Best Online Social Work Degrees

Online BSW Programs

A social work degree at the bachelor's level allows you to compete for entry-level, non-clinical roles in myriad professional settings. Whether you hope to work as a case management aide at a children's hospital, a probation officer at a county prison, or a behavioral management aide at a school, a bachelor of social work online can help you achieve that goal.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that roles for social workers will grow 7% between 2022 and 2032 — faster than the national average for all occupations. Approximately 63,800 new roles should be created during this timeframe.

What Is Social Work?

Social work jobs are primarily concerned with assisting and supporting individuals, groups, and families as they attempt to live healthy and stable lives. It is also an academic discipline devoted to furthering research in social welfare, oppression, societal change, and human rights.

Social workers with bachelor's degrees provide support to licensed professionals, offering administrative and support services. Professionals must have a master's degree to become licensed and practice therapy, counseling, or case management. Social workers can also develop community programming, collect data on the effectiveness of existing community strategies, and perform administrative functions for health clinics or communtiy centers. Specializations include substance abuse, healthcare, developmental disabilities, and child welfare.

Featured Bachelor's in Social Work Programs

The Best Online Bachelor's in Social Work Programs

Online Bachelor's in Social Work Programs Ranking Guidelines

We ranked these degree programs based on quality, curricula, school awards, rankings, and reputation.

Our Methodology

Here at TheBestSchools.org, we take the trust and welfare of our readers very seriously. When making our school and program rankings, our top priority is ensuring that our readers get accurate, unbiased information that can help them make informed decisions about online education. That's why we've developed a rigorous ranking methodology that keeps the needs of our readers front and center.

Our proprietary, multi-criteria ranking algorithm analyzes key data indicators — as collected by the federal government — for each school or program. What data we use depends on the focus of each specific ranking, but in all cases, our ranking methodology is impartial: Schools cannot buy better rankings at TBS.

While specific criteria under consideration can vary by ranking, there are a few data points that we value most highly. They are affordability, academic quality, and online enrollment. Below, we break down our algorithm to help you understand what you're getting when you use one of our rankings.

• Academics
• Affordability
• Online Enrollment

Data Sources

The data used in TBS rankings comes primarily from the federal government, and much of it is provided by the schools themselves. We aggregate and analyze this data to build our rankings.

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is our primary source. Its data comes from annual surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Every college, university, or technical school with access to federal financial aid must participate in these surveys, which include questions about enrollment, graduation rates, finances, and faculty qualifications. This is publicly available data, which you can access yourself through the College Navigator.

Additionally, because we value a personal touch and the professional experience of our staff and Academic Advisory Board, we vet all results and adjust rankings as necessary based on our collected knowledge of schools and degree programs. Depending on the ranking, we may obtain additional input from AcademicInfluence.com, subject matter experts, prior TBS ranking lists, or other sources we deem relevant to a particular ranking.

Breakdown of Our Rankings Methodology

About Our Ranking Factors

Here at TBS, we value what you value: quality education, affordability, and the accessibility of online education. These factors guide all of our program rankings.

Each of these factors are further broken down into weighted subfactors. For example, retention rates are weighted more heavily than availability of program options because they are a better indicator of student success.

We chose the following factors for our rankings because of their influence on learning experiences and graduate outcomes. However, students should always balance our rankings against their personal priorities. For instance, a learner who needs a fully online program may prioritize online flexibility more than our rankings do. Our rankings are designed to help you make a decision — not to make a decision for you.

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Academics - 75%

Affordability - 15%

Online Enrollment - 10%

In all our school rankings and recommendations, we work for objectivity and balance. We carefully research and compile each ranking list, and as stated in our advertising disclosure, we do NOT permit financial incentives to influence rankings. Our articles never promote or disregard a school for financial gain.

If you have questions about our ranking methodology, please feel free to connect with our staff through contact page.

We thank you for your readership and trust.

Featured BSW Programs

What Is an Online Bachelor's in Social Work Degree?

Pursuing an online bachelor's degree in social work teaches you the foundational skills required for non-clinical roles in the field. Bachelor of social work students learn about research methods, serving diverse populations, social work ethics, and how to administer social work across the lifespan. Aside from coursework, learners often participate in a semester-long internship to gain practical skills such as assessing clients, developing treatment plans, and making appropriate referrals for additional services.

The typical online bachelor of social work student has a passion for helping others. Some pursue a master's in social work immediately after graduating from online bachelor's programs so they can offer therapeutic services. Others wait until they've worked in an entry-level role for a few years. Doctorate-level students usually work in research or teaching at the postsecondary level.

Continuing Education in Social Work

How Long Does It Take to Get an Online Bachelor's in Social Work?

The average online social work degree at the bachelor's level requires four years of full-time study, though there are options for students who seek an alternate schedule. Part-time learners typically spend six years enrolled, while students in accelerated programs can often graduate in 2-3 years.

Other factors affecting the length of an online bachelor of social work program include internships and whether the program delivers coursework synchronously or asynchronously.

What Will I Learn in an Online Bachelor of Social Work Program?

A typical online bachelor's degree in social work curriculum often includes the following courses.

• Diversity and Multiculturalism: All social workers assist clients from diverse backgrounds. To ensure each client feels comfortable and confident, social workers must have a nuanced understanding of human diversity and historic oppression. This class surveys social justice issues as they relate to a variety of populations. Learners examine theories and frameworks dedicated to creating equitable spaces for all people, regardless of how they identify.
• Community Organization: Rather than focusing on one-on-one work with clients, this class takes a macro approach, exploring how to effectively engage with entire communities. Students learn how to identify common issues at the community and organizational levels, build relationships with important stakeholders, and develop appropriate programs to meet each community's needs.
• Social Work Practice With Individuals and Families: This class provides students with practical and concrete tools for their everyday work. Students develop the interpersonal and communication skills required to work with clients of myriad backgrounds while also learning how to effectively conduct interviews and interventions, engage clients in appropriate ways, identify problem areas, and develop treatment plans.
• Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Countless social, psychological, and physiological changes happen across the lifespan, making it important for social workers to understand how those changes affect client health. This course covers developmental milestones; how issues such as trauma, grief, and other intense emotions affect behavior; and how to provide effective treatments based on tests and assessments.
• Social Welfare Policy: This class covers the history of social welfare policy, including current issues and trends affecting social workers. Students evaluate the effectiveness of previous service models and identify areas of weakness. They also learn how social welfare policy impacts major issues today, touching on mental health, eldercare, income maintenance, and correctional programs.

Social Work Jobs

Graduates of online social work degrees at the bachelor's level can choose from many different meaningful career paths, including those covered below.

Mental Health Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists

Median Annual Salary: $58,510
Projected Annual Growth: 15%

These professionals work with individuals, couples, families, and other groups across the lifespan to provide professional therapeutic care. They may offer one-on-one or group counseling, focusing on topics like conflict resolution, trauma, relational issues, or grief. Individuals hoping to work as mental health counselors or marriage and family therapists must earn a master's degree and complete supervised experience requirements before seeking licensure.

Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists

Median Annual Salary: $61,800
Projected Annual Growth: 3%

These professionals work with individuals convicted of crimes who are in custody, awaiting trial, imprisoned, or out on probation or parole. They conduct interviews; identify, develop, and implement appropriate rehabilitation programs; connect their clients with necessary resources; and provide counseling. Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists must maintain detailed records in case their observations or findings are required at a later date. They typically need bachelor's degrees.

Social and Community Service Managers

Median Annual Salary: $77,030
Projected Annual Growth: 9%

These professionals oversee programming and services devoted to helping improve social and community engagement. They often hold community meetings to identify necessary services, ascertain the effectiveness of ongoing programs, and stay in touch with those whom they serve. Much of their work revolves around improving programming through data collection and analysis, managing community service providers, and ensuring all administrative functions — including grant proposals — are operating appropriately.

Social Workers

Median Annual Salary: $58,380
Projected Annual Growth: 7%

Social workers provide meaningful services focused on making their clients' lives better. Social workers with a bachelor's degree mostly serve in supervised support roles, while those with master's degrees can provide clinical services such as counseling, therapy, and case management. Common responsibilities include making referrals, assessing client needs, working with individuals going through significant life transitions, helping those in crisis find security, and staying in touch with clients to ensure they have access to necessary services.

Substance Use Counselors and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Median Annual Salary: $53,710
Projected Annual Growth: 18%

These professionals often have a bachelor's degree, though some positions can be obtained with only a high school education. They work with clients as they navigate substance use and behavioral disorders, working in community health clinics, prisons, rehabilitation facilities, or counseling offices to provide mental health evaluations, treatment plans, and access to necessary resources. While they cannot provide therapeutic services, they can help individuals gain access to programming. They may also lead informational sessions or outreach programs.

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