20 Best Online MSW Programs聽– 2026
April 1, 2026
Pursuing a MSW is a way to join an inspiring, growing field that can positively impact the lives of the people and communities around you. From social justice to healthcare, from education to clinical therapy practices, social workers have the power to effect positive change in whatever realm they work. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social workers are in high demand — job openings are expected to . There will be increased need in the fields of child, family, and school social workers, mental health and substance abuse social workers, as well as health care social workers. Fortunately, high-quality, online MSW programs are plentiful. In the list below, we present some of the best.聽聽
How Do I Pay for an Online MSW Program?
While some graduate programs in the social sciences, like Clinical Psychology, offer fully funded assistantships with tuition remission, online MSW degrees will likely require you to finance your degree yourself. Carefully considering the costs, along with your capacity to complete a standard or advanced track program, can help you to choose the best program.聽
How Are Online MSW Programs Accredited?
The (CSWE) is the national association representing social work education and is the sole accrediting body of MSW programs in the United States. The CSWE accredits some 800 baccalaureate and master鈥檚 degree programs. The association works to support quality social work education and provides professional development opportunities. CSWE-accredited programs ensure that students are receiving a high level of education, which prepares them for an exciting and multifaceted career in a changing world.聽
What Are the Best Online MSW Programs?
Getting your MSW online means that you have the opportunity to access a rigorous, enriching education from anywhere. And an online degree may also enable you to work while you pursue your education. Many renowned universities have highly accredited MSW programs with options for students who are diving into social work for the first time and 鈥渁dvanced鈥� students who have bachelor鈥檚 degrees in social work and can move into higher level coursework and fieldwork right away.聽
The following schools represent a range of highly regarded and accredited online MSW programs that follow in the footsteps of the quality of their in-person programs. Schools tend to have the option of at least two tracks, both Standard and Advanced Standing tracks. Standard tracks are for students who studied something other than Social Work in their undergraduate degree. Advanced Standing is for students who have completed their BSW and are ready to begin straight away with more complex coursework.聽
The 20 Best Online MSW Programs
- Cost: $1,167 per credit hour
You can complete an MSW at Syracuse’s Falk College in as few as 36 months. (It’s even faster if you already have a BSW.) Offering concentrations in Advanced Integrated Practice and Advanced Clinical Practice, this program guarantees 900 hours of field placement, close interaction with 19 distinguished professors, and a focus on social and economic justice.
- Cost: $753 per credit hour
Offering a fully online as well as a hybrid format, you could finish your MSW at the University of Kentucky in as few as 2 semesters (if you already have a BSW). If you have a bachelor’s degree in another field, you’ll be able to complete your degree in four full-time semesters. UK is committed to producing career-ready graduates, so you’ll choose a certificate from among the following options: child welfare practice, clinical social work, military behavior health, school social work, substance use disorder, trauma-responsive practice, or an individualized plan.
- Cost: $1,164 per credit hour
Ranked the best MSW program in Colorado and one of the best in the nation, you can complete the University of Denver’s MSW program in as little as 27 months of full-time study (18 months if you already have a BSW). This program features small, collaborative classes, guarantees 900 hours of direct fieldwork, and offers two tracks — mental health and trauma or health, equity and wellness.
- Cost: $705 per credit hour
Designed for those who can’t make it to WVU’s Morgantown campus, the online MSW program at WVU can be finished in as little as 3 years (2 years if you already have a BSW). Both the in-person and online versions of the program offer the same high-quality education with a field placement requirement. Given its West Virginia location, WVU has a special focus on effective models of rural service delivery.
Best Online MSW Programs (continued)
- Cost: $508 (in-state) / $527 (out-of-state) per credit hour
Explicitly oriented toward advocating for underserved populations, Ohio University offers both a foundational and advanced program. The former takes around three years to finish while the latter can be completed in just over two years. As an exclusively clinical MSW program, this degree focuses on diagnostic assessment, therapeutic intervention of mental and emotional disorders, clinical documentation, and other clinical practice activities.
- Cost: $29,074 per semester
Though pricey, this program offers four different method specializations ranging from clinical practice to policy and leadership. Additionally, students choose from one of seven fields of practice, including 1) aging, 2) contemporary social issues, 3) family, youth and children’s services, 4) health, mental illness, and disabilities, 5) international social welfare and service to immigrants and refugees, 6) school-based services, and 7) world of work.
- Cost: $10,890 per year
Getting an online MSW at the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State means you’ll experience a program that’s been rated #1 in innovation for ten consecutive years. According to their website, areas of study include behavioral and mental health, human behavior, cultural humility, research methods, social work ethics, assessment, and applied practice with diverse populations. The program requires 960 hours of applied practicum at two internship sites.
- Cost: $1,138 per credit
Unique in its offering of a dual MSW-MPH degree, Temple University provides more than 1050 hours of practical field experience. Classes like Deconstructing White Supremacy in Social Work and Advanced Social Justice speak to Tenple’s ongoing commitment to improving access to underserved communities. Do note that this program requires a three-day, in-person residency between the first and second year.
Best Online MSW Programs (continued)
- Cost: $1,250 per credit hour
As an HCBU, Howard University’s program is “grounded in the Black Perspective.” Howard offers two concentrations — direct practice, which will prepare you to work directly with clients — and community, administration, and policy practice, which prepares you to serve communities at the structural level. Like most of the programs on this list, Howard offers an advanced standing program for students with a BSW.
- Cost: $1,165 per credit hour
Like most of the programs on this list, Simmons offers an advanced standing track for those students who already have a BSW. (If you have a BSW, you could complete the program at Simmons in as few as nine months.) At Simmons, you study a variety of theoretical frameworks, including ecological systems theory, human development, sociocultural theory, and psychodynamic theory. You can also pursue an additional certificate with your MSW. Certificate options include mental health practice, trauma practice, and military practice.
Best Online MSW Programs – 2025 (continued)
- Cost: $542 (Oregon residents and select Western states) / $596.20 (Washington border discount) / $776 (non-resident) per credit hour
PSU’s online MSW program prepares you “to challenge systems of oppression,” as well as “build racial equity and social justice.” If this sounds like you, you’ll likely align with PSU’s goals of resisting “colonial, heteropatriarchal, classist, and white supremacist agendas.” Students at Portland State have the option of completing additional certifications in school social work, gerontology, as well as child welfare and rural and/or medically underserved communities.
- Cost: $1,047 per credit hour
Offering the same quality education as its in-person MSW program, Rutgers University’s online MSW combines coursework and practicum. Additionally, this program satisfies the licensure requirements for New Jersey. Students can choose from two specializations — clinical or management and policy (MAP). Optional certificates include 1) aging and health, 2) interpersonal violence and trauma, 3) Latina/o/x initiatives for service, training, and assessment, and 4) promoting child and adolescent well-being. Like the other programs on this list, Rutgers offers an advanced-standing track for students with a BSW.
Best Online MSW Programs (continued)
- Cost: $2,201 per credit hour
Similar to the other programs on this list, USC’s online MSW offers full- and part-time study, as well as traditional and advanced standing tracks. One aspect that sets it apart from other schools is its virtual practicum, which provides a clinical simulation with an actor portraying a client. Students may select one of five optional tracks that introduce them to practice with a particular client population, setting, or system.
- Cost: $487.45 per credit hour
The University of Central Florida’s online MSW degree is similar to the others on this list, in that they offer an advanced track and require approximately 1000 hours of practicum experience. UCF’s program is built around 1) applying your professional knowledge with diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities, 2) engaging in ethical practice grounded in human rights, 3) promoting the optimal well-being of vulnerable, oppressed, or marginalized populations, and 4) advocating for policies and services that promote social change.
- Cost: $675 per credit hour
Though the vast majority of this program can be completed online, there are portions of the program that require in-person participation. UND boasts that it is the best online college in North Dakota and rates high on affordability, satisfaction, and student outcomes. Like the other programs on this list, UND’s online MSW offers an advanced track for those who already have an accredited BSW.
Best Online MSW Programs – 2025 (continued)
- Cost: $600 per credit hour
Like the other online MSW programs on this list, this program offers advanced standing and requires 950 hours of practicum. Interestingly, if you are currently employed with Utah’s Department of Human Services Division of Child and Family Services (or are interested in doing so), you may qualify for four semesters of free tuition through .
Best Online MSW Programs (continued)
- Cost: $648 per credit hour
Ranked the #1 online MSW program in Iowa and a top-20 online MSW program in the nation, this program offers both regular and advanced standing tracks. Like other programs, this MSW can be completed in as few as two years. Do note that this program’s courses are synchronous and start after 17:30, CST. According to their website, “students can develop expertise in several specialized fields: trauma and resilience; children and families; clinical practice; school social work; organizational leadership; aging; longevity; and end-of-life care; and higher education and research.”
- Cost:
This program offers two specializations — clinical practice and macro practice. Clinical practice focuses on individuals while macro practice addresses organizational and structural issues. Though they’re a bit cagey on the cost of their program, the University of Houston’s online MSW does offer many . As with all the programs on this list, the University of Houston offers an advanced and generalist track. Do note that some aspects of this degree are synchronous.
- Cost: $1,076 per credit hour
With a top-ranked school of social work, Fordham’s online MSW offers a “skills-based, integrated approach to social work education that prepares you to operate successfully at all levels of practice, from working with individuals to working with entire communities.” Students will gain invaluable experience in clinical practice, organizational leadership, and advocacy.
- Cost: $910 per credit hour
BU’s online MSW offers four specializations. They include 1) aging, 2) behavior health, 3) children, youth, and families, and 4) trauma, violence, and justice. All four of these specializations contribute to nine assessment and interventional competencies. In addition to its traditional and advanced standing track, BU offers a Human Services Experience track for those who have worked in a care-providing capacity.
Best Online MSW Programs — Final Thoughts
In the end, social work can be an exciting, rewarding career. Social workers shape the communities in which they live and work. Studying with an online MSW can help make study more feasible. With accreditation and faculty who teach across in-person and online programs, pursuing your MSW online might be the enriching step that takes your life to the next level.聽
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