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Adult case manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an adult case manager. Adult case managers usually study psychology, social work, or sociology. 74% of adult case managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 2,085 real adult case manager resumes to see exactly what adult case manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for adult case managers are the The University of Tennessee - Knoxville and the The University of Tennessee - Knoxville.
There are also many online adult case manager courses to help get the education required to be an adult case manager.
There are certain adult case manager certifications that you should consider. These adult case manager certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Case Manager (ACM).
What education do you need to become an adult case manager?
What degree do you need to be an adult case manager?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 9%
- Diploma, 1%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become an adult case manager?
- Psychology, 32%
- Social Work, 19%
- Sociology, 8%
- Criminal Justice, 8%
- Other Majors, 33%
Most common colleges for adult case managers
| Adult case manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| The University of Tennessee - Knoxville | 9.32% |
| Middle Tennessee State University | 8.24% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.53% |
| Florida International University | 6.45% |
| Florida State University | 5.73% |
Best majors for adult case managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychology | 31.6% |
| 2 | Social Work | 18.7% |
| 3 | Sociology | 7.8% |
| 4 | Criminal Justice | 7.8% |
| 5 | Human Services | 6.6% |
Best colleges for adult case managers
The best colleges for adult case managers are Boston University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Boston College.
An adult case manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for adult case managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become adult case managers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Enrollment
31,503
2. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,808
Enrollment
13,990
3. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Enrollment
34,637
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Enrollment
13,871
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
7. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Enrollment
9,142
9. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
10. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Enrollment
27,125
20 best online courses for adult case managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for adult case managers
The most affordable schools for adult case managers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for adult case managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for adult case managers.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
9. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for adult case managers
The hardest universities for adult case managers to get into are Boston University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Boston College.
Some great schools for adult case managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for adult case managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
4. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
6. SUNY at Binghamton
Vestal, NY • Private
Admissions rate
40%
SAT average
1,376
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for adult case managers
The easiest schools for adult case managers to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, wayland baptist university, and ottawa university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an adult case manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for adult case managers.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
3. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
4. Bluefield College
Bluefield, VA • Private
Admissions rate
95%
SAT average
980
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
8. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
9. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
10. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
Average adult case manager salary by education level
| Adult case manager education level | Adult case manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $46,478 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,612 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $42,482 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,863 |
Adult case manager education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025