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2023 Best Value Social Work Bachelor's Degree Schools

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing

394 Colleges
$12,632 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$31,612 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Social Work Bachelor's Degree School for You

In 2020-2021, 58,326 people earned a degree or certificate in social work, making the major the #13 most popular in the United States.

Today's students have lots of options to pick from when considering higher education opportunities. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.

Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Value Social Work Bachelor's Degree Schools to help you in your search for the best school for you. Our analysis looked at 394 schools in the United States to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best value experiences for social work students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

2023 Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the United States

The following schools top our list of the Best Value Social Work Bachelor's Degree Colleges.

Top 25 Best Schools for Affordable Quality for a Bachelor's in Social Work

Our 2023 rankings named Minot State University the best value school in the United States for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. MSU is a small public school located in the remote town of Minot.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MSU are $8,163 per year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, social work majors at MSU accumulate an average of around $26,962 in student debt.

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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Bemidji State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Bemidji State University is a small public school located in the remote town of Bemidji.

Bemidji State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,806 in tuition and fees each year. Social Work majors at Bemidji State University take out an average of $28,291 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Bemidji State University also is in the top 15% of our Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking.

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Out of the 394 schools in the United States that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the # 3 spot on the list. BYU - I is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the distant town of Rexburg.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at BYU - I are $4,416 per year.

Read full report on Social Work at Brigham Young University - Idaho

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Metropolitan State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Metro State is a moderately-sized public school located in the large city of Saint Paul.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Metro State are $9,394 per year. The average amount in student loans that social work majors at Metro State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $31,142.

Full Social Work at Metropolitan State University Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Southwest Minnesota State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the town of Marshall, Southwest Minnesota State University is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

Southwest Minnesota State University undergraduate students pay an average of $9,482 in tuition and fees each year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, social work majors at Southwest Minnesota State University accumulate an average of around $21,644 in student debt.

In addition to its great value ranking, Southwest Minnesota State University is in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

Read full report on Social Work at Southwest Minnesota State University

With a ranking of #6, Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. IWU is a large private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Marion.

IWU undergraduate students pay an average of $9,239 in tuition and fees each year.

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With a ranking of #7, Western Carolina University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. WCU is a fairly large public school located in the town of Cullowhee.

WCU undergraduate students pay an average of $8,367 in tuition and fees each year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, social work graduates from WCU carry an average student debtload of $23,410. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $127.

Read full report on Social Work at Western Carolina University

Winona State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. Winona State is a medium-sized public school located in the distant town of Winona.

Winona State undergraduate students pay an average of $16,684 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that social work majors at Winona State take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $29,473. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $144.

Winona State excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

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University of North Carolina at Pembroke did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for social work students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Located in the town of Pembroke, UNC Pembroke is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at UNC Pembroke are $7,495 per year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, social work graduates from UNC Pembroke carry an average student debtload of $28,761.

Full Social Work at University of North Carolina at Pembroke Report

#10

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND

University of North Dakota came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. UND is a fairly large public school located in the city of Grand Forks.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UND are $15,037 a year. Social Work majors at UND take out an average of $27,649 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Read full report on Social Work at University of North Dakota

University of Wisconsin - River Falls ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. UW - River Falls is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of River Falls.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - River Falls are $15,661 a year. Social Work majors at UW - River Falls take out an average of $28,354 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - River Falls also is in the top 10% of our Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking.

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#12

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, OH

With a ranking of #12, Youngstown State University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. Youngstown State University is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Youngstown.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Youngstown State University are $9,732 per year. On average, social work graduates from Youngstown State University take out $37,526 in student loans while working on their Bachelor's Degree.

Full Social Work at Youngstown State University Report

With a ranking of #14, Minnesota State University - Moorhead did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. MSU Moorhead is a medium-sized public school located in the midsize suburb of Moorhead.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MSU Moorhead are $17,564 per year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, social work graduates from MSU Moorhead carry an average student debtload of $27,008.

MSU Moorhead also claimed a spot on our Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

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University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for social work students to get a bachelor’s degree. It came in at #15 on the list. Located in the city of Oshkosh, UW Oshkosh is a public college with a fairly large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW Oshkosh are $15,306 a year.

Full Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Report

Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree social work programs. Minnesota State Mankato is a large public school located in the city of Mankato.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at Minnesota State Mankato are $18,200 a year.

Minnesota State Mankato also claimed a spot on our Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category.

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University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools ranking. UW - Eau Claire is a fairly large public school located in the small city of Eau Claire.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - Eau Claire are $17,149 a year.

In addition to its great value ranking, UW - Eau Claire is in the top 15% of all schools on our Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list.

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Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools list. Located in the fringe town of Shippensburg, Ship is a public college with a medium-sized student population.

Ship undergraduate students pay an average of $14,122 in tuition and fees each year. The average amount in student loans that social work majors at Ship take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $29,312.

Read full report on Social Work at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Western Illinois University landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree social work programs. WIU is a medium-sized public school located in the town of Macomb.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at WIU are $13,297 per year. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $228, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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With a ranking of #19, University of Akron Main Campus did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. University of Akron Main Campus is a large public school located in the city of Akron.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at University of Akron Main Campus are $11,880 per year. While working on their Bachelor's Degree, social work majors at University of Akron Main Campus accumulate an average of around $35,115 in student debt.

Read full report on Social Work at University of Akron Main Campus

With a ranking of #21, University of Wisconsin - Superior did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. UW - Superior is a small public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Superior.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate student at UW - Superior are $15,728 a year.

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#22

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI

Central Michigan University landed the #22 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree social work programs. Located in the town of Mount Pleasant, Central Michigan is a public college with a large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Central Michigan are $13,094 per year. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $202.

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With a ranking of #23, West Texas A&M University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for social work students working on their bachelor’s degree. West Texas A&M University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Canyon.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at West Texas A&M University are $11,208 per year.

Read full report on Social Work at West Texas A&M University

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree social work programs. SRU is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Slippery Rock.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SRU are $14,615 per year. After completing their Bachelor's Degree, social work graduates from SRU carry an average student debtload of $27,568. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $252.

Full Social Work at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Report

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville landed the #25 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value bachelor’s degree social work programs. Located in the suburb of Edwardsville, SIUE is a public college with a large student population.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SIUE are $11,496 per year. The average amount in student loans that social work majors at SIUE take out while working on their Bachelor's Degree is $24,439.

Read full report on Social Work at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Rest of the Top Best Value Social Work Bachelor's Degree Schools

#26

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN
#27

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, TX
#33

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI
#35

Thomas University

Thomasville, GA
#37

Coppin State University

Baltimore, MD
#38

University of Memphis

Memphis, TN
#38

York College

Jamaica, NY
#40

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA
#41

Saint Augustine College

Chicago, IL
#43

Delta State University

Cleveland, MS
#45

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, KS
#48

Washburn University

Topeka, KS
#49

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA

Additional Award Winners

This list represents the remainder of the colleges awarded a Best Value Social Work Bachelor's Degree Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 394 different United States social work schools we analyzed.

Rank College Location
49 California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA
52 University of Houston - Downtown Houston, TX
53 University of Minnesota - Duluth Duluth, MN
54 Colorado State University - Pueblo Pueblo, CO
55 Heritage University Toppenish, WA
56 Park University Parkville, MO
57 Angelo State University San Angelo, TX
57 Lehman College Bronx, NY
59 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI
59 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY

Honorable Mentions

Here are some additional great value schools for Social Work students seeking value that almost earned our Best Value Social Work Bachelor's Degree Schools award.

Rank College Location
61 Salisbury University Salisbury, MD
62 University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV
63 California State University - Fresno Fresno, CA
64 California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
65 University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS
66 Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ
66 Purdue University Global Indianapolis, IN
68 California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA
69 East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN
70 Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO
71 Weber State University Ogden, UT
71 Wright State University - Main Campus Dayton, OH
73 California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CA
73 Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX
73 Henderson State University Arkadelphia, AR
76 Indiana University - South Bend South Bend, IN
76 Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX
78 Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO

Social Work by Region

View the Best Value Social Work Bachelor's Degree Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Great Lakes

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

Majors Similar to Social Work

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 25 schools only.

  • 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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