.
The coursework varies due to the many roles that Healthcare Administrators perform, and include business, ethics, accounting, leadership, finance, and economics, as well as the legal requirements and duties in an industry that is strictly regulated with respect to privacy laws and the like.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Healthcare Administration field is projected to increase 22%, adding 70,000 new positions by the year 2020. According to Payscale, the average starting salary is $39,600 for grads with a Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration, with a mid-career salary of $57,800. For students interested in earning more than the average salary, getting a Master’s degree in Healthcare Management or Business can increase earnings.
8. Computer Science
online msw programs
According to Forbes, graduates with a bachelor’s in Computer Science earn the second highest paid salary (behind only Engineering Management) right out of college, averaging $59,100 per year.
Computer science is in high demand in an ever-increasing computerized world, and as a result computer science is consistently one of the highest earning college degrees.
Some benefits of getting a degree in computer science are high earning potential, low unemployment, and many different career opportunities. Businesses are competing for Computer Science degree holders for positions such as designers, developers, programmers and product managers.
Given the rapidly changing technological advances in computers, computer science programs must stay current with these advances to guarantee that students are learning the necessary, modern, state-of-the-art science, which include coding languages, software code, and other skills. Students will learn to create software and hardware, and create and manage the networks that connect them.
Curriculum includes classes such as introduction to operating systems, data structures and algorithms, programming, and database management. Graduates of Computer Science programs often pursue careers in fields such as Internet and Web Developer, Software Engineer, Network Security, Network Administration, Cloud Computing, Database Management, and in Web Sciences and Big Data.
The career outlook continues to be promising for Computer Science degree holders. These factors make computer science one of the most popular online bachelor’s degree programs.
9. Accounting
online msw programs
Accountants largely handle the accounting of money for individuals or companies, and review and analyze financial documents, as well as offer expertise in consulting services to corporations, nonprofits and governments.
Companies are always in need of accountants who can analyze financial data and work through financial challenges, and an online Bachelor’s degree in Accounting teaches students these highly valuable skills. The skills learned in an online degree in Accounting include fundamentals in business, analysis, and finance, each of which prepare students for professional Accounting careers in the public and private sectors.
The curriculum for online Accounting degrees involve learning about macro and micro economics, the fundamentals of accounting, income taxation, internal auditing, ethics, evaluating an organization’s effectiveness, analyzing financial performance, and regulatory laws and compliance standards. Students will learn how to navigate financial statements, the principles of accounting, the accounting cycle, and business transactions.
Students must pass the necessary exams to become professionally certified as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant, or Certified Internal Auditor. In order to take the CPA exam, students need to complete 150 semester hours, and most bachelor’s degree programs do not offer that many hours. The American Institute of CPAs suggests that students pursue additional hours in graduate school, earning either a Master’s in Accounting or a Master’s in Business Administration in Accounting. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, getting the professional certification (CPA license) significantly increases career prospects.
10. Human Services
online msw programs
A career in Human Services is a rewarding career, and offers a wide variety of career types, such as Community Advocacy and Social Policy, Social Work, Human Services Administration, Health Education and Community Services, and online msw programs. According to Payscale, Social Work is ranked #6 in the category of majors that changes the world, with 77% of graduates feeling that their career makes the world a better place.
Curriculum involves learning about policy, theory, ethics, research, and management. Students often specialize in disciplines like gerontology, social and community services, Global Health Services, public health, online msw programs, intervention, and family studies. Professionals who earn an online degree in Human Services can work with the public in many occupations and industries, such as an administrator at a nursing home, or with child protective services.
By the year 2020, employment for Human Services is estimated to increase 27%, almost double the national growth rate for all other occupations. Human services positions are increasingly needed to serve the aging population, who need services such as day care and meal delivery. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Human Services field is also growing due to the increasing number of people being treated for drug addiction in treatment programs.
According to PayScale, the median salaries range from about $33,000 for case managers, $53,000 for wellness directors, $59,000 for medical and health services managers, and $82,000 for nursing home administrators.
Methodology
Our goal in presenting this school data is to create a standardized and trustworthy method to assess institutions based on reliable statistics. In order for a school to be eligible to be featured on a 2018 Top Programs List, at least five students from that particular degree program must have submitted feedback on their institution. Graduate Programs only considers regionally or nationally accredited, non-profit institutions for our rankings. Aggregated student rating values were multiplied by 20 to create a Student Score out of 100; in the event of a tie, schools were awarded the same rank value.
Together with our internal recommend rate data, which is calculated based on tens of thousands of student reviews submitted to our site, the data used in the school listings were gathered in 2016-2017 from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This site is the primary governmental entity for gathering and presenting data related to education. NCES data is updated annually. However, in many cases the most recently available data will not be for the current academic year. Additionally, tuition rates may vary by program, so prospective students should contact a representative from their institution of choice for more details.
