University Headquarters (HQ) is an industry-leading, independent educational organization that provides independent college rankings using a proprietary formula to create first class, unbiased rankings. The team at University HQ strives to provide accurate and trustworthy rankings that highlight the best programs for a bachelors in social work.
A bachelor’s degree in social work is a four-year degree and is what people most often mean when they talk about earning a college degree. To complete a social work bachelor’s degree, students must complete many core courses such as composition and rhetoric, college algebra, and a science course or two. Each college or university may have their own particular version of the core curriculum, but most are largely the same.
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Requirements of a Bachelor’s Degree?
The degree itself usually includes around 120 semester credit hours. Generally, a full-time student will take about four classes per semester. Those who would like an even more accelerated schedule can consider taking classes over the summer term, though course offerings tend to be slim since most students are working or completing internships for their major, or they may be able to convince the school to allow them to take extra courses during the school year, as long as the scheduling works out.
Nevertheless, these days students tend to take longer to complete their bachelor’s degree. Government statistics for graduation rates assume that it may take up to six years to complete the on-campus or online social work degree. This may be due to an increased need for students to work during their college years. While this is becoming more and more acceptable, it’s still advised that students do what they can to complete their bachelor’s degree in four years. This helps students contain costs in the short-term while enabling them to get on with a career or graduate school in a timely fashion.
Top 25 Best Online Bachelors in Social Work Programs
Charter Oak State College
Score: 85.48
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,506
- Out-of-State: $8,506
- Net Price: $10,191
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 64%
- Total Enrollment: 1,602
- Undergrad Students: 1,501
- Graduate Students: 101
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
University of Utah
Score: 82.34
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $9,315
- Out-of-State: $29,837
- Net Price: $12,399
- Acceptance Rate: 89%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 65%
- Total Enrollment: 34,734
- Undergrad Students: 26,355
- Graduate Students: 8,379
- Grads Salary: $80,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
California State University-Chico
Score: 81.16
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,064
- Out-of-State: $19,944
- Net Price: $15,517
- Acceptance Rate: 95%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 64%
- Total Enrollment: 14,183
- Undergrad Students: 12,981
- Graduate Students: 1,202
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 20:1
Appalachian State University
Score: 78.31
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,541
- Out-of-State: $24,537
- Net Price: $13,084
- Acceptance Rate: 83%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 75%
- Total Enrollment: 20,436
- Undergrad Students: 18,558
- Graduate Students: 1,878
- Grads Salary: $64,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Simmons University
Score: 77.87
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $45,538
- Out-of-State: $45,538
- Net Price: $24,423
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 74%
- Total Enrollment: 5,710
- Undergrad Students: 1,788
- Graduate Students: 3,922
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 7:1
Temple University
Score: 77.71
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $22,082
- Out-of-State: $37,462
- Net Price: $23,935
- Acceptance Rate: 80%
- Retention Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 33,196
- Undergrad Students: 24,106
- Graduate Students: 9,090
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Score: 77.63
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,484
- Out-of-State: $31,974
- Net Price: $21,880
- Acceptance Rate: 68%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 73%
- Total Enrollment: 33,805
- Undergrad Students: 27,039
- Graduate Students: 6,766
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
University of Cincinnati
Score: 77.35
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,570
- Out-of-State: $30,582
- Net Price: $20,149
- Acceptance Rate: 86%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 41,155
- Undergrad Students: 29,663
- Graduate Students: 11,492
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 18:1
New Mexico State University
Score: 77.01
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,147
- Out-of-State: $25,271
- Net Price: $10,407
- Acceptance Rate: 78%
- Retention Rate: 72%
- Graduation Rate: 51%
- Total Enrollment: 14,268
- Undergrad Students: 11,591
- Graduate Students: 2,677
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
University of North Dakota
Score: 75.86
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,951
- Out-of-State: $15,570
- Net Price: $17,359
- Acceptance Rate: 83%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 63%
- Total Enrollment: 13,876
- Undergrad Students: 9,928
- Graduate Students: 3,948
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
University of Kentucky
Score: 75.85
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $13,212
- Out-of-State: $33,406
- Net Price: $18,693
- Acceptance Rate: 95%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 31,547
- Undergrad Students: 22,735
- Graduate Students: 8,812
- Grads Salary: $72,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
Maryville University of Saint Louis
Score: 75.79
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $27,166
- Out-of-State: $27,166
- Net Price: $26,757
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 9,959
- Undergrad Students: 5,809
- Graduate Students: 4,150
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Score: 75.73
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,640
- Out-of-State: $22,752
- Net Price: $9,450
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 70%
- Graduation Rate: 39%
- Total Enrollment: 6,607
- Undergrad Students: 5,636
- Graduate Students: 971
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Concordia University-Wisconsin
Score: 75.6
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $34,250
- Out-of-State: $34,250
- Net Price: $24,485
- Acceptance Rate: 70%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 66%
- Total Enrollment: 4,988
- Undergrad Students: 2,817
- Graduate Students: 2,171
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Bethel University-Saint Paul
Score: 75.33
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $42,930
- Out-of-State: $42,930
- Net Price: $29,915
- Acceptance Rate: 72%
- Retention Rate: 83%
- Graduation Rate: 75%
- Total Enrollment: 3,546
- Undergrad Students: 2,592
- Graduate Students: 954
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
The College of St. Scholastica
Score: 75.27
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $40,454
- Out-of-State: $40,454
- Net Price: $24,578
- Acceptance Rate: 97%
- Retention Rate: 79%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 3,207
- Undergrad Students: 1,938
- Graduate Students: 1,269
- Grads Salary: $79,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
Indiana Wesleyan University
Score: 75.22
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $31,168
- Out-of-State: $31,168
- Net Price: $21,755
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 2,603
- Undergrad Students: 2,236
- Graduate Students: 367
- Grads Salary: $75,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
University of Louisville
Score: 74.52
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $12,828
- Out-of-State: $29,174
- Net Price: $19,327
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 62%
- Total Enrollment: 22,017
- Undergrad Students: 15,921
- Graduate Students: 6,096
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Eastern New Mexico University
Score: 74.39
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $6,863
- Out-of-State: $8,843
- Net Price: $8,702
- Acceptance Rate: 28%
- Retention Rate: 62%
- Graduation Rate: 41%
- Total Enrollment: 5,106
- Undergrad Students: 3,833
- Graduate Students: 1,273
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Eastern Kentucky University
Score: 74.33
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,130
- Out-of-State: $20,820
- Net Price: $10,806
- Acceptance Rate: 64%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 49%
- Total Enrollment: 14,324
- Undergrad Students: 12,072
- Graduate Students: 2,252
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 16:1
Salisbury University
Score: 74.33
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $10,638
- Out-of-State: $21,332
- Net Price: $19,756
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 69%
- Total Enrollment: 7,123
- Undergrad Students: 6,378
- Graduate Students: 745
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
Carlow University
Score: 73.81
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $34,502
- Out-of-State: $34,502
- Net Price: $17,437
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 76%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 2,104
- Undergrad Students: 1,247
- Graduate Students: 857
- Grads Salary: $74,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
University of Michigan-Flint
Score: 73.73
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,014
- Out-of-State: $31,274
- Net Price: $10,840
- Acceptance Rate: 66%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 46%
- Total Enrollment: 5,985
- Undergrad Students: 4,609
- Graduate Students: 1,376
- Grads Salary: $69,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Score: 73.18
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,455
- Out-of-State: $19,210
- Net Price: $11,173
- Acceptance Rate: 61%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 42%
- Total Enrollment: 8,197
- Undergrad Students: 5,825
- Graduate Students: 2,372
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
Texas State University
Score: 72.85
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $11,450
- Out-of-State: $23,210
- Net Price: $14,120
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 38,171
- Undergrad Students: 33,834
- Graduate Students: 4,337
- Grads Salary: $70,000
- Student-to-faculty: 21:1
