Last Updated: April 2026
If you want to pursue a career where you can help people every day, then social work may be right for you. Whether you are trying to earn a bachelor’s degree, want to go on to become a licensed clinical social worker, or need the flexible option of online classes, the state of Minnesota offers many excellent options for you to choose from.
Minnesota features 17 universities that offer social work programs at either the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral level to meet the needs of a wide variety of students within the state who want to become a part of the fulfilling social work career.
Each of these programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This means that they have all been verified to offer a high-quality education that meets the standard for licensure. The high-quality of the programs will help prepare students for their future careers, relevant exams, and helping the community.
There are several different social work degrees in Minnesota that you will come across when pursuing an education. Each degree can take different amounts of time to achieve. These degrees will also influence the type of social work career that you may practice and the job duties you will be allowed to perform. It’s important to become familiar with these degrees so that you can pursue the one that most closely aligns with your goals. These degrees are outlined below.
Earning a bachelor’s degree in social work may be the first step that you take towards becoming a Minnesota social worker. It takes about four years to earn this degree. While in school, you will typically be able to choose specific areas of focus that suit your interests. Once you have obtained the bachelor’s degree, you can choose to apply for graduate school, apply for a job in social work, or, eventually, both. Minnesota has many program that offer bachelor’s in social work degree programs, including:
The BSW program through CSS prepares students both in the classroom and in the field. They believe that students learn by doing just as much as they do by studying. In the social work program, students are required to complete 570 hours of on-the-job training. The goal of CSS is to teach students how to empower the most vulnerable populations in their communities and promote human wellbeing.
This program is a hybrid bachelor of science social work program which allows students to complete much of their coursework online. The part that is completed in-person involves visiting the campus one Saturday a month to apply their skills by engaging in face-to-face dialogue.
The program takes about two years to complete and requires that students transfer an associates degree into the program. The program’s goals are to equip students with the knowledge of understanding how humans interact in a variety of cultural environments. The program also intends to prepare students to move on to graduate programs.
Earning a master’s degree in social work is a great career step for individuals who want to expand their career options and/or become a licensed clinical social worker, which allows them to provide mental health therapy to clients. A master’s degree takes about two to three years to earn depending on if one attends school full time or part time, although two years is more common. Occasionally, a master’s degree can be completed in one year under certain circumstances. Minnesota offers master’s degree in social work programs, such as:
The social work graduate degree program through this university is intended to prepare students for professional careers in social work by teaching them critical thinking skills, collaboration, and effective working skills. Social work licensure candidates learn to apply these skills within the context of promoting social, political, and economic justice within their community. St. Cloud State University teaches these concepts through an anti-oppression lens. The program boasts small class sizes, so students can take advantage of getting to know their professors and other students.
A DSW degree is a graduate level achievement for students who wish to pursue social work at an advanced level beyond their master’s degree. Those with a DSW have the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of social work practice in areas such as leadership development or social justice. Graduates generally apply their knowledge and skills by taking on leadership roles at nonprofits or other similar social service organizations.
This social work degree in MN is offered online, and includes a two week residency that is on-campus each year. The goal of the program is to prepare students to become practitioners that are skilled in teaching and leadership. They want graduates to pursue social justice in their social work service. The program is about 45 credit hours that must be completed in three years. Students take one course at a time, and each course is three credit hours.
A PhD is an advanced degree for social work professionals who want to potentially become educators and commit to research that may better the field of social work as a whole. Students in a social work PhD program learn effective research methods to take part in educational practices that will allow them to eventually influence the world of social work and educate future generations.
The goal of the research program of this UM university is to help students graduate as informed scholars who will contribute their knowledge to “foster a nurturing and inclusive society”. PhD students will benefit from the generous funding that the majority are able to receive, and UM assists students with finding other funding they may need. The PhD social work program focuses on both professional development as well as up-to-date research.
When looking into attending a social work program, quality is an important factor to consider. One way to ensure that you are receiving the quality education that you are investing in is to look at programs that are accredited. In the United States, social work programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
CSWE accreditation means that a school has met high standards of excellence for social work education that have been established by the CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation (COA). The COA consists of professionals in the field of social work such as educators, researchers, and others who have been dedicated for many years and want to continue to improve social work education for future generations.
The Council on Social Work Education is intended to advance the quality of social work education and promote innovation within the field. This means that students who attend accredited schools are receiving up-to-date education and information in the social work field so that they are as ready as possible to go out and help their communities.
A school that has met the standards to receive CSWE accreditation is also qualified to prepare students who want to earn a social work license to prepare for their exam. The CSWE vision also conveys that they wish to ensure that the social work profession is equipped to promote a diverse, healthy, and just society.
The availability of online degrees are beneficial for many students for a variety of reasons. Minnesota has several social work programs that offer online degree programs for individuals who need this option for bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees. The universities offering online social work degrees in Minnesota include:
Online social work degree programs offer an excellent opportunity to those who may need a flexible learning environment due to factors such as a career, family, or any number of other reasons. Some students thrive from being able to work at their own pace, which an online degree program allows for.
Some students may benefit from an online or hybrid program because they work full-time and need to be able to complete school after working hours. This may be because some students are enrolled in a social work program to better their current career. Regardless, online social work degree programs are a great option for many individuals.
There are four different types of social work licenses that one can pursue in Minnesota:
To become an LSW, a bachelor’s degree is required. For all others, one must obtain their master’s degree. The LISW and LICSW titles require candidates to complete supervised hours to obtain experience. The LICSW’s hours must include clinical experience as well. Once an applicant has completed the required steps for licensure, such as the required supervision hours, and has submitted an application, they may take the exam. This exam is held by the Association of Social Work Boards.
In Minnesota, the full title for a social worker that is licensed to practice clinically is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. To earn this title and ability to practice, there are several steps that are required of social work candidates. These steps have been outlined below.
A master’s degree is a graduate level of education that is an important first step for someone wanting to earn their Minnesota social work license. After one earns their bachelor’s degree, they can then apply for a master’s program. They will submit the required information to the master’s program showing that they have adequately met all of the requirements, such as a certain GPA, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and any other information that the graduate program might need. A master’s degree program takes about 2 to 3 years depending on if someone attends full-time or part-time. It’s important to consider programs that are accredited by the CSWE, as accreditation ensures a certain level of quality to one’s education.
Minnesota requires licensed social work candidates to complete 360 hours of clinical training in six areas. You may complete these hours through your master’s degree program. The six areas that must be completed can be found through the MN LICSW page. You also have the option to complete up to 90 hours of training through continuing education courses (CEs). When you are completing these hours, you must document them on a form called the 360 clock hours form. This form will be submitted with your LICSW application, which is reviewed in a later step.
Minnesota requires clinical social work candidates to complete 4,000 to 8,000 hours of supervised clinical social work practice before they can apply for their license. This allows you to earn your required clinical hours without having earned an official social work license yet, as you are being supervised by a LICSW. While completing these hours, you must meet with your supervisor for at least 8 hours for every 160 hours that you practice. 1800 of the hours that you complete should be in direct contact with clients. Your supervisor will be responsible for filling out a verification of supervision form, which you will submit with your license application.
After you have completed your training and clinical experience, It will be time to submit your application for licensure. There are two ways to do this. There is an online portal available, or you can mail a copy of the license application directly to the board. You should include the form that demonstrates that you have completed your training hours and supervised clinical experience. You should also expect to have to submit a transcript if the board does not already have a copy. When submitting the application, you will have to also submit the application fee, which was $60 as of 2020.
This background check will include fingerprints and was about $33 as of 2020. If the board does not already have this, you should also submit this with your application.
Once the board reviews your application that you submitted in the above step, they will let you know that you are eligible to register for the exam. This exam is held by the Association of Social Work Board (ASWB). The fee for this exam was $260 as of 2020. The board will receive your scores within about 2 weeks of when you took the test.
Once the above steps have been completed, the ASWB will then be responsible for notifying candidates of The results and if they are eligible to receive their license based on their application and test results. If you are eligible to receive your license, you will pay a fee to be issued your license. After that, you will then be a LCSW in Minnesota, and may begin your social work practice in the state.
Becoming a licensed social worker in MN will depend on where an applicant starts in their educational journey. However, the total amount of time may take up to about ten years if one starts with earning their bachelor’s degree, which takes about four years.
After completing a bachelor’s degree, one must then apply for and be admitted into a master’s degree program. Completing a master’s degree may take about two years of full time schooling. Once a student has graduated, they will then complete 4,000-8,000 hours of clinical, supervised practice hours to apply what they have learned, which takes an additional four years.
Minnesota allows for social work licensure reciprocity by endorsement. In order to apply in MN, one must already have their social work license in another state. They must also meet the exam and experience requirements of the state of Minnesota. Candidates can submit their application online, or they can mail in an application, which should include a form that verifies their out-of-state license.
The salary for social workers in Minnesota depends highly on their level of education, where they work, as well as what they specialize in. For example clinical social workers who focus on a specific type of practice will make a different amount of income annually and someone who works for a government agency. However, each social worker is vital to a community in need. Those who decide to pursue a social work career will see that their job outlook is projected to grow and they may be able to find a career wherever they go in Minnesota.
The average salary for a social worker in Minnesota is listed as $54,360 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics according to the last time the numbers were gathered in 2016. This statistic includes child, family, and school social workers. The average salary for social workers under the “all other” category in the BLS was $53,450 for MN.
Social workers in MN with a bachelor’s degree make an average of about $65,950 as of 2022, but the range can vary between $58,944 and $73,567. Social workers at this level may be able to increase their chances of salary increases through some organizations by taking courses to earn certificates that can expand their skill sets or meeting milestones by staying a certain amount of time as laid out by their employer.
Social workers in MN with a master’s degree make an average of about $70,357 as of 2022, but the range can vary between $63,556 and $77,608. Social workers at this level may have the opportunity to take on supervisory roles. The salary for social workers with this degree may be higher than those with a BSW may be higher due to the additional training received in an MSW degree program.
Licensed clinical social workers in MN make an average of about $78,187 as of 2022, but the range can vary between $72,127-$86,888. Social workers at this level have more opportunities than those without social work licenses because they can provide mental health services, such as therapy. LCSWs can take on a social work supervisory role, or they can decide to open a private therapy practice.
The average salary for someone with a DSW or PhD in social work may vary depending on what career they decide to pursue. Someone with this degree may choose to continue to work in the clinical space, become a professor, work in administration, or work in another area. Some examples of the average salaries for these careers in MN are as follows:
Although specific information for Minnesota was not available, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that the job outlook for social workers is projected to grow 9% over the next decade, which is faster than average for all occupations. It is expected that 64,000 jobs should open up each year.
Each state has their own unique needs where different types of social workers may find themselves drawn to. Minnesota is no different, and upon analysis, these are the social work careers that are the most popular and needed within the state.
The cost of social work programs may depend on each university as well as if it is public or private. Regardless, the average costs are outlined below:
Becoming a social worker is a worthy endeavor, but cost may be a big determining factor in whether or not you can attend school. Luckily, there are many scholarships available for future social workers. Many of the links below are websites where you can find more information on scholarships local to Minnesota, for individuals in social work education programs, or both. These websites are typically updated each semester or each year.
Another important website to be familiar with if you need assistance with funding is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application determines any federal loans or grants that you may be eligible for based on your family size, income, and other potential factors.
Although there are benefits to living in beautiful Minnesota, the state is not without the need for social workers due to certain issues, much like anywhere else in the US. Homelessness in particular is an issue in MN, especially with the harsh winters that individuals face each year.
Additionally, Minnesota also faces a significant shortage of mental health professionals. These two issues combined have the potential to lead to bigger problems, such as a rise in drug abuse, increase in death rates, increase in poverty, and increase in mental illness and trauma in the community. The state had mental health legislation up for vote in 2022 to expand many mental health services, so it is on the mind of many in the community.
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