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Social Work Degree: What a BSW Is, What It Takes and Where It Leads
What Is a Social Work Degree, and Is a BSW the Right One to Start With?
A social work degree at the bachelor's level is the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), offered by 631 programs at 565 U.S. schools, 605 of them CSWE-accredited. It is the only undergraduate major that includes a supervised field practicum of at least 400 hours, qualifies you for a bachelor's-level license in 42 of 52 jurisdictions, and can cut a later MSW to about one year through advanced standing. Compare programs in the BSW program directory.
What a Social Work Degree Is at the Bachelor’s Level
A social work degree at the undergraduate level is the Bachelor of Social Work. Schools award it under several titles: BSW at most schools, BASW at Fordham and Salisbury, BSSW at Syracuse and Liberty, and a BA or BS in Social Work at places like Providence College and Augsburg. The title doesn’t change what you can do with it. Accreditation does.
There are 631 BSW programs at 565 schools in 53 states and territories. Of those, 605 are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and 26 are in candidacy or pre-candidacy, the stages before full accreditation. CSWE recognizes students who enter a program in or before the year it reaches candidacy as graduates of an accredited program, as long as the program goes on to earn initial accreditation. That rule protects you if you pick a newer program such as Henderson State University’s BSSW, but it is a condition worth tracking.
Everything on this site is limited to CSWE-accredited and candidacy programs. A handful of schools offer a social work major without CSWE status, and those graduates miss out on both advanced standing and most state licenses.
How a BSW Differs From Psychology, Human Services and Sociology
Psychology, sociology and human services majors study many of the same topics. Three things set the BSW apart, and each one has a dollar-and-time consequence later.
The field practicum. CSWE requires every accredited bachelor’s program to give you at least 400 hours of supervised field education in a real agency. Across the 161 programs that state their hours, the median is 430. Other majors may offer an internship; the BSW requires one, supervised and graded against professional competencies.
Advanced standing in an MSW. CSWE awards advanced standing only to graduates of CSWE-accredited bachelor’s programs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that MSW programs generally take 2 years, and that some let BSW graduates finish in under 2 years. With a psychology degree you start the MSW from the beginning.
The bachelor’s license. Most state boards that license at the bachelor’s level require a social work degree. North Dakota accepts only a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program, and Ohio states that degrees in other fields are not eligible for its LSW. A few states offer slower alternate routes: West Virginia’s provisional license for related degrees requires four years of supervised employment plus four core social work classes, and Massachusetts lets a bachelor’s in another field qualify for its LSW after at least 3,500 hours of work experience over two years or more.
| What you get | CSWE-accredited BSW | Psychology, sociology or human services bachelor’s |
|---|---|---|
| Supervised field practicum | Required, 400 hours minimum (CSWE) | Depends on the program |
| MSW advanced standing | Eligible | Not eligible (CSWE rule) |
| Usual MSW length | About one year with advanced standing | Generally 2 years (BLS) |
| Bachelor’s-level social work license | Qualifies in most of the 42 issuing jurisdictions | Only through alternate routes in a few states |
| Entry-level nonclinical social work jobs | The most common requirement (BLS) | Related roles such as human service assistant |
If you already hold another bachelor’s, the MSW is still open to you. If you are choosing a major now and know you want social work, the BSW saves you a year of graduate school in most cases.
What You Study and Do in a BSW
CSWE’s 2022 accreditation standards build every BSW around nine competencies, from ethical and professional behavior and policy practice to engaging, assessing, intervening with and evaluating work with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. The bachelor’s level trains you for generalist practice, which CSWE describes as grounded in the liberal arts and the person-in-environment framework and applied at the micro, mezzo and macro levels. In plain terms: one person, a group or family, and a whole community or system.
Most programs admit you to the major partway through college. A few examples, in the schools’ own terms:
- Western Carolina University: begin as a pre-social work major and apply after at least 35 credit hours with a 2.5 GPA.
- Salisbury University: apply at about 60 credits with a 2.5 overall GPA and a 2.7 social work GPA, plus a personal statement.
- Dalton State College: selective cohort admission each spring for fall, with volunteer hours, an application and an interview.
The senior year centers on the practicum. Hours vary well above CSWE’s floor: 600 hours across the junior and senior years at Providence College, a two-semester 500-hour practicum at Syracuse University, and 448 hours over fall and spring at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Many programs add a focus area. Child welfare is the most common (94 programs), followed by Title IV-E child welfare stipends (52), addictions (26), aging and health (14 each), justice (12) and school social work (9).
Ways to Earn the Degree: Campus, Online and Transfer
Of the 631 programs, 494 run on campus, 132 online and 33 in a hybrid format. Part-time plans are stated by 48 programs, transfer pathways by 199, and 18 are degree-completion programs built for students who already have college credit.
Online does not mean remote fieldwork. Arizona State University’s online BSW requires a 480-hour in-person practicum in your final two semesters at an approved agency in your region. Ohio State’s online BSSW takes about 2 years for a typical student entering with 60 credit hours and places you at an agency near your community.
Transfer students have strong options. UT Arlington publishes direct transfer pathways with Collin College, Dallas College, Tarrant County College and Weatherford College. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock runs a 2+2 agreement so that associate-degree holders finish the BSW in two years. Use the transfer finder to match your community college to a program.
What a Social Work Degree Costs
Federal undergraduate tuition and fees for a full-time year (NCES College Navigator, 2023-24) have a median of $13,212 across the 565 BSW schools. The gap between public and private is the biggest cost decision you will make: the public-school median is $9,708 and the private-school median is $35,910. 306 of the schools are public.
| Program | State | Control | Tuition and fees, in-state (NCES 2023-24) | Out-of-state | Program’s published rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oglala Lakota College BSW | SD | Public | $2,684 | $2,684 | |
| Fort Valley State University BSW | GA | Public | $5,392 | $16,114 | $176 per credit in-state, 2026-27 |
| Tarleton State University BSW | TX | Public | $7,878 | $17,958 | From $183.71 per hour Texas resident, 2026-27 |
| Fort Hays State University BSW | KS | Public | $5,633 | $16,811 | $215.84 per credit on campus (resident rate) |
| Liberty University online BSSW | VA | Private nonprofit | $21,222 | $21,222 | $410 per credit full time, 2026-27 |
| Aurora University online BSW | IL | Private nonprofit | $28,220 | $28,220 | $495 per credit, 2026-27 |
| Syracuse University BSSW | NY | Private nonprofit | $63,061 | $63,061 |
Per-credit pricing, which 91 programs publish, runs from $148 (Salish Kootenai College’s Montana resident rate, 2025-26) to $1,140, with a median of $371. Federal figures are school-wide undergraduate rates; per-credit rates are the program’s own. Compare both with the BSW cost comparison tool, and see the most affordable online BSW programs for the low end.
The Social Work Degree Ladder
| Degree | Usual length | What it qualifies you for |
|---|---|---|
| BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) | 4 years (120 semester credits) | Generalist practice; the bachelor's license in the 42 jurisdictions that issue one; advanced standing into an MSW |
| MSW with advanced standing | About 1 year after a CSWE BSW | The master's license and, after supervised experience, clinical licensure |
| MSW (Master of Social Work) | About 2 years full time | The same, for graduates of any bachelor's major |
| DSW or PhD in social work | 3 to 5 years | Advanced practice leadership (DSW) or research and teaching (PhD) |
631 CSWE-accredited or candidate BSW options at 565 schools, verified on each school's site in October 2026. Licensing counts from each state's social work board, September 2026.
The Degree Ladder: BSW, MSW and DSW
Social work has three degree levels, and the BSW is the first rung.
- BSW. The entry degree for generalist, nonclinical practice: case management, child welfare, community programs. BLS calls it the most common requirement for entry-level nonclinical social worker positions.
- MSW. The master’s degree. Clinical social workers need an MSW, supervised clinical experience and a state license. Of the BSW schools, 323 run their own MSW with advanced standing, and 61 describe a combined BSW-to-MSW track such as a 4+1. Western Carolina’s advanced standing MSW is 33 graduate credit hours over one year full time; Fordham’s is 31 credits in nine months full time. Compare every MSW program on mswdegree.com.
- DSW or PhD. Doctoral study for advanced practice leadership, teaching and research. See dswdegree.net for practice doctorates.
The BSW to MSW guide covers advanced standing rules school by school, and the route finder shows which BSW schools offer their own advanced standing MSW.
Licensing With a Social Work Degree
Licensure is set by each state’s board, not by CSWE. Of 52 jurisdictions (the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico), 42 issue a bachelor’s-level social work credential, under 14 different titles including LBSW, LSW, LSWA, RSW and CSW. 31 name the ASWB Bachelors exam, which has 122 questions (110 scored), a four-hour limit and a US$230 registration fee.
Ten states issue no bachelor’s-level credential: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. In those states your first social work license comes after the MSW. If you plan to work in one of them, weigh advanced standing heavily when you choose a BSW.
Details by state, including which boards require supervised hours after licensure, are in the LBSW license guide. Check your own state in the BSW license checker, or start from a state page such as Texas or Michigan.
Jobs and Pay With a BSW
BSW graduates most often start in child and family services, case management, health care and community agencies. Federal wage data (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025) for the occupations BSW graduates enter:
| Occupation | Employed | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family and school social workers | 392,550 | $59,550 |
| Healthcare social workers | 187,630 | $67,880 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 132,810 | $60,280 |
| Social and human service assistants | 437,860 | $45,930 |
| Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists | 89,390 | $66,270 |
| Social and community service managers | 209,330 | $80,390 |
Clinical work in health care and mental health requires an MSW and a clinical license, so with a BSW you enter those settings in nonclinical roles. Child, family and school social work is the largest of these occupations, and 94 BSW programs offer a child welfare focus. Read the case manager and child protective services worker career guides, or browse every role on the careers page.
Who a BSW Suits, and When Another Major Makes Sense
A BSW fits you if you already know you want to work directly with people in social services, you want a license soon after graduation in a state that offers one, or you plan to earn an MSW and want it to take about a year instead of two.
It suits transfer and returning students too. With 199 programs stating transfer pathways and 18 built for degree completion, some let you finish in two years after an associate degree, as the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s 2+2 agreement does.
Another major can make sense if you are unsure about social work, if you are headed toward research psychology or counseling, or if you will live in one of the ten states without a bachelor’s license and expect to go straight to a two-year MSW anyway. Even then, the practicum and advanced standing make the BSW the faster route to practice.
How to Choose a BSW Program
Use this checklist against any program you are considering:
- CSWE status. Confirm the program is accredited or in candidacy; 605 of 631 are fully accredited.
- Your state’s license. Check whether your state issues a bachelor’s-level license and which exam it names.
- Practicum hours and placement. The median is 430 hours. For online programs, confirm the agency placement works where you live.
- Admission to the major. Note the GPA and prerequisite courses and when you apply, often after 35 to 60 credits.
- Transfer pathway. If you start at a community college, look for a published agreement like UT Arlington’s.
- Cost. Compare the federal tuition figure and any per-credit rate: the public-school median is $9,708 against $35,910 for private schools.
- Same-school MSW. 323 BSW schools offer their own advanced standing MSW, which can make the move to a master’s simpler.
Find programs that fit with the program matcher, or browse CSWE-accredited BSW programs and online BSW programs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a BSW the Same as a Bachelor's in Social Work?
Yes. Schools award it under several names, including BSW, BASW (Bachelor of Arts in Social Work), BSSW (Bachelor of Science in Social Work) and BA or BS in Social Work. What matters for licensing and advanced standing is CSWE accreditation, not the letters on the diploma.
Can You Get a Social Work Degree Online?
Yes. 132 of the 631 BSW programs offer an online format, and 33 are hybrid. The field practicum is still done in person at an agency, usually near where you live; Arizona State's online BSW, for example, requires a 480-hour in-person practicum in your region.
How Much Does a Social Work Degree Cost?
Federal tuition and fees for a full-time undergraduate year (NCES, 2023-24) run from $2,684 at Oglala Lakota College to $68,237 at the University of Southern California. The median across 565 BSW schools is $13,212; public schools have a median of $9,708 and private schools $35,910.
What Is the Difference Between a BSW and an MSW?
The BSW is the bachelor's degree that prepares you for generalist, nonclinical practice. The MSW is the master's degree, and clinical social workers need one plus supervised clinical experience and a license. BSW graduates of CSWE-accredited programs can apply for advanced standing, which shortens the MSW.
Can You Be a Social Worker With a Psychology Degree?
You can enter an MSW program with a bachelor's in almost any field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Without a BSW, though, you skip advanced standing and, in most states, the bachelor's-level social work license. North Dakota and Ohio, for example, accept only social work degrees for their bachelor's-level license.
Do I Need a License With a BSW?
It depends on your state. 42 of 52 jurisdictions issue a bachelor's-level credential, and 31 of them name the ASWB Bachelors exam. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington issue none at the bachelor's level.
Keep Reading
- How to Become a Social WorkerThe steps from a BSW to a social work license and job, with each state's bachelor's license and the MSW route
- BSW to MSWHow a BSW shortens the MSW through advanced standing, which schools run combined tracks, and what it saves
- BSW License (LBSW)Which states license BSW graduates, the license titles, the ASWB Bachelors exam and what each license allows
- BSW Admission RequirementsHow students are admitted to BSW programs and the social work major, with requirements from verified programs
- BSW Coursework and Field PracticumWhat BSW students study, how the field practicum works and how many hours programs require
- BSW Cost and Financial AidBSW tuition from federal figures and published rates, aid, Title IV-E stipends and loan rules