Despite salaries for social workers in New York City being among some of the highest in the nation, in March 2024, NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to boost pay for human services workers throughout the metro area through a $741 million cost-of living adjustment. It’s a welcome raise for the 80,000-some human service workers in the city. And for newcomers looking at getting into the field, this is the sort of news that helps make the decision to get a degree and get started down the path even easier.
This investment covers human services workers in NYC working for nonprofit agencies, and is part of a new city cost-of-living adjustment that will equate to a pay raise of about 9.27 percent over the next three years.
This cost-of-living adjustment represents positive momentum towards a more level playing field for women and people of color, who represent the lion’s share of human services workers. Pay equity across race and gender is vital, particularly in a field that employs workers who are on the frontlines tackling pressing issues that affect the quality of life for all New Yorkers, and serving the resource needs for everyone from the unhoused population to asylum seekers.
“Human service workers are the hands and heart of New York City, providing 24/7 work that benefits all New Yorkers… human service work is often tiring and thankless, but the workforce is essential to our city.”
It’s an exciting time to become a social worker in New York City, which leaves just one question: How do you get there?
If becoming a licensed social worker in New York is in your future, then the Master of Social Work (MSW) is what you’ll eventually need to have on your resume. The New York State Education Department oversees the credentialing of social workers at two distinct license levels:
Licensed Master Social Workers (LMSW)
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
It’s a long walk to get to either one of these credentials. It will take you through an undergrad program and a significant amount of frontline experience where you’ll build your skills and earn your stripes in the real world of New York social services. But it’s a well-traveled path that’s easy to navigate with a little guidance, and that’s exactly what you’ll get here. Many have gone before you, and you can definitely get there too. We’re here to show you the way.
A BSW Provides the Most Streamlined Path to Earning an MSW and Becoming a Licensed New York Social Worker
Becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) authorized to provide clinical diagnosis and counseling is a two-step process. It starts by earning an MSW in order to qualify for the LMSW credential, then earning the LCSW after a few years of supervised practice in diagnosis and psychotherapy.
But the Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) isn’t just a stop on the way to becoming an LCSW. For many New York social workers, the LMSW is the end goal. It will prepare you for the kind of community-based work that many dream of when they think of becoming a social worker, outside of closed-door counseling sessions and out in the community where the rubber meets the road on the streets of New York City and suburban enclaves upstate.
Whether your goal is the LMSW, or advancing to clinical practice with the LCSW, you’ll need to set your sights on an MSW accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
If your CSWE-accredited MSW isn’t registered with the New York State Education Department (NYSED), it will be necessary to have your transcript submitted for review to make sure it includes all required coursework. As needed, you can complete additional coursework through pre-built course sequences offered locally to meet NYSED requirements.
How do you make your way to the MSW? There are a couple paths you may take:
- Earn a bachelor’s degree in a human services field (e.g., psychology, sociology, community mental health)
- Earn a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)
You don’t need to earn a BSW to qualify for an MSW program, but it helps. Here’s why:
- A CSWE-accredited BSW programs include supervised field experience of at least 400 hours that allows you to begin putting classroom theory into practice. Internship experiences may include working in mental health clinics, child and family service agencies, policy organizations, hospitals, community health clinics, and more.
- A CSWE-accredited BSW provides a generalist foundation in social work that is the same as the first year of an MSW program. With a BSW, you would qualify for advanced-standing admissions in your MSW program, which means earning your MSW in as little as one year instead of two. This is an important consideration for any would-be social worker thinking about saving time and money while preparing to become an LMSW or LCSW.
So, even if you don’t go on to earn an MSW right away, or decide not to earn one at all, the BSW will prepare you to assume a variety of non-licensed positions in the field. That means you’re job-ready, and able to start accumulating valuable experience while getting paid with the option of earning an MSW later if you choose.
Fortunately, there are plenty of schools in New York City that offer the BSW, such as the College of Staten Island – CUNY, Medgar Evers College – CUNY, Lehman College – CUNY, New York University, and Fordham University.
While a bachelor’s degree in a related field like sociology or psychology can provide you with a solid foundation for future MSW study, only a BSW’s comprehensive study of social work within a generalist framework qualifies you for an Advanced Standing MSW.
Which brings us to the different types of MSW programs available:
- Advanced Standing MSW: Advanced Standing MSW programs, which are reserved only for BSW holders who graduated from a CSWE-accredited program, are often just one year in duration.
- Traditional MSW: Traditional MSW programs are about two academic years in duration and are designed for students who completed a bachelor’s degree in a human services or behavioral health field.
- Accelerated MSW: Accelerated MSW degrees are just 16 months in duration. These programs are designed for non-BSW holders looking for a condensed and intensive course of study leading to the MSW.
All CSWE-accredited MSW programs include at least 900 hours of supervised field instruction as part of the degree requirements.
New York City has no shortage of colleges and universities offering CSWE-accredited BSW and MSW programs throughout the five boroughs:
Social Work Degrees in Manhattan
Social Work Degrees in Brooklyn
James Russell Dumpson, Former Dean of Fordham University’s School of Social Work and Civil Rights Icon
James Russell Dumpson (1909-2012) was a famed New York social worker, activist, educator, advisor, and advocate for social good. He began building his legacy early in his career as a caseworker for the Philadelphia Department of Public Welfare.
But it wasn’t until 1959 that he began garnering attention for his work on a larger scale. It was then that he was named the Commissioner of Welfare for NYC – the first time a social worker had held that position. During this time, he was the only Black welfare commissioner in the nation. His tireless work helped shape the future of civil rights and racial equality.
Dumpson went on to become the Dean of Fordham University’s School of Social Work, making him the first Black deans of a non-HBU (Historically Black University) school of social work.
His reputation caught the attention of leaders on a national scale, and he served on a number of advisory commissions, including the Presidents Commission on Narcotics and Drug Abuse. He also worked in an advisory capacity for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Much of his later work was focused on the impact of HIV/AIDS on communities of color, the plight of the urban minority elderly, and fighting to reform New York City’s child welfare system. Dumpson was a true civil rights hero and Renaissance man.
Other Considerations When Gearing-Up to Earn Your MSW at One of New York’s Esteemed Schools of Social Work
Many colleges and universities offer a number of options within the MSW:
- Online or on-campus (or a blend of the two): Not all MSW programs are offered in a traditional, on-campus format. The CSWE also accredits online programs and those offering a hybrid format that combines both online and on-campus coursework. Online programs allow students to complete some or all of their coursework through remote learning. For example, Touro University offers their MSW in both an on-campus and fully online format, while Fordham University’s MSW can be completed on-campus, online, or through a hybrid format.
- Part-time or full-time: Most programs are also offered in a part-time format to accommodate students with professional and personal responsibilities.
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Specializations: MSW programs not only prepare students to begin developing the clinical or generalist skills they’ll need in practice, they are also where you get a chance to study in your chosen area of specialty.
For example, Columbia University’s MSW includes options to specialize in advanced clinical social work practice, policy practice, advanced generalist practice & programming, or leadership management and entrepreneurship for social justice. And students of Yeshiva University’s MSW have the option of earning a certificate in one of seven areas of study: MSW/CASAC (credentialed alcohol and substance abuse counselor), gerontology & palliative care, school social work, creative arts and healing, trauma-informed practice, generalist social work, or social work with the military. - Dual degrees: Some universities offer dual degrees that allow students to earn another graduate degree alongside their MSW. For example, Stony Brook University offers an MSW/MA in Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics; an MSW/MPH; and an MSW/JD. And Columbia University offers no less than eight dual degree options.