Quick Look:
- Most online MSW programs offer both full-time and part-time options to accommodate working professionals, with full-time completion typically taking 2 years and part-time options extending up to 4 years.
- Students can choose from various specializations, such as Clinical Social Work, Child and Family Services, Substance Abuse, and Macro-level Community Practice, allowing them to tailor their studies to specific career goals
- Many programs offer advanced standing for students with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), reducing credit requirements and completion time, typically from 60 to about 30 credit hours.
- Programs include foundational coursework, field practicums, and specialized classes, equipping students with practical skills and theoretical knowledge for diverse social work settings
The best CSWE Accredited Online MSW Degree Programs can advance your Social Work career and increase your earning potential in the field. Not all MSW programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
This is important to note if you intend to become a licensed clinical social worker. That’s because licensure requires that you graduate from a CSWE-accredited master’s program.
Methodology for Ranking the Best CSWE Accredited Online MSW Programs
The analytics team at Social Work Degree Center wants aspiring social workers and career-focused professionals to get the most out of their degrees. That’s why we focused our research on fully accredited, reputable social work programs offering excellent online options. Data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS, College Navigator, and each school’s website.
Finally, our analytics team applied a ranking methodology and scored the schools based on specific criteria.
For this ranking, Social Work Degree Center spent 80 hours of research and looked a 62 colleges and universities to compile the online MSW programs CSWE Accredited ranking. For more information on how we rank programs, visit the SWDC Methodology page.
Our editors first ranked CSWE-accredited online MSW programs in April 2022. This ranking was updated November 2024.
1. University of West Florida
The University of West Florida offers a variety of CSWE accredited MSW programs that are available entirely online. The UWF degree programs prepare graduates for a career in:
- child protective services
- foster care agencies
- mental health centers
- drug abuse and prevention programs
Applicants to the University of West Florida’s CSWE accredited MSW program must have earned the Bachelor of Social Work from a higher learning institution that was CSWE accredited within the previous seven years.
The University of West Florida is a top-ranked graduate school and also a member school of Florida’s state system. The university’s campus in Pensacola is home to nearly 13,000 students across the 1,500+ acreage property, making it the 3rd largest in Florida’s state university system. The school opened in 1963 and its mascot is the chambered Nautilus, which represents growth and accomplishment.
Degree: MSW Online
2. University of Iowa
The University of Iowa offers both innovative and an affordable online CSWE accredited MSW program. The school’s advanced generalist clinical social work degree program prepares aspiring practitioners for roles in clinical social work.
The MSW degrees have residencies from U of I in four various locations:
- Sioux City
- Quad Cities
- Des Moines
- Iowa City
In addition, students can complete the part-time online master’s degree program in 3 years. Also, there is no need to worry about out-of-state tuition, because online students pay the same as in-state students. Furthermore, Iowa’s CSWE accredited MSW program online ranks among the top twenty percent in the country.
The University of Iowa is a research school that opened in 1847. The school is recognized as Iowa’s second-largest institution of higher learning, with a student enrollment that nears 33,000 students. The University of Iowa is honored to host the Iowa Writer’s Workshops, with a history of more than a dozen Pulitzer Prize winners.
Degree: MSW Online
3. University of Houston
The University of Houston’s Graduate Social Work School offers online CSWE accredited MSW programs that are recognized among the best in the nation by several ranking agencies. All students enrolled in the Houston social work programs must also complete at least 900 hours with regard to practicum and fieldwork.
Classes for UH’s CSWE accredited online MSW program include:
- foundations practice skills
- human development
- confronting oppression & injustice
The graduate degree also includes classes in advanced social policy analysis, cognitive-behavioral interventions, and a field practicum.
The University of Houston is a multi-campus institution of higher learning that was established in the late 1920s. With more than 71,000 students, the University of Houston is among the Lone Star State’s biggest higher learning institutions. It is estimated the University of Houston contributes to the state’s economy, generating nearly 25,000 jobs yearly.
Degree: MSW Online
4. Troy University
Troy University offers two online CSWE accredited MSW program tracks. Students can choose an online master of social work with a focus on military families. Or they can choose a concentration on organizational leadership.
Students can complete one of these MSW degree programs in one year for those with a BSW or two years for those students who do not hold a BSW at application. Classes for Troy University’s CSWE accredited online MSW program include:
- direct practice evaluation
- assessment & psychopathology
- cultural diversity
- advanced social work practice with groups
- a practicum
Troy University was established in the late 1880s as Troy Normal School within the state’s university system. However, Troy University is now the flagship campus of the Troy System of Universities. The college-town campuses and online platform serve approximately 18,000 students each year. The campuses for Troy University are located in Troy, Montgomery, Phenix City, and also Dothan.
Degree: MSW Online
5. California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno offers one of California’s most affordable online CSWE accredited MSW programs. To be qualified for Fresno State’s master of social work programs, applicants must hold a bachelor’s of arts or bachelor’s of science degree from a four-year accredited school. Students enrolled in Fresno State’s CSWE accredited online MSW program do not offer rolling admissions and only one fall semester start date.
California State University, located in Fresno, was founded as a state-funded normal school for teacher training. The Fresno campus of the 23 school system is home to more than 25,250 students, a planetarium, and a commercial winery with products that have won hundreds of awards each year. The university’s Equestrian Team is ranked among the top ten nationally-ranked teams.
Degree: MSW Online
6. Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University’s School of Social Work offers online CSWE accredited MSW programs that are among Texas’s most innovative master of social work programs. Students enrolled in the university’s CSWE accredited online MSW program are required to complete 64 credit units at the master’s level to graduate.
This MSW program from Stephen F. Austin State University offers a specialized concentration of a generalist practitioner in a rural context. Using cultural sensitivity training, students learn to work with diverse populations. They also learn the evidence-based practice and clinical skills needed to deliver responsive services to vulnerable populations.
Stephen F. Austin State University, or Austin State, operates as an independent school. It is one of only six in Texas that was established in 1923. The university’s east Texas location covers more than 400 acres and serves more than 14,050 students each year online and on the small-town campus. The university is named to honor one of Texas’s founding fathers.
Degree: MSW Online
7. University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma’s Zarrow School of Social Work offers one of Oklahoma’s best online master. Degree candidates are required to finish at least sixty credit units at the graduate level – al online.
Advanced standing applicants attending these master of social work programs have to complete 36 credits units. In addition, the practicum placement for Oklahoma’s online master include 1010 clock hours over the two years.
The University of Oklahoma is a public institution of higher education that was established in 1890. Oklahoma is also a space-grant school with more than 28,150 students attending classes online and on the university’s 3,000 suburban acres. The university is home to two of the state’s preeminent museums – the Jones Museum of Art and the Noble Museum of Natural History – specializing in Oklahoma history.
Degree: CSWE-accredited online Master of Social Work
8. Louisiana State University and A&M College
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College’s School of Social Work offers one of south’s best and most affordable CSWE accredited MSW programs online. Students enrolled in LSU’s master of social work programs take classes delivered in seven-week long modules in a cohort model.
LSU offers six start dates for its Oklahoma’s online CSWE accredited MSW programs, with most students completing the program in two years studying full-time or 3.5 to 4 years with part-time enrollment.
LSU Agricultural & Mechanical College was established in the mid-1850s as a land-grant school under the Morrill Land Grant Act. The university’s 600-acre campus serves nearly 35,000 students. In addition, LSU is a sea and space-grant school with the school’s campus situated along the Mississippi River.
Degree: MSW Online
9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s School of Social Work offers two online master programs. The school has both an advanced standing and a traditional entry program.
Applicants to UIUC’s advanced-standing master of social work programs must have completed a BSW within the past seven years from a CSWE program and are required to complete 44 to 56 credits. Applicants to the Urbana-Champaign online CSWE accredited MSW programs through the traditional track must complete 72 credits to graduate.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U of I) was founded in the late 1860s as a land grant school and industrial university. This flagship school of the state’s university system serves more than 52,250 students. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign continues its efforts across campus in terms of sustainable construction and renovations.
Degree: MSW Online
10. Simmons University
Simmons University offers one of Boston’s most innovative CSWE accredited MSW programs online. The school offers multiple masters of social work programs with an extended, standard, accelerated, and also advanced standing track.
The fastest of Simmons University’s online CSWE accredited MSW programs is the accelerated traditional program or the advanced standing track. Both can be completed in only sixteen months. Classes for these MSW degree options include:
- human behavior
- social welfare policy
- social policy and communities
- a field education placement
Simmons was established in the late 1890s as a women’s school. However, the university now allows men to enroll at the graduate level. The school enrolls around 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students each year. In addition, Simmons University is a participating member of the College of Fenway’s consortium, with parts of the original social work school noted with the Boston Women’s Heritage Path.
Degree: MSW Online
11. Widener University
Widener University offers a variety of delivery options for its CSWE accredited MSW programs online. These master of social work programs from Widener are available as a traditional admission (57 credit units) or advanced standing admission (36 credit units).
In addition, students interested can opt for a dual degree of MSW and Master of Education with an emphasis in human sexuality studies. Classes for Widener University’s online CSWE accredited MSW programs human behavior and the social environment. Additional coursework includes:
- interpersonal processes
- social change
- foundation in generalist social work practice
Widener University was established in 1821 as a school for boys. Widener now operates as a multiple campus institution of higher education with satellite campuses in both Pennsylvania and Delaware and serves over 6,000 students each year. After being established as a boy’s school, Widener University operates as a military academy for more than eight decades.
Degree: MSW Online
12. Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University’s College for Public Health & Social Justice offers a Master of Social Work degree that is considered among the most innovative CSWE accredited MSW programs online. SLU’s master’s of social work programs include classes in social work practice with individuals, families, and groups, behavioral assessment, foundation integrative practice seminar, and ethics in applied behavior analysis, to name a few. These online CSWE accredited MSW programs include these concentrations:
- applied behavior analysis
- clinical
- community & organization
Saint Louis was established as a private academy in 1818. This Roman Catholic higher learning institution is recognized as the oldest school to Mississippi River’s west, with a student enrollment of approximately 12,550 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Saint Louis University is also considered the second oldest of all Jesuit schools in the country.
Degree: MSW Online
13. PennWest Global Online
The School of Social Work at PennWest Global offers a fully online MSW degree program. The master of social work program from PennWest offers students a one-year advanced standing program that requires 30 graduate semester hours and 500 clinical clock hours.
The traditional online CSWE accredited MSW programs require two years, sixty credits, and 900 clinical hours. It is noted that this MSW program no longer has a human biology admission requirement.
Degree: MSW Online
14. New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University’s School of Social Work offers a Master of Social Work degree program that is ranked among New Mexico’s best online CSWE accredited MSW programs. The university’s master of social work programs focuses on advanced generalist practice for Southwest populations.
This master of social work online is available as a part-time (finishing in three years) or full-time student (finishing two years), and a one-year option for students entering the program as an advanced standing student. Note part-time advanced-standing students can complete the program in 24 months.
NM State University was founded as Las Cruces College in the late 1880s. New Mexico State is recognized as one of the state’s two flagship institutions of higher learning. In addition, NMSU is a land-grant school with multiple campuses and satellite facilities throughout the state. New Mexico State’s student enrollment exceeds 24,000 students.
Degree: MSW Online
15. Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Texas A&M University Kingsville offers online master of social work programs with a clinical and activist focus on diverse rural populations living along the US & Mexico border and surrounding areas. Students entering the advanced standing online MSW can complete the degree in one year with 30 credits.
The traditional master of social work requires five semesters or two years if studying a full-time program. Classes for these MSW programs include intervention with:
- elders
- rural social work
- foundations of social worl
- populations at risk
Texas A&M University’s Kingsville campus was founded in 1917 as a state-funded normal school for teacher’s training. A&M’s Kingsville is considered the longest continuously institution of higher education in the Lone Star State. More than 8,450 students attend classes online and on the suburban campus of more than 1,500 acres. The Kingsville campus specializes in programs in:
- engineering
- the sciences
- music
- wildlife
- agriculture
Degree: MSW Online
16. Roberts Wesleyan College
Roberts Wesleyan College offers a Master of Social Work degree that is ranked among New England’s most innovative and best master of social work programs. Students enrolled in Roberts Wesleyan College’s master of social work degree have two academic tracks from which to choose – Child & Family Services and Mental Health.
Classes for these master of social work programs online from Roberts Wesleyan College include:
- social welfare & policy
- human behavior
- cultural diversity & the social environment
- social work research
- a field placement
Roberts Wesleyan College is a Christian institution of higher education that opened in the mid-1860s as a seminary. The suburban campus in Rochester (upstate New York) is home to approximately 1,800 students each year. Additionally, RWC is the first school for Free Methodists living in North America.
Degree: MSW Online
17. Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University offers an MSW degree program that is among the most innovative online MSW programs in Florida. The master of social work is available to students in these states, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, Mississippi, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Saint Leo’s master of social work programs online include two years of coursework as follows:
- Social Welfare Policy, Child Abuse, and Neglect
- Social Work Research Methods
- a practicum
SLU started as a Roman Catholic university in the late 1880s. Saint Leo University’s rural campus and online platform serve nearly 12,000 students, which makes it among the largest of Catholic institutions of higher education in the nation. In addition, the university was among the first school to offer distance learning to active military members during the Vietnam era of the early to mid-1970s.
Degree: MSW Online
18. Loma Linda University
Loma Linda University’s School of Behavioral Health offers one of California’s most innovative MSW programs, with its advanced clinical specialist program. The school’s master of social work programs does have limited residency requirements.
This master of social work program online is available to distance learners and working learners in need of flexibility and convenience. Note, these MSW degrees are part-time programs that take about three years to complete. Requirements include 52 semester hours and 1080 clock hours of field experience.
The 7th Day Adventists started Loma Linda University as a health science school in 1905. Furthermore, the university’s campus and online platform serve approximately 3,300 undergraduate and postgraduate students each year. And, the academic medical center run by Loma Linda serves more than 30,000 admitted patients each year.
Degree: MSW Online
19. University of Massachusetts Global
The University of Massachusetts Global offers an online CSWE accredited MSW program. Advanced standing students can complete the program in one year.
With six start dates available every year, students enrolled in UM Global’s master of social work can enter the workforce quickly. Graduates find employment in criminal justice, health care, mental health, and also human rights agencies. The school’s online msw programs help students combine problem-solving skills with the compassion required to help others.
The University of Massachusetts Global is a private nonprofit university. The school has an online virtual and also over twenty campus locations on the west coast. UMass Global is well-known for offering professional degree programs for working adults.
Degree: MSW Online
20. Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America’s School of Social Work offers nationally ranked online cswe accredited program, as noted by US News & World Report. These CSWE accredited online MSW programs from CUA prepare students to sit and pass the LGSW – the Licensed Graduate Social Work exam. Furthermore, graduates of the program pass the LCSW exam at a rate of 95%. Students have the option of completing the program as full-time or part-time students.
CAU operates as a pontifical university administered by the US Catholic Church. The school’s campus in the Washington, DC’s Brookland neighborhood serves approximately 5,800 students each year. Both CUA and the Knights of Columbus have a long historic supportive integrative relationship.
Degree: MSW Online
Many online MSW programs prepare students to become Licensed Master Social Worker. The exact license varies from state to state, and this designation is a non-clinical role.
However, some states allow practitioners to provide limited mental health support through community practice and social services. For example, a licensed social worker can find employment in school settings or child welfare agencies and help children and youth with behavioral disorders. In addition, some graduates find a successful career in non-clinical roles for drug counseling.
Social workers with a master’s degree interested in direct practice with clients can become Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW). Clinical social workers are in advanced clinical practice. For example, some are substance abuse social workers, and others become marriage and family therapists.
Much of clinical practice focuses on adult mental health using evidence-based interpersonal practice. Having extensive mental health practice and human service experience as an LCSW does keep social workers from administration and community practice. Some who have a license opt for macro practice instead. For example, they may find non-clinical jobs like program development and policy practice in rural and indigenous communities.
With any degree, there are some things a student should be able to do competently. A degree from an accredited program basically says the student has those abilities.
The CSWE holds a lot of sway because they ensure that programs they accredit meet certain high standards. This, in turn, ensures that graduates have the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their job duties. With online learning more popular than ever, it’s easy to find an online MSW program.
Some online MSW programs have even relaxed their requirements for admission. For
example, some programs no longer require you to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Regardless of a school’s admissions requirements, it’s important to determine if the programs you’re interested in are CSWE-accredited. The good news is there are many accredited online MSW programs.
CWSE accreditation is a sign of quality education and helps would-be employers have confidence that recent graduates have a certain level of ability. It helps the student by assuring the student they will get the training they need to get the degree, and that they should be able to handle a job upon graduation. This is why CWSE accreditation matters, it helps everyone involved have confidence in the education.
CWSE accredited MSW programs carry as much weight as on-campus programs if both are accredited by the CSWE. An online CSWE accredited MSW programs offer the same education, and are just as good as degrees earned in a traditional setting.
There is also a debate over which is better, and a lot of that is determined by what the individual needs. Some settings work better than others for certain people. Students attending on-campus programs do not have as much flexibility as those in an online setting.
In recent years online degrees have become more respected, especially since traditional universities have been offering programs online. In most cases, online programs are essentially the same, and just as good, as a traditional classroom. Accreditation is more important than where the degree came from.
A CSWE accredited MSW program can be a hybrid online social work program with campus visits. Or, it can be an online program. In addition, students attending traditional on-campus programs can also participate in a CSWE accredited program. So whether the program is a hybrid format, online, or on-campus, it should have accreditation.
When looking for a job once you have an MSW, the CSWE accredited programs will show an employer you have a quality education. It is the accreditation that matters more than the setting where you studied. Accreditation should be your first question when looking for a school, and if it does not have that, you should keep looking. In addition, students are not eligible for financial aid if they are not attending an accredited institution.
The school itself must be accredited, and Masters in Social Work programs must also be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CWSE). This is the council charged with accrediting programs nationwide and ensures basic standards are met. Your school could be accredited and the MSW program not be accredited.
It is hard to overstate how important is CSWE accreditation. You could get your degree without it, but you would be very unlikely to get any kind of job in the field. The CSWE is a national organization that sets minimum standards for schools to follow.
Additionally, it ensures those standards are met for community practice. It does not reflect the overall quality of the total education but does ensure that at least minimum standards are met. No matter your specific career goals, the ability to get a job in this field is the reason why CSWE accreditation matters. Accreditation also helps to ensure the online classes are just as good as the on-campus classes.
Hopefully, any school would already have general accreditation from national and regional organizations. So, school accreditation is a prerequisite to program accreditation. The school would have to apply to the CSWE, which would then investigate the program to make sure it meets minimum education standards. The CSWE would examine the curriculum and plans for education, and make sure all the core elements are in place.
Online CSWE accredited programs should be very similar to on-campus programs that have the same accreditation. In many cases schools make an effort to make the classes as similar as possible. People in the CSWE accredited online programs watch a video of the same lecture that students on campus saw. CSWE accredited online schools use the same curriculum, same books, materials, and everything else that students on-campus use.
Online CSWE accredited programs have been through examination by the accreditation agency. CSWE accredited online programs also have to have their accreditation reviewed regularly to make sure they maintain the standards.
It is also important to make sure you know who is doing the accreditation. Almost anyone can claim to be an agency and give accreditation. Online CSWE accredited programs have the authority and ability to make a sound judgment. CSWE accredited online programs will also allow you to transfer credits to other schools with the same accreditation in most cases. When you ask if a program has accreditation, be sure to ask who did the accreditation to make sure it is legitimate.
Advanced Standing Programs
Advanced standing programs require a bachelor’s degree in social work. This master’s in social work gives approximately one year of credit for having a BSW instead of a bachelor’s in another field. Advanced standing options can be a social work online program or one of the many social work degree programs on-campus.
Advanced standing tracks for an online master’s in social work requires successful completion of a BSW. In addition to the degree completion, some schools have an acceptable undergraduate GPA they expect. Because an advanced standing option gives credit for foundational coursework completed as part of the BSW, schools want to make sure students know the material.
Prospective students for online social work programs should note that some schools have required campus visits for their online degree programs. The online coursework is in both synchronous and asynchronous delivery formats.
While the live classes create a more engaging learning environment, asynchronous material gives students more flexibility. Students are also required to complete fieldwork placements in addition to classes. However, most programs enable students to complete them in their home communities.
Specific Criteria – Methodology
We used the school’s in-state graduate tuition, the duration of the program, school accreditation, and the presence of an online student support network or services. If any information didn’t fit the scoring parameters, zero points were awarded for that category. In the case of a tie, the school with the lower tuition pulled the higher rank.
Time to Completion
- 25-36 Months: 1 point
- 19-24 Months: 2 points
- 13-18 Months: 3 points
- =/<12 Months: 4 points
Graduate Tuition
- =/< $25,000: 1 point
- =/< $20,000: 2 points
- =/< $15,000: 3 points
- =/< $10,000: 4 points
References and Sources:
- Tuition Rate – current IPEDS data
- Student Satisfaction – current Niche score
- Potential Salary – current Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data
- School Websites – specific details about program length
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