Online bachelor’s degrees in Social Work open up opportunities to become a licensed social worker or continue to Master’s level studies. Whether you want to work with children or in geriatric settings, in private practice or in non-profit, serving individuals or communities, a Bachelor’s in Social Work can help get you in the door at a large number of organizations. Bachelors level study of Social Work often provides a generalist perspective, and some programs offer additional concentrations in areas such as social justice, geriatric work, or working with families.
A Bachelor’s degree in Social Work opens up opportunities to become a licensed social worker or continue on to Master’s level studies in Social Work, and are more accessible than ever due to the growth of online degree programs.
Ranking the Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Social Work
- Affordability (1/3): the estimated out-of-state tuition per semester for a full time student.
- Flexibility (1/3): the number of delivery options, pacing options, and number of concentrations.
- Academic Reputation (1/3): the relative academic reputation of the parent institution, as provided by prominent ranking institutions.
1. The University of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota offers a number of social work-related degrees fully online, including a B.S. in Addiction Studies, Health Sciences, and certifications in Addiction Studies. Through their support services for online students, students can take full advantage of coursework related to social work, as well as full online library resources, tutoring, and IT support.
The currently estimated tuition is $10,104 for out-of-state learners, thus ranking the university as the second most affordable of those surveyed. Additionally, the University of South Dakota is the third highest-ranked university in regards to the Academic Reputation of schools surveyed.
2. Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University’s World Campus offers a fully online Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies with an option in Life Span Human Services. Certifications in Children, Youth and Family Services, or Adult Development and Aging Services are also available.
An internship is also required with a human services organization in your community to help students develop some real-world experience as a student. Additionally, Penn State University ranked highest in regards to the academic reputation of the schools surveyed. Furthermore, the estimated yearly tuition is currently $13,896.
3. Walden University
Walden University offers a B.S. in Human Services meant to teach students valuable skills in case management, crisis, and trauma response, advocacy, and community collaboration. The university gets top marks for flexibility through its offering of 9 concentrations meant to meet the personal and professional goals of students.
Also, Walden University is the 5th ranked university surveyed in regards to academic reputation. Moreover, the estimated tuition per year is $14,300.
4. University of Maryland – University College
The University of Maryland University College offers a fully online bachelor’s degree in Social Science with social work-related concentrations in Gerontology, Psychology, and Sociology. The degree is noted to serve as preparation for a variety of careers including elder care, health services, human resources, and community service. Currently estimated tuition for out-of-state students at the University of Maryland University College is $12,336. Making the program the 4th most affordable of those surveyed.
5. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University offers an accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work through their school for professional studies. Two areas of emphasis are available in the program, including a skilled practitioners track, and a commitment to the social justice track. A small number of upper-level courses will need to be taken online.
A bridge program is also available that can accelerate the taking of a bachelor’s and master’s program together. The University of St. Louis is the second-ranked university in regards to the academic reputation of schools surveyed. Currently, tuition is $37,966 per year.
6. Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University offers an online Bachelor’s degree in Social Work available on a full-time or also part-time basis fully online. The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level professional practice in a variety of public and private social welfare agencies. A generous transfer policy allows the transfer of up to 70 hours.
Appalachian State University ranks 7th for the academic reputation of schools surveyed. Furthermore, the currently estimated tuition is $19,720.
7. Eastern New Mexico University
Eastern New Mexico University offers a Bachelor of Social Work program largely online, requiring a few visits to campus. The program seeks to provide basic knowledge, skills, and values necessary for a competent and ethical generalist social work setting.
Eastern New Mexico University stands out with estimated out-of-state tuition of $10,069. So, it is the cheapest program surveyed.
8. Humboldt State University
Humboldt State University offers an online Bachelors of Arts in Social Work meant to prepare students for beginning a generalist social work practice. The program is particularly meant to prepare individuals for practice in the northern coastal region of California but is applicable for generalist practice nationwide.
Live course meetings meet every Monday during the semester, and accepted students are required to attend one week of on-campus orientation at the start of the semester. The estimated tuition is currently $18,314.
9. Utah State University
Utah State University offers both BA and BS Social Work programs entirely online hoping to prepare students for careers in public welfare, corrections, school social work, child welfare, or family services. Related online bachelor’s degrees include Family Life Studies, Family, Consumer, Human Development, and also an MSW in social work. The estimated tuition per semester is currently $18491 for out-of-state students. Therefore, Utah State University ranked 4th for the academic reputation of schools surveyed.
10. Brandman University
Brandman University offers a fully online Bachelor of Arts in Social Work seeking to provide students with the knowledge and experience needed for entry-level careers in areas such as child welfare, community mental health, developmental disabilities, or criminal justice.
An online minor as well as BA degrees in Sociology, Social Science, and Criminal Justice are also available. The estimated per-semester tuition is currently $12,200. So, this program is the third cheapest of those surveyed.
11. Brescia University
Brescia University offers a Bachelor of Social Work degree completion program with five start dates yearly. Start months include January, March, May, August, and also October. Students are expected to transfer in at least 45 credits, which will be built upon with a flexible two-year curriculum built for adult learners. Brescia University ranked 10th for the academic reputation of schools surveyed. The estimated tuition per semester is currently $19,990.
12. Clarion University
Clarion University offers online Bachelor of Arts degrees in Sociology as well as Sociology and Psychology, as well as a minor in Social Work. The Social Work minor involves 18 credits and gives students knowledge of areas such as theory, research methods, inequality, family, social issues, deviance, and conflict resolution. The estimated tuition per semester is $13,198, therefore the program is the 6th most affordable of those surveyed.
13. Southwestern Christian University
Southwestern Christian University offers a Bachelors in Professional Leadership with a Social Service Concentration. The program is meant to prepare students for graduate school or jobs in settings such as geriatric centers, correctional facilities, or child care facilities.
Due to the Christian nature of the university, relevant Bible lessons are incorporated into the curriculum. Estimated per semester tuition is currently $14,220, making the program the 8th most affordable program surveyed.
14. Southeastern Louisiana University
Southeastern Louisiana University offers a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Family Studies entirely online. The program focuses on preparing students to enhance the lives of children and families through research, classroom instruction, and also internship experiences. Estimated per semester tuition is currently $17,734, thus making the program the 10th most affordable of those surveyed.
15. Huntington University
Huntington University offers an accelerated degree in social work for adult learners. Furthermore, this program prepares students to become licensed in any US state and to serve in social work capacities for individuals, families, groups, and communities.
For students who already have their general education requirements completed, the course of study requires 72 major credit hours including a senior practicum. Thus, the estimated per-semester tuition is currently $24,771.
Other Online Bachelor’s Degrees
Students may be also interested in a similar degree in Social and Human Services. For example, there are many traditional and online bachelor’s degrees in human services available.
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