Social Work Degrees, Schools, and Careers in Michigan

In the constant rivalry between Michigan and Ohio, Ohio has Michigan beat when it comes to social work degree options, but not by much. Ohio has 35 accredited social work degree programs but Michigan isn't far behind with 31 accredited programs itself according to the Council on Social Work Education. The perhaps disappointing part about that number is that only nine of those programs are Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree programs and most of those programs are Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree programs.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the professional social work community in Michigan is quite large as well. As of May 2022, Michigan is home to around 24,000 professional social workers. More than half of those social workers are child, family, and school social workers (13,370) but there are also approximately 5,700 healthcare social workers, 3,760 mental health and substance abuse social workers and 1,070 specialty social workers employed across the state. Michigan is in the middle of the pack when it comes to paying its social workers. The annual average salary of social workers in Michigan ranges between $53,110 for mental health and substance abuse social workers and $64,200 for specialty social workers.

Under the Michigan Social Work Licensure Act, there are three different levels of licenses available through the Michigan Board of Social Work. The Licensed Bachelor’s Social Worker (LBSW) and Registered Social Service Technician (RSST) are licenses for social workers without a Masters in Social Work (MSW). These are entry-level positions in the field. Social workers who wish to provide clinical therapy or work in a management position will be required to obtain the Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW) credentials. This includes:

• An MSW from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program
• A passing grade on the appropriate ASWB exam, which means earning a 75 percent or better
• Completing 4,000 post-graduate hours of employment as a social worker while under supervision

While working to earn the LMSW, an applicant must hold the limited license while accruing the hours required to gain credentialing.

Michigan Social Work Degrees, Schools, and Careers

Michigan offers nine colleges with the CSWE-accredited MSW program. There are no programs available in the Upper Peninsula. Although most of them are in Southern Michigan, in Big Rapids, Ferris State University is in its candidacy stage for accreditation, and fully expects to receive full status in February, 2016.

Heading up the rankings in Social Work, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor holds the No. 1 spot in the entire country according U.S. News & World Report. It also holds a number of top-ten rankings for many of its programs. Although known for its football team, it has excellent academic opportunities. Students at U of M have the option for more than 10 dual degree programs, and it offers many different concentration areas.

In Berrien Springs, near Benton Harbor, MI, Andrews University offers the MSW with concentration areas in school social work, mental health, administration, and gerontology. AU earned the No. 148 ranking in Social Work in U.S. News & World Report. Also on the western side of the state is Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids. Ranked No. 104 GVSU is a good choice for the MSW. It offers a dual degree in Public Health Administration.

Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo ranks No. 66. Students at WMU can choose to focus on clinical practice or management and administration. In the center of the state, in the capital, Michigan State University in Lansing offers the MSW with options for a dual degree in Law or Public Health. It holds the No. 26 ranking and it is a top-ranked college in many other areas.

Finally, in the Detroit area, Wayne State University also has a long list of concentration areas for students. WSU is ranked No. 37 in the nation. Eastern Michigan University, in Ypsilanti, has concentration areas in gerontology and children, youth, and families. EMU holds the No. 89.

All of those schools offer undergraduate degree programs as well, but there are other schools in the state that only offer BSW degree programs. Those schools include Adrian College in Adrian, Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Hope College in Holland and Marygrove College in Detroit and those are just a sampling.

Online Social Work Schools in Michigan

Michigan State is the only school in Michigan that offers an accredited online social work degree program and even that program comes with caveats. For example, it is only a part-time program using interactive video or video conferencing at locations around the state. It offers a clinical social work concentration but is also only available to people who live more than 50 miles from BOTH the East Lansing AND Flint campuses. It offers hybrid or blended program combining face-to-face, videoconferencing, and online instruction.

Fortunately, there are a number of other colleges across the United States offer the MSW via the Internet. With most of these programs, fieldwork can be completed in the student’s home community, but coursework is completed through the online portal of the college at the student’s convenience. Indiana University in Indianapolis is a top-ranked program with the MSW. Students should be expected to attend a short orientation at the start of the program, but no other college visit is required.

Boston University offers a part-time online program for MSW students. Their program starts in January, May or September. Two internships are completed over the course of the program totaling 1,200 hours, but the fieldwork is completed in the home community.

Humboldt State University offers a full-time online BSW option with very few in-person and on-campus requirements and Western New Mexico University is the other online BSW degree provider that is accredited. Schools like Arizona State, Fordham University and Columbia University all offer online MSW programs that do not have stringent on-campus requirements for any part of the program.

Career Opportunities for Social Workers in Michigan

The field of social work is growing by about 9% according to the BLS. Urban areas, such as Detroit or Lansing, do tend to have higher salaries than rural areas, but social workers can find employment in most places with hospitals or community mental health centers.

The Federal Government is one of the largest employer of social workers. The VA, Social Security Administration, and Department of Justice all employ large numbers of LMSWs. Hospitals and schools are also in need of social workers to help vulnerable individuals who need resources to assist them to cope with daily life. Some LMSWs even operate independently as therapists who provide mental health or substance abuse services.

Social work has traditionally been a field for women, but both men and women are needed to provide services in today’s society. For people who like to help others, becoming a social worker provides a rewarding career.

For more information about the process of becoming a social worker in Michigan, visit our page on Michigan social worker license requirements.

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for social workers, child, family, and school social workers, healthcare social workers, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and social workers (all other) are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2023.

Featured Michigan Schools with Social Work Degree Programs