The Social Work Degree Guide ranked a social work degree from Iona College as the second most-valuable degree in social work nationally. The publication’s list includes 20 schools in metro areas that lead to top salaries for social workers.

“Not many people give social workers the credit they deserve, and for our program to be recognized like this amazing and I feel so lucky to be a part of the program at Iona College,” said senior Kelly McGovern.

The only school that topped Iona is George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

Other schools on the list include: Stony Brook University – SUNY (3rd), Rutgers (4th), Seton Hall University (5th), Providence College (6th), Sacred Heart University (9th), Loyola University Chicago (14th), Marist College (15th) and Southern Connecticut State University (20th).

“Earning an undergraduate degree in social work is smart economic move for students interested in a rewarding career in a helping profession,” according to the guide’s website. It says that the demand for qualified social workers is expected to skyrocket.

Although the market for social workers might be in the students’ favor, the field is not known to pay well, which is why the Social Work Degree Guide put out a list to help students position themselves as best as possible when pursuing such a career.

“Iona has prepared me extremely well,” said McGovern. “The internship opportunities I have had, at Iona Preparatory High School last year and this year at the Iona College Counseling Center has given me a better in sight on the social work profession”

In order to compile the list of schools, they looked at metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas that have baccalaureate-level accredited social work programs and selected the 20 areas with the highest salaries for social work as according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Then within each region, the schools with the highest return-on-investment (ROI) were selected. (ROI was determined by the list on payscale.com.)

The site describes Iona’s program as the “rigorous preparation needed to become a competent professional well-grounded in social work values.”

“The competency-based social work education our students receive at Iona prepares them exceptionally well for social work practice and has been a strong contributing factor in their earning potential,” said Dr. Jeanne Matich-Maroney, associate professor of social work and department chair, in Iona’s press release. “We are proud of the program, but even more so, of the hundreds of alumni who are using the knowledge and skills gained from their social work education at Iona to make significant differences in the lives of those they serve.”

Social work majors study human behavior, social welfare, diversity, social environment, lifespan development, social research, social work processes and field instruction.

“The social work program gives us an opportunity to experience all aspects of social work,” said McGovern. “Not many schools require their social work students to have internships both junior and senior year, but the fact that Iona did, has put all of us at a great advantage.”

The annual mean wage for a career in child, family and school social work within Iona’s geographical area is $57,410. According to the guide, metro areas tend to pay more than non-metropolitan areas.

The list also gives the 20-year net return on investment a social work major could receive after studying at Iona as $495,300.

The challenging and preparative program, the potential for a higher wage in our area, and the projected ROI, put Iona’s B.S. in Social Work in a very competitive position and is a major advantage for students pursuing such a career.

“I have applied to three graduate schools to pursue my masters in social work,” said McGovern. “I am still waiting to hear back from all three, but I am extremely excited to begin my career as a social worker.”