Best universities for Social work (2026)

82 UK universities teaching Social work as a full-time degree, ranked on graduate pay, jobs, student satisfaction, students staying on and entry points.

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#	University	Score	Salary 5 yrs on	Working or studying	Satisfied	Typical UCAS
1	University of Greenwich (Part of London and South East University Group) Greenwich, London · TEF Gold	64	£34.5k	—	95%	136
2	University of Bristol Bristol, City of, South West · TEF Silver	62	£46.5k	88%	85%	136
3	University of Dundee Scotland	62	£37.5k	100%	85%	152
4	Glasgow Caledonian University Scotland	61	£38k	98%	91%	136
5	University of Birmingham Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Silver	61	£35.5k	95%	92%	152
6	University of Edinburgh Scotland	60	£40k	90%	83%	168
7	University of Portsmouth Portsmouth, South East · TEF Gold	60	£35.5k	90%	94%	120
8	University of York York, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	60	£30.5k	100%	89%	136
9	University of Keele Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands · TEF Gold	59	£35.5k	95%	95%	104
10	Teesside University Middlesbrough, North East · TEF Gold	59	£33k	—	97%	120
11	Nottingham Trent University Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Gold	58	£34.5k	90%	89%	120
12	University of Bath Bath and North East Somerset, South West · TEF Gold	58	£32k	90%	90%	136
13	Cardiff Metropolitan University Cardiff, Wales	57	£36.5k	95%	86%	120
14	University of Hertfordshire Welwyn Hatfield, East of England · TEF Silver	57	£35k	—	85%	136
15	University of Lancaster Lancaster, North West · TEF Gold	57	£32k	95%	79%	136
16	Robert Gordon University Scotland	56	£37k	90%	90%	136
17	University of Lincoln Lincoln, East Midlands · TEF Gold	56	£34k	—	87%	104
18	University of Leeds Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	56	£31k	100%	86%	136
19	University of Sunderland Sunderland, North East · TEF Silver	56	£27.5k	95%	92%	152
20	Kingston University Kingston upon Thames, London · TEF Gold	55	£34.5k	90%	90%	104
21	New College Durham County Durham, North East · TEF Silver	55	£33k	85%	93%	—
22	University of Hull Kingston upon Hull, City of, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	55	£30k	88%	93%	128
23	University of Strathclyde Scotland	54	£37k	85%	75%	184
24	Southampton Solent University Southampton, South East · TEF Gold	54	£34.5k	80%	94%	120
25	University of East London Newham, London · TEF Silver	54	£34k	85%	88%	136
26	University of Essex Colchester, East of England · TEF Silver	54	£33.5k	90%	90%	120
27	University of Northampton West Northamptonshire, East Midlands · TEF Silver	54	£32k	90%	84%	136
28	Wrexham University Wrexham, Wales	54	£32k	88%	91%	120
29	University of Cumbria Cumberland, North West · TEF Silver	54	£29k	100%	88%	120
30	Queen's University Belfast Northern Ireland	54	—	92%	79%	136
31	Bournemouth University Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, South West · TEF Silver	53	£37k	100%	75%	120
32	University of East Anglia Norwich, East of England · TEF Silver	53	£34.5k	95%	81%	120
33	University of Nottingham Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Silver	53	£32.5k	85%	91%	120
34	University of South Wales/Prifysgol De Cymru Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales	52	£37k	90%	74%	120
35	University of Plymouth Plymouth, South West · TEF Gold	52	£35k	80%	78%	120
36	Moorlands College New Forest, South East · TEF Silver	52	£23.5k	100%	92%	120
37	University of the West of Scotland Scotland	51	£33.5k	94%	88%	104
38	London South Bank University Southwark, London · TEF Silver	51	£32.5k	—	87%	104
39	University of Central Lancashire Preston, North West · TEF Silver	51	£32k	85%	91%	120
40	Swansea University Swansea, Wales	51	£31.5k	85%	80%	136
41	Liverpool Hope University Liverpool, North West · TEF Silver	51	£31k	80%	94%	120
42	University of Salford Salford, North West · TEF Silver	51	£31k	95%	79%	120
43	Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester, North West · TEF Gold	51	£25.5k	95%	90%	120
44	Oxford Brookes University Oxford, South East · TEF Silver	50	£36.5k	95%	70%	104
45	Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge, East of England · TEF Gold	50	£34.5k	85%	78%	104
46	Buckinghamshire New University Buckinghamshire, South East · TEF Silver	50	£34.5k	80%	87%	104
47	University of Gloucestershire Cheltenham, South West · TEF Silver	50	£34.5k	95%	77%	120
48	Birmingham City University Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Silver	50	£33k	85%	88%	112
49	University of Staffordshire Stoke-on-Trent, West Midlands · TEF Silver	50	£29.5k	90%	88%	120
50	University of Huddersfield Kirklees, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	50	£25k	90%	94%	112

How the score works: universities are compared within each subject on salary five years after graduating (27%), the share in work or further study (18%), student satisfaction (18%), students staying on (13.5%), typical UCAS points (13.5%, compared within each nation) and the TEF rating (10%, England). 50 is typical. Figures: Discover Uni (Office for Students, HESA), National Student Survey, Graduate Outcomes, HMRC LEO earnings; full-time first degrees.

Questions

What is the best university for Social work?

On our measures University of Greenwich (Part of London and South East University Group) ranks first for Social work, followed by University of Bristol, University of Dundee, Glasgow Caledonian University. Rankings depend on what matters to you, so compare pay, jobs and satisfaction.

Which university's Social work graduates earn the most?

University of Bristol: typical earnings of £46.5k five years after graduating (HMRC tax records).