Who says you can’t change the world?
Earn a Master of Social Work (MSW) in New York
Build your career around serving vulnerable people and communities in New York.
In the birthplace of American social services, you’ll find the most respected social work degrees in the country, and the best opportunities for putting that education to work.
Social Work Degrees Built to Serve the People and Communities of New York
The path to a better future starts with education. How far you take it is up to you.
Some of the most respected campus-based and online CSWE-accredited programs in the world are found right here in New York.
- Time to Complete: 4 years average
- Aimed at: Students beginning their journey into advanced social work
- Provides: Career preparation for non-licensed roles in New York, and a foundation for a one-year MSW
Being well-rounded is critical in social work, and a humanities-based bachelor’s degree is where essential skills and cultural competency are built. A BSW will prepare you for a non-clinical social work job, but for many it’s a stepping-stone to an advanced-standing MSW in preparation for becoming licensed.
- Time to Complete: 2 years average
- Aimed at: Bachelor’s graduates from almost any field seeking advanced social work credentials
- Provides: Education qualifications for licensure in New York and opportunities to specialize

The MSW is where you build advanced skills and develop mastery of a specialized role in social work. As the primary requirement for licensure, this is where social work students become highly-qualified professionals, capable of handling anything.
- Time to Complete: 1 year average
- Aimed at: BSW-holders specifically
- Provides: A fast-path to New York State licensure and advanced generalist skills
An advanced standing MSW is available only to graduates of CSWE-accredited BSW programs. It packs the advanced-level MSW curriculum you need for licensure into a single year to get you license-ready and on the job fast.
Social Work Degrees for Every Level of Practice in New York
While BSW and MSW programs are the heart and soul of social work career preparation, there’s work to be done in New York with social work degrees at every level:
provide essential professional skills and the ability to transfer credits toward a BSW later.
offer the highest level of study for researchers and professors of social work.
fill in the gaps for generalist skills or offer opportunities to specialize by population or practice area after earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
Social Work Schools Offering CSWE-Accredited Degrees in Your Corner of New York State
Universities offering CSWE-accredited programs through globally-recognized schools of social work are located throughout New York State.
New York City Social Work Schools
The Heart of Social Work in America
Universities offering CSWE-accredited social work degrees in all five boroughs of New York City are backed by a long legacy of excellence, and remain the beating heart of American social justice movements today.
Long Island Social Work Schools
A Regional Hub for Social Work Education
Universities offering social work degrees in Nassau County and next door in Suffolk County provide affordable options with access to big-city resources.
Westchester County Social Work Schools
Suburban Universities with A Global Perspective on Social Issues
Places like Yonkers, New Rochelle, and Mount Vernon have their own unique social challenges. The respected universities offering social work degrees in Westchester County prepare graduates capable of tackling them.
Erie County Social Work Schools
Upstate Education for the Vital Needs of New York and Beyond
Buffalo is part of the second biggest metro area in New York, so you can’t sleep on the opportunities to study social work here. Schools offering social work degrees in Erie County offer a time-tested approach to protecting vulnerable populations.
Monroe County Social Work Schools
A County in Transition with an Eye to the Future
Rochester was hit hard in the deindustrialization phase of the late 20th century and has since emerged as a growing high-tech hub. The schools offering social work degrees in Monroe County are experienced in teaching the skills necessary to cushion the fallout from gentrification and displacement.
Rockland County Social Work Schools
No Stranger to Providing Solutions to Socioeconomic Struggles
Located in the smallest county in New York, Ramapo may be quaint and historic, but it’s also one of the most densely populated towns in the state. Social work degrees in Rockland County offer a perspective on career preparation you can only get in an area where nearly a quarter of residents under 18 live below the poverty line.
Onondaga County Social Work Schools
Nationally-Recognized Social Work Education in Your Own Backyard
Social work degrees in Onondaga County are forged in an affordable and livable part of New York State. Even with only one university offering CSWE-accredited programs in Central New York, you can’t look past the educational excellence centered around Syracuse.
Albany County Social Work Schools
Learn About Advocacy Where Social Policy Is Forged
Social work degrees in Albany County offer a chance to study human services and social systems right next door to the seat of power for New York State.
Queens | Brooklyn | The Bronx | Manhattan | Staten Island
Social Worker Salary and Jobs Throughout New York State
Social workers build careers for themselves all across the Empire State. Every city block and rural hamlet offer a unique job market and opportunities to serve at-risk communities in different ways. One thing that’s consistent, though, is that salaries for New York social workers are among the best in the nation.
Social Work Careers and Salaries in Long Island
Social Work Careers and Salaries in the Hudson Valley
Social Work Careers and Salaries in Central New York
Social Work Careers and Salaries in the Capital District
Queens | Brooklyn | The Bronx | Manhattan | Staten Island
MSW Degree Specializations For Every Need and Population in New York
In a field that covers almost every kind of societal problem, you end up with a big list of niche areas to specialize in. Learn how those specialized skills are developed through a combination of real-world experience and specialty-focused courses in your MSW program.
Learn how to make the system work for people in need by becoming a master of connectivity and managing processes. Read more here.
Help the members of society with the most life experience age gracefully and comfortably in a fast-changing nation. Read more here.
Protect the most vulnerable members of our population and provide a safe, accepting, uplifting environment for raising the next generation. Read more here.
Focus on services that help kids through the tough task of coming of age in a turbulent society. Read more here.
Become one of the social workers who holds the criminal justice process to account, and help incarcerated individuals keep their end of the bargain by rehabilitating and making restitution. Read more here.
See how social workers can help both individuals and entire communities handle disasters and crises of every sort, and come through stronger and safer. Read more here.
With American healthcare on the brink, you can be one of the social workers who steps in to help patients and providers communicate to ensure the best possible outcomes for all. Read more here.
As the homeless crisis puts more and more people on New York’s streets, become one of the social workers mitigating the tragedy and working toward long-term re-housing solutions. Read more here.
To become on of the last people that hospice patients ever see is a sacred trust. Make coping with pain and passing an easier process for individuals and families. Read more here.
There’s no place like New York to become one of the social workers who specialize in assisting refugees and other new arrivals establish new lives. Read more here.
With an estimated 30 percent of New Yorkers reporting mental health issues, social workers who can give them the counseling and services they need are in constant demand across the state. Read more here.
The horrors of opioid and other addictions are all-too-clear to New Yorkers. This social work specialization has some answers for the drug epidemic ravaging our communities. Read more here.
School social workers in New York meet strict qualifications for a position that comes with unique challenges and unexpected rewards in schools around the state. Read more here.
A sacred trust exists between a society and the men and women who have stepped forward to defend it. See how you can specialize in keeping that vow and help with the difficult transitions military members face at every age. Read more here.
Follow your dream of a safer and more just society by developing the skills and the knowledge to step out of the system to make a difference in your own inspired way. Read more here.
New York occupies a unique position of influence and moral authority in both American and global efforts to make a more just and equitable world. You can help drive that change from the home of the United Nations and the seat of American reform efforts. Read more here.
Social Work License Guides for New York State
New York State has some of the most straightforward licensing laws in the country.
Here we help you understand the differences between LMSW and LCSW credentials and take you through each step to getting your license to practice clinical social work in New York:
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
Initial license for recent MSW graduates seeking state credentials that grant the authority for clinical diagnosis and counseling.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Top level license for current LMSWs seeking roles in unsupervised clinical social work and independent practice.
Experienced social workers moving to New York from another state can find detailed guidance on reciprocal licensing options.
Resources for Social Work Students and Professionals in New York
The generosity of the social services community isn’t just for clients. Find the student and professional resources you need to make your plan to become a social worker a reality.
As a state rich in cultural diversity, there is no shortage of resources to help social workers develop the cultural humility needed to connect with New York residents of every socioeconomic stripe.
Open up a fresh menu of options to help the homeless, refugees, transgender individuals, and other New York residents who have been pushed to the sidelines of society.
See how nationally recognized certifications for social workers show off your expertise and take your social work career to the next level.
See how military service can help you fund your college education. Here you’ll find the resources available in New York for vets looking to defend and uplift the vulnerable in their civilian lives.
With a graduate degree on the horizon, you’ll benefit from these financial assistance programs for New York social workers.
Almost every social work career comes with its fair share of stress. These resources will help support your mental well-being so you can stay in the game to help others.
Continuing education is a critical part of keeping your LMSW or LCSW license in New York, and serving your clients in the most effective ways possible. These are all the resources you need to keep your social work skills razor sharp.
Stay Current on The Latest in the World of New York Social Services
Social justice is a lofty goal but a moving target. The policy, socioeconomic, and cultural impacts in social work are constantly shifting. Keep up with articles on new developments and key considerations emerging in the dynamic field of social justice and human services.
