undergradly.
Major · Health Professions

Clinical/Medical Social Work

A program that prepares individuals for the specialized professional practice of social work, in collaboration with other health care professionals, in hospitals and other health care facilities and organizations. Includes instruction in social work, psychiatric case work, clinical interviewing techniques, therapeutic intervention strategies, patient testing and evaluation, patient and family counseling, social rehabilitation, patient care planning, record-keeping, and support services liaison.

Schools offering
14
Annual completions
264
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$46k

About this major

A program that prepares individuals for the specialized professional practice of social work, in collaboration with other health care professionals, in hospitals and other health care facilities and organizations. Includes instruction in social work, psychiatric case work, clinical interviewing techniques, therapeutic intervention strategies, patient testing and evaluation, patient and family counseling, social rehabilitation, patient care planning, record-keeping, and support services liaison.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Healthcare social workers $68k +7.7% Master's degree
Mental health and substance abuse social workers $60k +9.7% Master's degree
Social work teachers, postsecondary $76k +2.3% Doctoral or professional degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$46k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$41k

Bachelor's

$52k

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Clinical/Medical Social Work

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus Portales, NM 0 55 55
New Mexico Highlands University Las Vegas, NM 0 51 51
University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD 0 31 31
Southeast Community College Area Lincoln, NE 27 0 27
Metropolitan Community College Area Omaha, NE 23 0 23
Harcum College Bryn Mawr, PA 19 0 19
Central Texas College Killeen, TX 18 0 18
Central Community College Grand Island, NE 18 0 18
Pima Community College Tucson, AZ 10 0 10
Seattle Central College Seattle, WA 10 0 10

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Clinical/Medical Social Work field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Clinical/Medical Social Work worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What can I do with a Clinical/Medical Social Work degree?
Graduates commonly pursue careers such as Healthcare social workers, Mental health and substance abuse social workers, Social work teachers, postsecondary.
Is a Clinical/Medical Social Work associate's enough, or do I need a bachelor's?
Both credentials exist. The associate's is typically faster and cheaper; the bachelor's unlocks higher-earning roles. See our earnings table above.
How many colleges offer Clinical/Medical Social Work?
14 colleges offered this major in the most recent IPEDS year, graduating about 264 students a year combined.