Ready to Start Your Journey? When can I start?

You can begin exploring a career in social work as early as high school.

From there, opportunities to learn, grow  and gain hands-on experience continue through behavioral health paraprofessional roles and certificate programs, as well as community college pathways.

A four-year degree opens the door to becoming a social worker, and pursuing a master’s degree provides even greater opportunities for advancement and career independence.

See our Financial Incentives page to learn about available options to help pay for you education.

The Community Care Collective – an example of  Youth helping peers.

Classroom with students

Behavioral Health Educational & Career Pathways

First

High School

CTE • DUAL CREDIT • WBL
  • Teen Mental Health First Aid Certificate
  • Child & Human Development Classes
  • Psychology Classes
  • Paid Internships – Group & Individual Placements
  • Capstone projects

Young Adult (18+)

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
  • Youth Peer Support Specialist Certification
  • Community Health Worker Certification
  • Certified Mental Health Technician
  • Behavioral Health/Mental Health Certificate
  • Substance Abuse Counselor
  • Registered Behavior Technician
  • Certified Prevention Specialist
  • CCSS

 

 

Associate's Degree

LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
  • Associates of Arts in Human Services
  • Associate of Social Work

Note: While these associate degrees are good stepping stones to becoming a social worker, to practice as a social worker you must have a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) degree or a Masters of Social Work (MSW) degree from a four-year college or university.

 

Undergraduate Degree

NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY DEGREE OPTIONS

Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW)

Note: To practice as a social worker you must have a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) degree or a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a four-year college or university.

Graduate Degree

New Mexico Social Work Graduate Programs
  • Masters of Social Work (MSW)

NOTE: To practice as a social worker, you must have a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) degree or a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a four-year college or university.

However, to have a Master of Social Work (MSW) you do not need a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) degree. You can enroll in MSW programs if you have a Bachelor’s Degree in other majors. Helpful Bachelor’s Degrees include but are not limited to Psychology, Public, Health, Criminal Justice, Anthropology, B.S. Neuroscience, Education.

 

Source: Ali Sillas, LCSW, Future Focused Education (FFE)

Community Social Worker

Paraprofessional Careers to Get You Started

Below are paraprofessional bridge steps and certifications to becoming a behavioral health professional. You must have a social work degree from a 4-year college or university to become a social worker. However, these paraprofessional steps allow you to start making a difference in your community and learn more about what it would be like to be a social worker.

New Mexico Community Colleges: Paraprofessional Programs

Many of New Mexico’s Community Colleges offer certificates, credentials and degrees in behavioral health paraprofessional roles. Here’s a list of New Mexico’s community colleges.

New Mexico Universities: Bachelors & Masters Degree Social Work Programs

Eastern New Mexico University – Portales, NM
Programs in Social Work

Highlands University – Las Vegas, NM

Programs in Social Work

New Mexico State University – Las Cruces, NM

School of Social Work

Offers bachelor’s and master’s level degrees.

Here is a NMSU resource about loan repayment.

Western New Mexico University – Silver City, NM

Programs in Social Work

University of New Mexico – Albuquerque

Program starting in 2026

 

College Classroom