25 Best Fully Online Master’s in Social Work Programs for 2026

Written by Dr. Nicole Harrington, Last Updated: May 6, 2026

Finding a fully online MSW program with CSWE accreditation takes more effort than a basic search suggests, as fully online, program-delivered options are relatively limited. This list covers 25 programs selected for accreditation standing, online delivery, field placement support, and overall value, ranging from under $300 to over $1,800 per credit. All are CSWE-accredited and available to students outside the home state.

Access to quality mental and behavioral health services remains a serious gap in the U.S., and the shortage of trained social workers is part of why. Online MSW programs haven’t solved that problem, but they’ve made it easier for more people to get the credential they need to help address it. You can now earn an accredited master’s degree in social work without relocating, taking a leave from work, or choosing between family and school.

That said, fully online MSW programs with legitimate CSWE accreditation are less common than search results suggest. Social work is a hands-on field, and many programs that call themselves “online” still require substantial on-campus time. The options here are delivered online, with field placements arranged locally.

This list is for students at different starting points. If you already hold a BSW, several of these programs offer advanced standing options that significantly shorten the path to your MSW. If you’re coming from a different background and need a part-time schedule to stay employed while you study, you’ll find those options here, too.

A Focus on Programs Delivered Entirely (or Almost Entirely) Online

Most programs on this list are 100% online, but we stayed flexible on that requirement. A handful require a brief on-campus visit, typically an orientation at the start of the program or a short intensive near the end. We did not exclude an otherwise excellent program because of one weekend on campus. Where exceptions exist, we’ve noted them in each program’s listing. For day-to-day coursework, every program here is delivered online.

What We Looked for in Online MSW Programs

CSWE accreditation was the starting point, not the finish line. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is the sole accrediting body for MSW programs in the United States, and its accreditation process evaluates curriculum against real-world practice standards, assesses core competencies, and reviews administrative support. Programs without it may not meet licensure requirements or expected standards.

Beyond accreditation, we looked at three things closely.

Class format. Most programs use a mix of synchronous sessions (live virtual classes with instructors and classmates) and asynchronous coursework (recorded lectures and assignments you complete on your own schedule). Neither is inherently better, but the balance depends on individual scheduling needs. We favored programs with learning management systems that are well-designed and don’t add friction to the learning process.

Field placement support. You’ll spend hundreds of hours in a supervised practicum during your MSW. Finding a placement site that aligns with your career goals is hard enough when you’re down the road from your university. When you’re studying from another state, it takes real infrastructure to get it right. We looked for programs with dedicated placement staff, broad agency networks, or a proven track record of placing distance students in appropriate field sites.

Value. Cost per credit is the most straightforward measure, and costs vary by institution, residency status, and program format. But value also includes what the tuition pays for: faculty access, career services, field placement support, and the reputation of the degree. We’ve included programs across the full cost spectrum because the right fit depends on more than price.

How We Selected These Programs

This list reflects the judgment of our editorial staff after reviewing programs against the criteria above. No formula was used to score or rank these programs, and they are not ranked against one another. Each was selected because it offers something worth recommending, whether that’s an unusually strong clinical concentration, standout affordability, a specialized focus area, or particularly robust support for online students. We recommend them independently and without compensation.

 

Arizona State University
School of Social Work
Tempe, Arizona
Website

Online Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $796

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • ASU was named the #1 university for innovation by U.S. News & World Report, ahead of both Stanford and MIT.
  • Expert faculty with backgrounds in diverse areas such as gerontology and child welfare, including members of the National Academy of Public Administration and fellows of the APA and ACJS
  • Field Education Office helps ease the difficulty of finding internships sites in your geographic region to meet school and CSWE requirements

One of the largest and most diverse schools for social work in the United States got even more diverse when ASU took their Master of Social Work program online. With the ability to draw on students from every state, in every kind of employment (thanks to flexible, asynchronous class offerings), the school opened up eligibility to thousands who wouldn’t otherwise have the option to earn an MSW. That might include you, and it certainly includes your fellow students, who will bring perspectives and experiences to class that will expand your horizons and make you a better social worker. Two professional seminars, streamed live, are designed to help your professional development. The advanced generalist practice concentration offered by the program will give you the basis in behavioral health, community practice, administration, policy advocacy, and general welfare to branch out into any aspect of social work you choose after graduation. Due to the school’s location, it has a particular expertise to offer in terms of borderlands issues and human trafficking, with a unique degree of attention given to the cultural diversity and distinct populations of the American Southwest. Whether you are a fellow desert dweller or not, though, the ASU MSW is a top pick in online programs.

 

Boise State University
School of Social Work
Boise, Idaho
Website

Online Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $495

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Ranked #14 in the nation for Quality & Affordability for 2018 by the SR Education Group
  • Unprecedented online support for remote students from the Advising and Academic Support Center, the Boise State Writing Center, and other administrative departments
  • Advanced Standing Option available for BSW holders

Bringing the blue to you (for you non-football fans, the BSU turf is famously bright blue) is Boise State University’s top-ranked Online MSW program. Coming from Idaho, which is about as far from a being a hotbed of urban poverty and diversity as you can get, you might not have high expectations for the experience and expertise offered by BSU in social work. But you would be surprised at the rigorous and transformative curriculum put together by the expert faculty, who have built their experience working all over the country. Homelessness, child care, and substance abuse are no respecters of the urban/rural divide, and providing adequate clinical rural social work simply introduces another set of challenges to be overcome. The advantages to a non-urban school become even more clear when you look at the cost per credit of attending. You can take on field work in your own region or area and still enjoy rock-bottom tuition rates by picking the BSU program.

 

Boston University
School of Social Work
Boston, Massachusetts
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $825

  • Delivery: 100% online (part-time only)
  • Weekly Live Classroom sessions help keep you on the same page with fellow students and your instructors
  • Major in Clinical Practice or Macro Practice
  • Three tracks available to complete the degree: Traditional, Human Service Experience, or Advanced Standing
  • Ranked #10 on the 2018 U.S. News & World Report list of Top Graduate Schools in Social Work in the United States

As one of the leading private research universities in the Northeast, it’s pretty easy to predict that Boston University would have a killer School of Social Work. But the best aspect of their terrific Master of Social Work program is that they have put it entirely online, opening it up to thousands of students who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to relocate and attend the on-campus program. And they’ve done it at a surprisingly affordable cost, considering the quality of the faculty and the caliber of courses available. It’s an enormously flexible program, with only one synchronous course required each week and the rest available for you to consume at a time and place of your own choosing. The majors in clinical or macro practice allow you to tailor your schools to the type of social work you hope to practice after graduation, while individuals with prior experience or a bachelor’s degree have fast-track options open to complete the program. The Advanced Standing track works as most such tracks do, allowing BSE students to effectively skip the first year of the MSW, but the Human Services Experience (HSE) track also offers something similar to any applicant with at least two years of supervised human services experience. That makes the school a clear choice for anyone looking to advance their social work career, but who doesn’t already have a bachelor’s in the field.

 

California State University, North Ridge
Department of Social Work
Northridge, California
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $752

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • One live online session per week helps tie you into your courses and provide real-time interaction with instructors and fellow students
  • A dedicated Program Manager offers ongoing support to students from application to graduation, helping to smooth out any remote learning wrinkles you might encounter

CSUN delivers their excellent and affordable online MSW in a cohort format, which offers you the support and interaction with fellow students that you will remember as the highlight of your education. Developing links and rapport with both those students and your instructors not only helps you through the demanding program, but also reinforces the lessons that you will learn about social work in general. With a particular expertise in urban family studies and urban social work, the CSUN MSW is primarily oriented at preparing practitioners to address social services needs in the Greater Los Angeles and Southern California region. It’s a strengths-based, community-oriented program that incorporates the history of the profession while tracking closely with current and rising local, national, and global issues that affect urban populations. A capstone course will have you performing an active research project with your cohort, making direct observations, reports, and conclusions that will draw on all of your training and pull it into a coherent culminating experience before graduation.

 

Columbia University
School of Social Work
New York, New York
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $1,564

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Offers 5 program completion choices, including advanced standing and transfer options
  • Degree specializations are available in Advanced Clinical Practice and Social Enterprise Administration
  • Further focus can be found in 2 field of practice concentrations, in Family, Youth, and Children’s Services or Health, Mental Health & Disabilities
  • A capstone project at the culmination of the course can be completed entirely online, or in person; a thesis option is also available

A Columbia MSW is a coveted degree (with a corresponding price tag!) that you used to have to move to New York City to earn. But with the introduction of their online MSW program, you can skip the added expense and hassle of moving to New York while still getting all the benefits of the deep experience and expertise offered by instructors at this hallowed Ivy League institution. The similarities between the online and on campus programs are reinforced by a synchronous, real-time class schedule, where you attend simultaneously at fixed times with the rest of your class. The Adobe Connect, webcam-driven system keeps you tightly connected with your professor and fellow students through breakout sessions, Q&As, and class projects. There’s no better way to build contacts in the field! At the same time, since you will have field placements that are local to you, you can get all the special regional expertise that you’ll need to make a career in social work where you live. You have the option of switching over to the regular on-campus MSW program at the start of any academic year, but with an online option this good, why would you?

 

Florida State University
College of Social Work
Tallahassee, Florida
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $444 (in-state), $625 (out-of-state)

  • Delivery: 100% online (for advanced standing students; 2 weekend visits required for traditional track)
  • Rated as the #1 Online Master of Social Work Program in Florida by U.S. News & World Report
  • Ranked in the Top 25 Best Value Social Work Programs by Kiplinger Personal Finance
  • Office of Professional Development offers an online job board and provides assistance to alumni through the social worker licensing process
  • An assigned Student Success Advisor will be on call to assist you at every point through the program, from online enrollment to field placement support
  • GRE Not Required for those that meet the waiver requirements

As the first university in the United States to offer an online Master of Social Work, you had to know that FSU was going to make our list of top programs. With 100 years of social welfare courses behind them as well as that extensive online class experience, it’s easy to see how the school makes the number one position in the state in the U.S. News & World Report ranking of online MSWs, but it’s even more impressive that it attains that position while also being one of the lowest cost, best value programs in the country. You’ll also find learning at FSU is conducted in a warm, caring, collaborative environment. It takes extra effort and expert instructors working in an online setting to deliver that kind of experience, and the strength of the social work community at FSU is unmatched. A diverse cohort brings amazing life histories and professional experience to the program, each of them with something new to teach you, just as your own valuable history will contribute to the growth and education of others in the program.

 

Fordham University
Graduate School of Social ServiceN
ew York, New York
Website

Online Master of Social Work

Four focus areas available:

  • Individuals and Families
  • Organizations and Community
  • Evaluation
  • Policy Practice and Advocacy

Cost Per Credit: $935

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Ranked #24 on the 2018 U.S. News & World Report list of Top Graduate Schools in Social Work in the United States
  • Offers a holistic approach to online learning with comprehensive support including dedicated advising, personalized guidance, 24/7 tech support, and invitations to industry events and exposure to new research
  • A Global Access Membership is included to WeWork, allowing you to use any location to study or collaborate
  • Field placement agency partnerships across the country ensure you the option to engage in field work practicum at a site near you that meets Fordham’s high standards

As a private research university, Fordham’s program isn’t the cheapest you are going to find for a master’s degree in social work, but the transformative experience you’ll get through the comprehensive online program is hard to beat at any price. You’ll need a separate contact book for all the individualized specialists responsible for helping you make the most of the program: admissions counselor, placement specialist, career services specialist, student support advisor… the list goes on! And that’s before you even reach into the deep well of the Fordham alumni community, a tightly-knit band of graduates who have gone on to make their mark in the field and who stand ready to lend you a hand getting your own career going. Courses are composed of weekly seminar-style classes punctuated by break-out sessions with groups of your peers, discussing the latest reading assignments or research projects. A spirit of inquiry and curiosity is the defining feature of the Fordham MSW program, which means no questions are too small or too crazy. With a great selection of focus areas to choose from, you’ll get every opportunity to tailor your education to your own career goals.

 

Indiana University
School of Social Work
Indianapolis, Indiana
Website

Master of Social Work

Concentrations in Clinical and Community Practice available.

Cost Per Credit: $574 (in-state), $716 (out-of-state)

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Top Ranked Master of Social Work Program in Indiana according to U.S. News & World Report
  • Offered by the oldest university-associated school of social work in the United States

IU takes a special three-phase approach to social work education, a practice borne out of many years of experience in the field. Foundation courses are offered to students with regular standing, replicating the type of education that advanced standing students (who already have a BSW) received at the bachelor’s level in an intensive 6-course sequence. Then, the program branches (or begins, for advanced standing students) into concentration courses: 5 courses the expand both breadth and depth in the field, covering everything from clinical theory to executive leadership practices. The third phase, the one you won’t necessarily find elsewhere, goes into special practice areas: a taste of the diverse range of specializations that a social worker can choose from during the course of their career, covering everything from military and veteran social work to mental health and addictions practices. IU also has some cutting edge electives you won’t find elsewhere, like the e-social work practice with groups, which goes into the best practices and policies for delivering telebehavioral health services to groups. It’s great experience and value from a public university MSW program, and it’s on offer to students anywhere in the country to take advantage of.

 

Louisiana State University
School of Social Work
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $539

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Intensive program delivery does not follow traditional semester format, allowing 3 entry point options each year (or 2 for advanced standing entry).
  • A wide array of social work organizations have chapters on campus including NASW, CSWE, SSWR, and ASWB

World-class faculty and an 80-year history of delivering quality social work education are standing behind a program that has made the leap into the 21st century with a superb online MSW option. Louisiana is a unique and diverse place that has populations experiencing every sort of trouble that a social worker can encounter, from deeply urban homelessness to rural isolation and pan-spectrum addiction issues. All that trouble and human misery is being handled by local and regional agencies that LSU’s School of Social Work is closely aligned with and serves as a tool for training as well as a focus of targeted relief for students enrolled in the program. The Advanced Generalist Practice concentration will prepare you for achieving licensure as a social worker and for delivering expert services in a clinical capacity.

 

Loyola University
School of Social Work
Chicago, Illinois
Website

Master of Social Work Online Bilingual (Spanish)

Cost Per Credit: $700

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Internship and research opportunities offered across more than 300 local, national, and international organizations
  • School ranked #38 in the nation among Graduate Schools of Social Work by U.S. News & World Report

Loyola’s already superb mainstream MSW program offers plenty of courses that are entirely online or available in a blended or hybrid format. But their online bilingual Master of Social Work in English and Spanish is not only available 100 percent online, but is also the first of its kind in the mainland U.S. and an innovative degree option that is just too good to pass up. Equipping social workers with the knowledge and skills to address the underserved needs of Latinx, immigrant, and refugee populations, the degree aims to boost the availability of both linguistically and culturally competent professionals in that community. The Bilingual MSW Program has a focus on mental health and migration among the Latinx communities, and it is taught by instructors with a wide variety of clinical and policy research interests. All of them deliver a rigorous education in the Jesuit tradition.

 

Morgan State University
School of Social Work
Baltimore, Maryland
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $433 (resident), $851 (out-of-state)

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • One of the first social work schools in the country to receive CSWE accreditation

Morgan State is the largest of the historically black colleges and universities in the state of Maryland and is the state’s designated research university. That offers MSW students at Morgan a unique perspective into the work of alleviating poverty, human suffering, and oppression in one of the most deeply afflicted urban areas in the country. To build future social workers qualified to address those ingrained, systemic, and devastating multi-generational issues, Morgan State adheres closely to the 11 core competencies outlined by the CSWE. The program requires that students demonstrated well-grounded knowledge of social work practices, a commitment to the ethical and value tenets that underlie modern social work practice, and a capacity to embrace ethnic and racial differences and diversity in communities. Recognizing the individual and community impacts of policy issues helps prepare you to take on not only clinical tasks but also a meaningful advocacy role as you enter the larger world of social work with a degree from MSU.

 

New Mexico State University
School of Social Work
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $253 (resident), $881 (out-of-state)

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • School hosts a chapter of the Graduate Student Social Work Association for networking and collaboration
  • The Child Welfare Scholar Program aims to increase the number of MSW graduates providing child and family services in New Mexico through a scholarship award program

NMSU offers a collaborative practice approach to social work education that promotes the skills and knowledge you’ll need for focused interventions with individuals, groups, families, and larger communities… everything from neighborhood organizing to bringing together entire states. Critical thinking skills and the differential application of advanced social work knowledge are the key to this approach, and at NMSU you’ll get a hardcore advanced generalist concentration that delivers both. With an extremely affordable in-state tuition rate, the Las Cruces-centered program is nonetheless a terrific option for any student anywhere in New Mexico who doesn’t want to relocate for school.

 

Our Lady of the Lake University
Worden School of Social Service
San Antonio, Texas
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $907

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Specific pedagogical orientation toward serving the needs of the Hispanic community
  • Awarded the 2009 Presidential Award for Excellence from CSWE, a prestigious sign of excellence among all American MSW programs

As the first school of social work in the state of Texas, Our Lady of the Lake goes way back in the field of social services education. That experience is put to good use in the modern, updated, entirely online MSW curriculum option, which gives you the solid, traditional social working knowledge, from psychopathology to social systems. As one of only three programs in the nation with an intentional orientation toward Hispanic community needs and issues, the online program of this Southwestern university serves as a resource for social work education in any of the many communities with increasing Hispanic communities across the country. The OLLU program includes a scope that extends across the lifespan, from newborns to the very elderly, equipping you to take up a clinical practice specializing in almost any demographic.

 

Portland State University
School of Social Work
Portland, Oregon
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $469 (resident), $685 (out-of-state)

  • Delivery: Primarily online, 2 days on-campus required each year for community building and instruction
  • Ranked among the best MSW degrees in the nation by U.S. News & World Report
  • The only CSWE-accredited master’s program offered in the state of Oregon
  • Concentrations available in Practice and Leadership with Communities and Organizations, or in Health Across the Lifespan
  • The Behavioral Health Integration Project offers field experience working with rural and/or medically underserved populations across the lifespan together with a $10,000 stipend
  • Follows a cohort model with a three-year timeline using synchronous and asynchronous delivery mechanisms

The PSU Master of Social Work program doesn’t aim low. Offering the only statewide, CSWE-accredited program in Oregon, the PSU School of Social Work has high standards for every graduate. No matter what your intended area of practice—and the degree caters to both advocacy and policy work or clinical practice with two specially focused concentration—the faculty and staff put their all into inculcating graduates with leadership and advanced practice skills that will make for outstanding social workers serving in any capacity. Critically informed, non-discriminatory, collaborative practice is the method, with the knowledge of systemic oppression and organizational processes providing the levers to push to advance the causes of social and economic justice. Professors will help you develop a plan and motivation for continued professional development, ensuring that graduation is not the final step on your path, but the first one in a lifetime career of caring and learning that will benefit individuals and community as much as yourself.

 

Samford University
School of Public Health
Birmingham, Alabama
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $829

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Concentrations offered in Advanced Clinical Social Work or Community Practice and Social Engagement
  • Offers full and part-time options for standard or advanced standing students
  • School can help organize either domestic or international field placement sites, offering you the option of getting experience exactly where you need it to meet your career goals

Christian schools are traditionally excellent venues for earning a master’s degree in social work. Samford is one of them. The MSW program leverages the values of the Christian learning community in preparing graduates for a life of service to the community. The school offers concentrations in policy and macro work as well as focused clinical practice, but both options have the unique breadth of allowing you to develop your skills in rural, urban, or international practice settings among either religious or secular organizations. The promotion of human rights and social and economic justice is taught through the lens of interprofessional collaboration, recognizing that diversity and numbers are strengths to be leveraged in the cause of alleviating suffering and improving lives and communities being confronted with the pressing issues of modern living.

 

Simmons University
School of Social Work
Boston, Massachusetts
Website

Master of Social Work

Four available concentrations offer a broad spectrum of specializations to focus in:

  • Child and Family
  • Trauma and Interpersonal Violence
  • Health and Aging
  • Mental Health and Addictions

Cost Per Credit: $1,060

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Follows a cohort progression model with five start dates per year to offer both flexibility and a supportive class environment
  • The oldest school of clinical social work, founded originally in 1904

With the oldest school of social work in the country behind it, this master’s degree program doesn’t feel compelled to follow every modern twist and trend in the field; they’ve got the experience to know what’s important and how to teach it, and in this case, it’s clinical social work all the way. Simmons is where you go if you want the ultimate preparation for direct practice in hands-on settings like schools, clinics, health centers, prisons, or hospitals. A practical approach to real-world solutions characterizes the curriculum, with motivational interviewing and cognitive behavior therapy among the highlights of the treatment methods presented. To understand how and when to deploy what approaches, you’ll learn the latest theories of human development and relational and group process—having a long tradition doesn’t mean ignoring new developments at Simmons. And that’s why SocialWork@Simmons, the online version of that robust MSW program, takes those old-fashioned, reliable values and solutions and boots them solidly into the 21st century with cutting-edge synchronous and asynchronous class sessions. You get the best of both worlds with Simmons.

 

University of Central Florida
College of Health Professions and Sciences
Orlando, Florida
Website

Master of Social Work Online

Cost Per Credit: $487

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Ranked as both a best-value university by Kiplinger’s and among the nation’s most affordable college’s by Forbes magazine
  • Listed as one of the Most Innovative Universities in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report for 2018

A high-quality distance learning option is just the icing on the cake with this top-ranked social work program in sunny Florida. You can take advantage of the many asynchronous course options to spend some of your time out in that sunshine instead of inside the classroom (assuming you are at a suitable latitude—the program is open to students in all 50 states), but don’t mistake flexible for easy. UCF puts on a rigorous, innovative program that will impact your career and your way of thinking for the rest of your life as you take on big problems facing individuals and communities. The UCF faculty push you to shift your paradigms in their quest to graduate students who will become the thinkers, helpers, and makers that serve American communities for the next generation of social services.

 

University of Houston
Graduate College of Social Work
Houston, Texas
Website

Master of Social Work

Specialization in Health and Behavioral Health offered

Cost Per Credit: $434 (resident), $949 (out-of-state)

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • A cohort-based program will keep you tightly connected with fellow students as learning resources and moral supporters for one another
  • A field coordinator will assist you in organizing your local field work placements
  • Unique opportunities such as a legislative internships, the Trauma Education Project, and the Global Leaders of Behavioral Health Education program expand your horizons beyond the typical master’s experience

An affordable but comprehensive program at the University of Houston offers you the broad range of electives that you can expect from a top-ranked social work master’s degree. The online program focuses on the school’s clinical concentration, which takes you through hands-on intervention and assessment with every age group and at the family-level, focusing on providing you tools like cognitive behavioral therapies, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, and psychotherapeutic techniques that you will need out in the field to triage and address the oppressed and afflicted. The online course is built for motivated and self-directed students who benefit from small class sizes, direct instructor interaction, and a diverse student population in the tight-knit cohort. Since those instructors are some of the finest in their field, you will benefit from the extra individualized attention the format provides. All this comes at an enormously affordable price tag, making UH a clear choice for a social work master’s degree no matter where you are in the country.

 

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
School of Social Work
Urbana, Illinois
Website

Master of Social Work

Concentrations available in Advanced Clinical social work or Leadership and Social Change. Focuses in Advanced Clinical include:

  • Mental Health
  • Health Care
  • Children, Youth, and Family Services
  • Schools

Cost Per Credit: $579

  • Delivery: 100% online for Macro concentration; Hybrid for Clinical
  • Ranked #6 in the world among all social work programs and #5 in the United States by the Center for World University Rankings
  • The unique Illinois Placement Plan field placement system allows the potential for completing placements at your current employer if you are already working in the field

The iMSW program at Illinois is among the most innovative and flexible in the world, and you can enroll in it from anywhere in the United States at a tremendously affordable price. You get the choice of either a macro concentration in Leadership and Social Change, or a focus-oriented Advanced Clinical concentration. The Advanced Clinical concentration in iMSW is a hybrid that requires regular attendance on campus for four or fewer meetings per semester, while the LSC option can be completed entirely online. Either way, you’ll get top-quality instruction from some of the finest instructors in the field, with deep research and practice backgrounds that underpin their curriculum development and in-class teaching. Unusually, Illinois runs its field internship experience program as a block internship conducted entirely after you complete all other MSW coursework. This allows you to get the complete benefit of all the program instruction by the time you are sent out to get hands-on with real clients, enhancing your effectiveness and providing a more comprehensive integration of the various skills you will have learned.

 

University of South Florida
School of Social Work
Tampa, Florida
Website

Master of Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $550

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Advanced standing students only, requiring that you already hold a BSW from a CSWE-accredited school
  • Has more than 350 community partnerships with over 1,000 field instructors to ensure you land in a clinical field practicum that aligns with your area of interest

Although we all like to have options, sometimes the most efficient and effective educational programs use a singular focus to help create the best possible training specifically designed for a certain category of student. The Online Advanced Standing Master of Social Work Program at the University of South Florida is one of those. Open only to students who have earned a BSW from a CSWE-accredited school in the last five years, students of this program can obtain their MSW degree in as little as three semesters. As a fully prepared graduate student, you’ll drop right into the deep end of advanced social work education here. It’s a cohort-based program with a summer start that puts you in good company with other high-caliber students and top-notch instructors who offer plenty of individualized attention during a combination of live online and asynchronous class sessions. If you want a laser-focused master class in clinical social work and are prepared to hit the ground running, USF has the program for you.

 

University of Southern California
Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
Los Angeles, California
Website

Online Master of Social Work

Three specializations offered:

  • Adult Mental Health and Wellness
  • Children, Youth, and Families
  • Social Change and Innovation

Cost Per Credit: $1,863

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • One of the top-ranked graduate schools in Social Work in the United States for 2019 according to U.S. News & World Report
  • Full access offered to the complete and dazzling array of USC libraries and career services both during the program and after graduation

USC is picky about admissions to their top-ranked MSW program, and for good reason: they want to surround graduate students with aspiring leaders who are capable of thriving in a demanding program lead by nationally-recognized faculty. Classes are taught seminar style in a virtual classroom with approximately twelve other students, so the people around you matter a lot. Interactive coursework and 24/7 access mean you can live up to your potential around the clock, advancing further and faster with the support and encouragement of your peers while still keeping your own career timeline. The three specialization options (called departments at USC) allow you to tailor your courses to the specific practice area you are called for… from adult mental health and wellness to child services to big-picture topics in social change and community social services, USC has a path to offer you. A generous selection of electives on top of department-specific courses allows you to round out your education with even more specific learning options to create the ideal preparation for your career in social services.

 

University of Tennessee – Knoxville
College of Social Work
Knoxville, Tennessee
Website

Master of Social Work

Clinical (Evidence-Based Interpersonal Practice) or macro (Organizational Leadership) concentrations available.

Additional specialization offered through optional certificate programs in:

  • Gerontology
  • School Social Work Licensure
  • Trauma
  • Veterinary Social Work

Cost Per Credit: $626 (resident), $701 (out-of-state)

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • Full and part time scheduling options
  • Best in flexibility with a combination of synchronous and asynchronous online courses

The entire University of Tennessee – Knoxville online MSW program is a solid option for any student at any level of readiness to start on their social work master’s degree—full and part-time options and regular or advanced standing programs are on offer to online students. But the real gold at UTK comes in the specialization option offered by their four optional certificate programs. If you find another fully accredited social work program in the country that has a specialization in veterinary social work, looking at the human-animal relationship across all spectrums of social services, from assistance animals to dealing with the loss of pets, let us know. That kind of thoughtful, unique specialization offers an unprecedented degree of preparation for certain practical social work careers that you’ll never find at other schools. Add to that the enormous flexibility to the UTK program with its synchronous and asynchronous online courses and multiple completion options, and what you get is a place that unique students with unique and diverse interests come to build their expertise as the social workers of the future.

 

University of Denver
Graduate School of Social Work
Denver, Colorado
Website

Master of Social Work

Concentration available in Mental Health and Trauma.

Cost Per Credit: $1,320 (95% of students here receive financial assistance in the form of scholarships, grants and stipends)

  • Delivery: Online
  • University ranked among the top 10% of all social work schools in the nation
  • Outstanding opportunities for flexible and convenient study include a Denver campus program, off-site programs in Durango and Glenwood Springs, and a fully online program
  • Global learning opportunities include international and experiential courses and internships
  • Off-site MSW programs are designed to meet the needs of Colorado’s rural and tribal communities in southwestern Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico and the rural and mountain communities of Colorado’s western slope

With a position among the top 10% of social work schools in the nation, the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work stands out from the competition, whether you choose the MSW in Denver, in Durango (through the Four Corners MSW program), in Glenwood Springs (through the Western CO MSW program), or fully online. Choose the Denver campus MSW and you’ll be able to choose from eight concentrations and two graduate certificates. Choose the Four Corners or Western CO MSW program and you’ll enjoy a flexible, weekend schedule that’s designed to accommodate your busy, professional life. Or, choose the fully online MSW and you’ll be able to study from anywhere in the world and complete internships in your home community. Just some of the benefits of choosing the University of Denver for your MSW include: global learning opportunities, including international and experiential courses and internships…community outreach programs designed to meet the needs of Colorado’s rural and tribal communities in southwestern Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico and the rural and mountain communities of Colorado’s western slope…and a student-to-teacher faculty of just 14:1.

 

University of New England
School of Social Work
Portland, Maine
Website

Master of Social Work

Concentrations Available in:

  • Clinical Practice
  • Community Practice
  • Integrated Practice (combines clinical and community core requirements)

Cost Per Credit: $920

  • Delivery: 100% online and hybrid
  • Options to specialize through your choice of concentration or certificate program
  • Online program features a fully asynchronous learning model that allows you to study whenever and wherever it’s most convenient
  • On-campus program features a convenient blend of face-to-face and hybrid courses
  • MSW ranked among the best online programs in the U.S. by Best MSW Programs

The University of New England’s Master of Social Work is not just affordable and convenient, it’s earned a spot among the top five online programs in the U.S. by Best MSW Programs. Choose this graduate course of study and you’ll study in a student-centered, inclusive environment that features a values-based curriculum, options to specialize, and plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning. Choose the on-campus program and you’ll complete your MSW through a blend of face-to-face and hybrid courses, and you’ll complete a personalized fieldwork experience that best aligns with your career goals. Or, for the best in flexibility and convenience, choose the online MSW, which features a fully asynchronous learning model that allows you to study whenever and wherever it’s most convenient. Want to add another dimension to your MSW? Consider one of the certificate programs in today’s most relevant areas of study. As Maine’s largest private university, the University of New England features two campuses, an overseas campus in Tangier, Morocco, and internationally recognized scholars.

 

Case Western Reserve University
Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
Cleveland, Ohio
Website

MS in Social Administration

Concentrations available online:

  • Children, Youth and Families
  • Community Practice for Social Change
  • Mental Health (Adults)

Cost Per Credit: $1,484

  • Delivery: 100% online
  • University ranked ninth in the nation and first in Ohio among the best Graduate Social Work Schools by U.S. News & World Report in 2018
  • Outstanding 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio is one of the lowest in the nation among schools of social work
  • All full-time MSSA students receive a $1,000 stipend each semester while working the field

Case Western Reserve University’s MS in Social Administration (equivalent to an MSW) is comprehensive, robust, and flexible and offered in full-time, part-time, and intensive weekend formats. Choose the MSSA and you’ll personalize your degree through your choice of concentrations or certificates. You’ll also learn under a world-renowned faculty in an intimate environment with an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio—one of the lowest in the nation among schools of social work. As an MSW student, you’ll also receive a $1,000 award per semester as you work in the field. In fact, all on-campus, full-time MSSA students here receive this award as to help defray expenses while working in the field. Want even more reasons this MSSA stands out from the competition? It was ranked ninth in the nation and first in Ohio among the best Graduate Social Work Schools by U.S. News & World Report in 2018.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do online MSW programs carry the same weight as on-campus programs with employers?

Yes, if the program is CSWE-accredited. Employers and licensing boards generally recognize CSWE accreditation regardless of delivery format. What matters for licensure is that your program meets CSWE standards — not whether your classes were in person or online.

What is CSWE accreditation and why does it matter?

CSWE stands for the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting body for social work degree programs. An MSW from a CSWE-accredited program is required for licensure in most states. Programs without it typically do not qualify graduates to sit for ASWB licensing exams.

Can I complete field placement hours locally if I’m in an online program?

Most online MSW programs are designed to accommodate local field placements. Programs handle this differently — some have dedicated placement coordinators who find sites in your area, others maintain agency partnerships across multiple states. Check each program’s approach before enrolling, particularly if you live in a rural area.

What’s the difference between a standard MSW and an advanced standing MSW?

Advanced standing programs are designed for students who already hold a BSW from a CSWE-accredited institution. They allow you to waive the foundation year of the MSW, completing the degree in roughly one year of full-time study rather than two. Not all programs offer this option, and eligibility requirements vary.

Are there fully online MSW programs that don’t require any campus visits?

Yes. Several programs on this list are 100% online with no required on-campus component. A few require brief visits — typically a single orientation or short intensive — and we note those exceptions in each program’s entry. If zero campus time is a hard requirement for you, those details are worth checking before applying.

Key Takeaways

  • CSWE accreditation is typically required: It is required for licensure in most states and is the primary quality standard for MSW programs.
  • Fully online programs are relatively limited: Many programs marketed as online still require significant on-campus time. The programs here are verified for online delivery.
  • Field placement support varies widely: How a program handles local placements for distance students is one of the most important things to evaluate before enrolling.
  • Advanced standing can cut your time in half: If you hold a BSW from a CSWE-accredited school, look for programs offering advanced standing. You may be able to finish in about a year.
  • Cost per credit is only part of the value equation: Faculty access, placement infrastructure, and program reputation all factor into what your tuition actually buys.

Looking for MSW programs in your state? Browse our state-by-state guide to CSWE-accredited programs, including on-campus and hybrid options alongside the online programs listed here.

Find MSW Programs by State

author avatar
Dr. Nicole Harrington
Dr. Nicole Harrington, Ph.D., LCSW, HS-BCP is a licensed clinical social worker and Board Certified Human Services Practitioner with 20+ years in practice, supervision, and teaching. She earned her MSW from the University of Michigan and Ph.D. in Human Services from Walden University. At Human Services Edu, she ensures all content aligns with standards from CSHSE, CSWE, CACREP, and MPCAC.