Online Social Work Programs in New Jersey
Enrolling in an accredited social work program in New Jersey prepares you for a rewarding career helping people overcome challenges. Whether you provide guidance and counsel to those dealing with mental health, addiction, or poverty issues, you can make a meaningful difference in a field that places priority on improving people’s quality of life.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Jersey employs nearly 68,000 professionals in community and social service occupations. These include child and family social workers, healthcare social workers, and mental health and substance abuse social workers. With median annual salaries ranging from $64,190 to $75,870, New Jersey also ranks as the top-paying state for mental health and substance abuse social workers. Trenton, the capital city, stands as the nation’s highest-paying metropolitan area for this specialty and employs 270 of these experts.
Regardless of the educational path you pursue to enter this profession in the state, take confidence knowing the best colleges in New Jersey for social work prepare learners for the career of their choice.
Social Work Programs by Degree Level
Online Master’s in Social Work Programs
Education and Licensure Requirements for Social Workers in New Jersey
New Jersey’s State Board of Social Work Examiners serves as the licensing body for those who wish to practice social work in the state. It sets standards that dictate requirements for education, experience, and overall qualifications to enter the profession. The state offers three types of licensure: certified social worker (CSW), licensed social worker (LSW), and licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
Education Requirements
The best colleges in New Jersey for social work boast accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education. Pursuing social work licensure in the state requires earning a degree from a CSWE-accredited school. You must possess at least a bachelor’s degree, which qualifies you to become a CSW. If you wish to enter clinical practice, then you must complete at least 3,000 hours of experience over no less than two years and hold either a master’s or doctorate.
Exam Application Process and Requirements
Obtaining a social work license in New Jersey means you completed degree studies. The application for each license requires submitting a transcript to verify degree completion. Those seeking CSW licensure do not need to sit for an Association of Social Work Boards exam, but those who desire either LSW or LCSW licensure must. You can apply for ASWB’s master’s-level exam during the final semester of graduate studies.
The State Board of Social Work Examiners determines approval for those who complete an application to sit for the exam. Filing the application costs $75 while the ASWB exam costs $230. Licensure as either an LSW or LCSW requires submitting proof of successfully passing the test. If interested in a LCSW career, then you must also demonstrate a minimum of 3,000 hours’ experience under direct supervision, with 1,920 hours allocated to face-to-face client contact.
Continuing Education and Licensure Renewal
New Jersey requires social workers renew their license every two years. The two-year period begins September 30 of an even year and concludes August 31 of the following year.
Renewing a CSW license requires completing 20 credits of continuing education every two years; LSW licensure renewal mandates 30 continuing education credits. A renewal of an LCSW license requires 40 continuing education credits, of which half must directly relate to clinical practice. Regardless of the license type, all renewals require at least five continuing education credits in content related to ethics. Moreover, a minimum of three credits must focus on social and cultural competence.
Featured Online Programs
Why Choose an Online Social Work Program in New Jersey?
A degree from one of the best online social work programs in New Jersey prepares you with the knowledge necessary to transition to the workforce and affords the convenience needed to balance personal, professional, and academic demands. You compete coursework on a flexible schedule and fulfill supervised clinical hours in a local facility. In addition, you only need to pay tuition, books, and related expenses without the cost of room, board, and transportation to and from campus.
Myriad job opportunities abound for social workers in New Jersey. Government agencies, healthcare facilities, and nonprofit organizations represent a few of the employers that actively recruit graduates.
Ranking Methodology
Here is our list of online social work degree programs in New Jersey as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics. We cover online bachelor’s in social work, online master’s in social work, and online doctorate in social work programs. All programs are regionally and CSWE accredited, and all are available entirely online.
Online Social Work Programs in New Jersey
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Offering some of the only accredited social work programs in New Jersey, the Rutgers University School of Social Work maintains a wide range of offerings: bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate programs in social work in addition to a Ph.D. in social work. As of June 2019, the master’s program was the only one that the school offered online.
The school’s programs align with CSWE competencies, and the program’s mission statement includes the following goals: empowering and serving individuals, groups, and families in New Jersey and beyond and advancing evidence-based master’s level social work practice in a way that promotes social and economic justice.
Rutgers University Online Master of Social Work in Clinical Social Work
- Credits and Courses: The program’s curriculum consists of 18 courses, or 60 credits. Rutgers delivers all of the program’s coursework asynchronously.
- Completion Time: A full-time student can usually finish the program in two years. Completion times vary widely for part-time students, depending on how many courses they take per term.
- Field Education: Each enrollee must complete a seven-part field education practicum at an arranged placement site in their community.
- Transfer Policies: An applicant may transfer up to 24 credits from another CSWE-accredited master’s program when they enroll at Rutgers.
- Online Student Support: Online students at Rutgers benefit from access to various massive open online courses, online training opportunities, and access to the college’s 24/7 help desk and new media center. Rutgers also hosts an annual online learning conference.
- Cost: $900/credit
- Admission Requirements: Each candidate must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a minimum 3.0 GPA. No GRE or MAT scores are required.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey’s online social work programs are CSWE-accredited.
