New Jersey MSW Programs Guide

The state of New Jersey may pride itself on its wide range of educational opportunities provided to residents. If you reside in this state, you might be interested in knowing what can be available for you in the event you are seeking an advanced educational program in social work.

The MSW programs provided by this state may be located at various points throughout the state and accept a wide range of students from different locations. In total, 8 MSW programs can be found in cities such as Newark, New Brunswick, Montclair, and Camden.

The universities in which these MSW programs are available may include Rutgers University, Stockton University, and Kean University. The benefits of choosing to pursue a MSW degree program can include obtaining higher level positions in several fields including family services, healthcare social work, and even social work positions in the field of education.

Online MSW Programs in New Jersey

The interest in online educational programs may stem from student diversity and professional responsibility of citizens in New Jersey. Some students may benefit from online MSW programs due to a busy work schedule, while others may learn more efficiently when provided the independence they need to succeed educationally.

Online MSW programs can also consist of the same level of accreditation as traditional MSW programs which only add to the convenience of what these programs can provide. As a resident of New Jersey, you might be interested to learn about what types of programs you could attend through the online course room.

If You Do Not Yet Have a Bachelors: View BSW programs in New Jersey(includes online).

New Jersey Social Worker Careers with an MSW Degree

If you currently live in New Jersey and are considering licensing as a Social Worker, take a look at the job descriptions listed below. The place that you choose to work along with your specialization can lead you into different salary expectations and career responsibilities throughout your journey.

• Child, Family, and School Social Workers: $76,490 median salary per year. The Social Worker within this setting may work hard to ensure that clients receive adequate mental health, healthcare, and education-related services while under care. This can include setting up and transporting clients to these services, participating in treatment planning meetings, and following-up with providers to ensure progress. In the educational system, Social Workers may also interview teachers and family members to identify potentially interfering circumstances in the child's educational progress.
• Healthcare Social Workers: $63,850 median salary per year. Healthcare Social Workers can be extremely beneficial for patients under the care of healthcare professionals. Social Workers can help explain complex medical procedures, assist clients in making important health-related decisions, and even work with insurance companies for billing and payment purposes. Social Workers in this field can work for hospitals, health care centers, and even for private organizations that contract with healthcare agencies.
• Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers: $80,540 median salary per year. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers can be extremely important partners for patients receiving care in both treatment areas. Conducting needs assessments, developing individual programs for transition into the home environment, and involving family members in the follow-up program can be important career responsibilities involved in patient success.
• Social Workers, All Other: $63,410 median salary per year. If you are interested in pursuing alternative Social Work careers in your area, you should seek out positions like Social Advocate, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and even those in Case Management. Each of these career opportunities can put you in touch with a population of people and can allow you to assist first-hand in connecting people to services that can help them.

Social Worker Salaries in New Jersey’s Metropolitan Areas

• Trenton: $60,710 median salary per year
• Vineland: $60,250 median salary per year

2021 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Child, Family, and School Social Workers; Healthcare Social Workers; Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers; Social Workers, All other, reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed March 2023. 

New Jersey Social Work Licensure

The New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners currently offers 2 licensing options for masters graduates in Social Work.

The non-clinical licensing option is the Licensed Social Worker (LSW) distinction. This option requires graduation from a CSWE-accredited university and completion of the ASWB examination.

The Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) option requires the same accredited degree and testing requirements, plus 3,000 hours of supervised clinical hours in the field. Prospects for this type of licensing must obtain a supervisor with LCSW credentials.

More on Social Work Programs in New Jersey

Rutgers University can offer students the opportunity to engage in an online MSW program that is currently accredited by the CSWE. This reliable and reputable program may be provided in a part-time format, which can be excellent for currently employed individuals seeking higher education. Students all over the country can enjoy the benefits of this 100% online program.

As a benefit to this program, students can also choose to pursue a specialization in Clinical Social Work to help specify the type of work they would prefer to do in the field. If you are ready and determined to achieve a higher level degree in this field, New Jersey is definitely a great place to be.

Students that have dreams of becoming licensed should choose degree programs that are suitable for the expectations of the New Jersey Board of Social Work Examiners. This agency is the primary source of licensure for social workers in the state of New Jersey.