10 Affordable MSW Programs

A national leader in education, Georgia State University serves over 51,000 students across seven campuses in metro Atlanta, with the goal of promoting ambition, hard work, perseverance, and diversity. The Atlanta Campus offers over 250 degree programs across 100 fields of study.

The Master of Social Work program at Georgia StateAndrew Young School of Policy Studies focuses on helping students prepare for leadership and community problem-solving, as well as furthering social and economic justice and maximizing human potential. The program offers potential full-time, part-time, and advanced standing paths to earning an MSW.

Founded in 1854, Rhode Island College is the first public institution of higher education in the state of Rhode Island. RIC is located in the Mount Pleasant section of the city of Providence, and the college serves around 9,000 students in programs both on and off campus.

The School of Social Work is the only publicly funded social work program in Rhode Island, as well as the only program in the state to award an MSW degree. The MSW program at RIC is designed to help students prepare for enhanced goals in social work while exploring concepts like ethics, culture, oppression, and human diversity. Full-time, part-time, and advanced standing paths may be offered.

Sacramento State is the “capital campus” in the California State University system. Located in the vibrant city of Sacramento, the university educates 29,000 students through programs designed to serve both the region and the nation at large.

The MSW program at Sacramento State is committed to helping students prepare for goals in autonomous social work practice. Both a two-year full-time program and a 3-year part-time program may be offered. In the last year of the program, students are required to choose a specialization in one of the following areas: Behavioral Health; Children & Families; or Health and Aging.

University of Iowa is a public research university with 11 colleges featuring more than 200 different academic areas of study. The university offers undergraduate and graduate education, professional education, and more.

The MSW program in Iowa City offers two concentrations: Family Centered Practice or Integrated Practice. Full-time programs, as well as three-year or four-year part-time programs, may be available. Finally, the program requires 60 semester hours for students with a bachelor’s degree in something other than social work, and 48 semester hours for students who earned a B.A. from a CSWE-accredited social work program.

Louisiana State University is the state of Louisiana’s flagship public university. They offer undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and professional programs, among other learning paths. LSU is based in Baton Rouge, and they also offer distance learning via LSU Online.

The LSU School of Social Work offers several paths to pursuing an MSW degree. Students may study full time, part time, in an accelerated advanced standing program, or in LSU’s online MSW program. The School of Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and has been educating graduate students since 1937.

West Chester University is a comprehensive public institution dating back to 1871. The university is home to more than 80 graduate programs across numerous fields of study. They are located in the Borough of West Chester, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Master of Social Work program at West Chester University is designed to help students prepare to work with individuals and families using strengths-based, research-informed, and community-oriented assessment, intervention and evaluation skills. Students may study full time or part time.

University of Maine is a public research university, as well as the flagship campus of the University of Maine System. Located in Orono, Maine, the university offers teaching, research, and outreach designed to serve Maine, the nation, and the world.

The University of Maine School of Social Work offers a variety of potential learning paths, from certificate programs to a Master of Social Work programin traditional and advanced standing formats. They also offer several MSW formats designed for distance learners, including online/hybrid and weekend programs.

The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay is a public university that is part of the University of Wisconsin System. They strive to offer an interdisciplinary educational experience that emphasizes critical-thinking and problem-solving for a multicultural and evolving world.

The Master of Social Work program at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay is committed to helping students prepare for professional practice, with an emphasis on multi-cultural practice, social justice, leadership, and advocacy. Students pursue an Advanced Generalist Practice concentration, in addition to selecting an optional Individualized Area of Emphasis such as healthcare, child welfare, social policy, domestic violence, mental health, etc.