by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Clinical/Medical Social Work covers 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. Read on to learn the essential details every clinical/medical social work major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering clinical/medical social work programs.
Nationwide, clinical/medical social work draws strong interest, with 3,296 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Clinical/Medical Social Work Schools ranking analyzes these 48 schools to determine the best overall colleges for clinical/medical social work students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of clinical/medical social work programs later in this article.
Coursework for Clinical/Medical Social Work build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations clinical/medical social work graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a clinical/medical social work program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a clinical/medical social work major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several clinical/medical social work degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 29 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 127 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 137 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 2,994 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 9 |
People currently working in careers related to clinical/medical social work tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 52.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 30.8% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 5.2% |
| First professional degree | 4.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.8% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in clinical/medical social work careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in clinical/medical social work opens doors to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to clinical/medical social work.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to clinical/medical social work.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | 839,680 | 7.7% |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | 253,503 | 5.8% |
| Healthcare Social Workers | 251,555 | 12.1% |
| Mental Health Counselors | 246,978 | 2.8% |
| Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors | 55,443 | 3.3% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of clinical/medical social work graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $46,066 |
| 4 years | $46,824 |
| 5 years | $52,641 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for clinical/medical social work graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers clinical/medical social work grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Social Workers | $78,044 |
| Mental Health Counselors | $72,983 |
| Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | $65,510 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $58,560 |
| Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors | $52,157 |
With 48 different clinical/medical social work programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased clinical/medical social work school rankings to help you.
Those considering clinical/medical social work, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
