Studying Social Work in Miami
Miami offers BSW students one of the most international and culturally diverse practice environments in the country. A global gateway with large Cuban, Haitian, Venezuelan, and Central and South American communities, the city makes cross-cultural, often bilingual, social work part of daily practice.
For a baccalaureate student, that means field placements and entry-level jobs across hospitals, county schools, behavioral-health agencies, and a deep network of immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations. Bilingual Spanish and Haitian Creole skills are a major asset and often a hiring advantage.
Miami is home to several CSWE-accredited BSW programs, including Florida International University, Barry University, and Florida Memorial University, which feed graduates into the city’s agencies and community organizations.
The Best BSW Programs in Miami, FL
Accredited programs with a campus in Miami, ranked by our five-factor model. A Miami program shows a national or online rank badge only if it places in that list's top 25.
- #1 In Miami
Florida International University
Miami, FL · CSWE-accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
8.1
On-campus Full or part-time 1 certificate Carnegie R1Why it ranks near Miami
Florida International University teaches the BSSW in Miami itself. The professional sequence runs 60 credits and carries two supervised internships rather than one. Because the degree sits inside the Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, students also pick up Introduction to Public Health, coursework most social work majors never touch. Every student sits for a one-on-one interview with a field coordinator to settle on a placement, and the undergraduate program has its own coordinator separate from the graduate side. Each student is assigned a field liaison for the duration, and sites are drawn from vetted agencies across Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach counties. In-state tuition runs $4,721 a year against $16,529 for nonresidents, below the local median of $9,498. No other program among the programs within reach of Miami has held CSWE accreditation longer.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 10.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 5.0
- #2 In Miami
Florida Memorial University
Miami Gardens, FL · CSWE-accredited since 2004 · Online or On-Campus
6.2
Online option Full or part-time 1 certificateWhy it ranks near Miami
Florida Memorial University teaches the BSW in Miami itself. The field practicum is a year-long senior-year experience and cannot begin until every required social work course is finished. Applications are due a full semester before the placement starts, and admission follows a pre-practicum seminar and an interview with the Coordinator of Field Education. Entry to the practicum is gated on senior standing, a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, and a 2.5 average across the six named prerequisite courses in human behavior, research, policy, writing and practice. A grade of C or higher is required in every social work course. Published tuition is $14,274 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the local median of $9,498.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 5.5
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 5.0
- #3 In Miami
Barry University
Miami Shores, FL · CSWE-accredited since 2002 · On-Campus
5.7
On-campus Full or part-timeWhy it ranks near Miami
Barry University teaches the BSW in Miami itself. Students are assigned to agency placements rather than finding their own. The settings the school draws on include school-based organizations, hospitals, mental health facilities, addiction treatment centers, government agencies, correctional facilities and child advocacy agencies. The bachelor's degree arrived in 2001 and was accredited in 2003, long after the school's graduate program, which opened in 1966 as the first in South Florida. The Ware Foundation funded Center for Human Rights and Social Justice sits inside the school, working on human trafficking, sexual victimization and inclusive care for gender diverse people. Published tuition is $32,800 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the local median of $9,498.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 5.8
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 4.5
Accredited Campuses Within 60 Miles of Miami
1 accredited program with a campus within about 60 straight-line miles of central Miami, ranked by our five-factor model. The full profile for each school sits on the page of the city its campus is in, or in the Florida ranking.
| Program | Nearest campus | Miles | Format | Natl. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton | ~42 | On-Campus | #72 |
Online BSW Programs Open to Miami Students
Florida-based CSWE-accredited programs with an online option, which Miami residents can complete from home. Programs based outside Florida that also take Miami students are in the national online BSW ranking.
| Institution | Accredited | Format | Natl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Florida | 1974 | Online or On-Campus | #5 |
| University of South Florida | 1976 | Online or On-Campus | #36 |
| Florida Memorial University | 2004 | Online or On-Campus | #347 |
| Warner University | 2010 | Online or On-Campus | #455 |
What Social Workers Earn in the Miami Area in 2026
Miami, Florida sits within the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area, the labor market that sets pay and demand for its social-service workforce. The labor market Miami draws on employs roughly 10,360 social workers across the specialties , and the most common BSW-level specialty there, child, family, and school social work, pays a $59,710 median. These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program (May 2025) for the area around Miami.
| Occupation | Employed | Median wage | Typical range (10th–90th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family & school social workers | 4,460 | $59,710 | $40,690 to $78,010 |
| Social & human service assistants (entry-level) | 5,980 | $45,370 | $35,680 to $59,820 |
| Healthcare social workers | 3,440 | $64,510 | $39,300 to $94,660 |
| Mental health & substance abuse social workers | 1,370 | $51,510 | $39,340 to $78,510 |
| Social workers, all other | 1,090 | $62,030 | $42,220 to $115,460 |
| Social & community service managers (macro) | 2,480 | $79,240 | $48,500 to $145,610 |
How local pay compares
Child, family & school social workers around Miami earn a median of $59,710 versus $56,550 statewide in Florida and $59,550 nationally. That is at or above the Florida median.
Where do social workers work in Miami in 2026?
Miami is one of the most international cities in the country, and its social-work landscape reflects that. Jackson Health System, one of the largest public hospital systems in the United States, and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital employ medical and pediatric social workers, while Thriving Mind South Florida and Citrus Health Network coordinate and deliver community behavioral health alongside the Florida Department of Children and Families Southern Region.
What sets Miami apart is immigration. Large Cuban, Haitian, Venezuelan, and Central and South American communities make bilingual Spanish and Haitian Creole skills essential, and refugee and immigrant-services organizations are a major employer. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth-largest district in the nation, and Florida International University round out a deep public-sector base.
Miami, Florida sits in Miami-Dade County. Representative organizations in and around the city that commonly employ social workers and BSW-level human-service staff include:
- Jackson Health System and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
- Citrus Health Network and Thriving Mind South Florida
- Florida Department of Children and Families, Southern Region
- Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth-largest district in the nation
- Florida International University
- Refugee and immigrant-services organizations across Miami-Dade
An illustrative list of employers known to operate around Miami, not an exhaustive or BLS-sourced one.
Beyond Miami, BLS projects national social worker employment to grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations, with healthcare and mental-health settings leading. Pay by role for Miami graduates to compare against is in our salary guides.
Source for Miami: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) for Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, with projections from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. The medians include every worker in each occupation, so BSW-level pay in Miami usually sits toward the low end of each range.
Who Social Workers Serve in Miami
Miami social workers serve one of the most immigrant-rich populations in the United States, where clients may be recent arrivals, asylum seekers, or long-settled families navigating health, housing, and benefits systems in a second language. Cultural humility and language access are central to the work.
Major fields include immigrant and refugee services, healthcare and pediatric social work through Jackson Health and Nicklaus Children’s, child welfare, and behavioral health. Miami’s economic inequality and high housing costs add significant demand around poverty and housing.
Field Placements and Agencies Around Miami
With CSWE’s 400-hour field-education requirement, Miami students train across Jackson Health System, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, behavioral-health agencies, and the many community organizations serving immigrant and refugee families.
Florida International University, Barry University, and Florida Memorial University maintain field partnerships across Miami-Dade, and placements in bilingual, community-based settings build skills that are in high demand across South Florida.
Mezzo Social Work Jobs in Miami
Mezzo social work, practice with groups, organizations, and communities, fits Miami especially well, where community-based organizations serve specific cultural and immigrant communities. Mezzo roles include facilitating support and skills groups, coordinating community and cultural programs, and building partnerships among the many agencies that serve Miami’s diverse neighborhoods.
A BSW prepares you for entry-level mezzo work such as group facilitation, program coordination, and community outreach at immigrant-serving and behavioral-health organizations. Mezzo work is a common way for Miami graduates, especially bilingual ones, to broaden their experience before deciding whether to pursue an MSW for clinical or management roles.
Do I need to be bilingual to be a social worker in Miami?
You do not strictly need to be bilingual, but in Miami it is a significant advantage and often a job requirement. A majority of Miami-Dade residents speak Spanish, and large Haitian Creole-speaking communities add further demand, so employers from Jackson Health to community nonprofits actively seek bilingual caseworkers and family-support staff.
A BSW qualifies you for these roles, and bilingual graduates frequently have an easier time finding work and serving clients directly in their first language. If you are not yet fluent, building language skills during your program can meaningfully expand your options in the Miami market.
Can I go from a BSW to an MSW in Miami?
Yes, and Miami has strong local options. Florida International University and Barry University, among others, offer MSW programs, and a CSWE-accredited BSW positions you for Advanced Standing admission, which lets recent BSW graduates skip the first year of the master’s.
Because Florida does not license social workers at the bachelor level and reserves the LCSW for master’s-prepared clinicians, many Miami social workers earn a BSW, work in a community or hospital role, and complete an MSW to move into clinical practice. Bilingual graduates are especially sought after at both levels.
Can I get a Social Work license with a BSW in Miami, Florida?
Florida licenses social workers statewide, so the rules a Miami graduate follows are the state's, taken here from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) regulatory database as captured in 2026.
From a Miami BSW, the license ladder continues to the master's level (CMSW) , and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW, RCSW-I). A recent BSW from an accredited Miami-area program also opens Advanced Standing admission to a master's.
Common Questions About BSW Programs in Miami
How many CSWE-accredited BSW programs are in Miami?
How much do social workers earn in Miami?
Can I earn a BSW online from Miami?
Does Florida license social workers at the bachelor level?
BSW programs in other Florida cities
Sources
- CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs for the accreditation, campuses, and structure of each Miami-area program.
- U.S. Census Bureau 2023 Gazetteer and Population Estimates Program for Miami's coordinates and population.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2025) for Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL wages; ASWB regulatory database for Florida license requirements.
This Miami page was published 2026-06-29 and last updated 2026-08-05. "Near" means a campus within 60 straight-line miles of central Miami.