Social Work Degree

The social work program at City Colleges of Chicago – Harold Washington College prepares students for careers as an adolescent specialist, child and family social worker, healthcare social worker, mental health and substance abuse social worker, and more. The program focuses on social welfare administration and counseling, as well as studying organized means of providing basic support services for vulnerable individuals and groups. Program courses include: social welfare policy, case work planning, social counseling and intervention strategies, and administrative procedures and regulations. Get more details below including other Illinois colleges that offer social work degrees.

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City Colleges of Chicago – Harold Washington College

7500 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL

City Colleges of Chicago Harold Washington College (HWC) is located in downtown Chicago in the Loop area, and serves the urban higher education needs of its community. With about 9,000 students enrolled per year, HWC offers associate degree credit courses and other certification programs at affordable rates. The college offers 10 associate degree programs and numerous certificate courses, apart from continuing and retraining education opportunities.

Founded as Loop Junior College in 1962, HWC is named after Chicago’s first African-American Mayor. The college was renamed mere weeks after the untimely death of the Mayor, who was a strong advocate of the City Colleges of Chicago. The new facilities were occupied in 1982, two years prior to the renaming.

HWC offers courses in several areas of study, some of which are designed for vocational education and others as a foundation for further study at a four-year college. Offering an A to Z of courses from Afro-American Studies to Zoology, HWC provides for the needs of the community at an affordable price, making it accessible to a large percentage of the Chicago population.

Apart from its core curriculum of general education programs, HWC also has several extracurricular activity options through its many student clubs and organizations. Its focus on diversity can be seen from its ethnicity profile, which shows a near-equal racial distribution across several ethnic groups.

Their safety record, along with their focus on diversity and inclusion, makes it an ideal campus for full-and part-time students to pursue higher education and take advantage of higher paying jobs and better career opportunities.

Students Enrolled in the Social Work Program

Get more details below regarding enrollment, academics, and school demographics. City Colleges of Chicago – Harold Washington College has offered the following program levels for students:

• Less Than Two-Year Award
• Associate's Degree

Students by Academic Level (2019)

Students by Gender (2019)

Students by Race (2019)

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.

Career Options for Graduates

Social and Community Service Managers

Description

Plan, direct, or coordinate the activities of a social service program or community outreach organization. Oversee the program or organization's budget and policies regarding participant involvement, program requirements, and benefits. Work may involve directing social workers, counselors, or probation officers.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, social and community service managers employment is expected to grow at a rate of 9.5% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 2
  • Average Hourly Rate: $32.13
  • Average Annual Salary: $66830
• Gary, IN Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 210
  • Average Hourly Rate: $25.39
  • Average Annual Salary: $52810
• Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 280
  • Average Hourly Rate: $28.95
  • Average Annual Salary: $60210

Marriage and Family Therapists

Description

Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, marriage and family therapists employment is expected to grow at a rate of 14.8% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 160
• Gary, IN Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 30
  • Average Hourly Rate: $23.90
  • Average Annual Salary: $49710
• Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 50
  • Average Hourly Rate: $23.55
  • Average Annual Salary: $48990

Counselors, All Other

Description

All counselors not listed separately.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, counselors, all other employment is expected to grow at a rate of 11.0% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 740
  • Average Hourly Rate: $17.84
  • Average Annual Salary: $37110
• Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 140
  • Average Hourly Rate: $20.30
  • Average Annual Salary: $42220

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

Description

Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children. May assist parents, arrange adoptions, and find foster homes for abandoned or abused children. In schools, they address such problems as teenage pregnancy, misbehavior, and truancy. May also advise teachers.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, child, family, and school social workers employment is expected to grow at a rate of 6.2% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 7
  • Average Hourly Rate: $27.31
  • Average Annual Salary: $56800
• Gary, IN Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 510
  • Average Hourly Rate: $19.90
  • Average Annual Salary: $41390
• Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division
  • Total Employment: 670
  • Average Hourly Rate: $29.17
  • Average Annual Salary: $60680

Source: Job descriptions, estimated salary and wages, and projected job growth are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).