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Best Social Work Schools in Kentucky

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2023 Best Social Work Schools in Kentucky

12 Colleges
$34,155 Avg Salary
$31,155 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best Social Work School for You

In 2020-2021, social work students earned 1,510 degrees and certificates from a Kentucky school, making the subject the 7th in the state.

There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Social Work Schools in Kentucky to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 12 schools in Kentucky to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best Social Work Schools in Kentucky

The following schools top our list of the Best Social Work Colleges.

Top 10 Best Social Work Schools

#1

Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY

Our analysis found Western Kentucky University to be the best school for social work students who want to pursue a degree in Kentucky. Located in the city of Bowling Green, WKU is a public school with a fairly large student population.

After completing their degree, social work graduates from WKU carry an average student debtload of $26,000. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $220, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Full Social Work at Western Kentucky University Report

The excellent programs at Eastern Kentucky University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best social work schools in Kentucky. Eastern is a large public school located in the distant town of Richmond.

The average amount in student loans that social work majors at Eastern take out is $28,898.

Full Social Work at Eastern Kentucky University Report

#3

Brescia University

Owensboro, KY

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Brescia University is a great place for social work students. Located in the small city of Owensboro, Brescia University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

While working on their degree, social work majors at Brescia University accumulate an average of around $51,250 in student debt.

Read More…

Out of the 12 schools in Kentucky that were part of this year’s ranking, Murray State University landed the # 4 spot on the list. Located in the town of Murray, Murray State is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

While working on their degree, social work majors at Murray State accumulate an average of around $31,000 in student debt.

Full Social Work at Murray State University Report

#5

Northern Kentucky University

Highland Heights, KY

Out of the 12 schools in Kentucky that were part of this year’s ranking, Northern Kentucky University landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in the suburb of Highland Heights, NKU is a public school with a fairly large student population.

While working on their degree, social work majors at NKU accumulate an average of around $28,112 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $169, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read More…

#6

University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY

University of Kentucky landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best social work programs. Located in the city of Lexington, UK is a public college with a fairly large student population.

On average, social work graduates from UK take out $26,000 in student loans while working on their degree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $309.

Read More…

#7

University of Louisville

Louisville, KY

University of Louisville ranked #7 on this year’s Best Social Work Schools in Kentucky list. Located in the city of Louisville, UofL is a public college with a fairly large student population.

Social Work majors at UofL take out an average of $25,267 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Louisville

#8

Spalding University

Louisville, KY

Spalding University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best social work programs. Located in the city of Louisville, Spalding is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

On average, social work graduates from Spalding take out $32,200 in student loans while working on their degree.

Read full report on Social Work at Spalding University

#9

Asbury University

Wilmore, KY

Asbury University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Social Work Schools in Kentucky list. Asbury is a small private not-for-profit school located in the fringe town of Wilmore.

Full Social Work at Asbury University Report

#10

Kentucky State University

Frankfort, KY

Kentucky State University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Social Work Schools in Kentucky list. Located in the distant town of Frankfort, KY State is a public school with a small student population.

Full Social Work at Kentucky State University Report

Best Social Work Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Social Work Schools in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Georgia 753
Virginia 1,010
North Carolina 1,757
Florida 1,569
Tennessee 1,237
South Carolina 383
Louisiana 859
Arkansas 405
Alabama 1,173
Mississippi 595
West Virginia 316

Social Work is one of 5 different types of programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Public Administration 16,905
Human Services 13,238
Public Policy 6,430
Community Organization & Advocacy 3,096
Other Public Administration 588

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 12 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Army Medicine.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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