50 Best Online MSW Programs No GRE Required [2025 Master of Social Work Guide]
By Joy Miller
Edited by Briana Sukert
Updated on November 27, 2024
Don’t want to take the GRE? Explore 50 Accredited Online MSW Programs no GRE required! Accelerated 8-week online classes are available.
A Master of Social Work (MSW) can help you head into advanced programs where you are challenged in clinical and agency settings to help communities, individuals, and special groups.
Traditional or online social work degrees typically take 1-2 years to complete, and once finished, graduates often go on to become social workers, counselors, clinical workers, or therapists.
And there’s good news! A growing number of colleges and online programs have no GRE requirement for their master’s programs.
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Whether you want to work with underprivileged communities, children, families, mental health facilities, or older senior adults, these online social work programs are designed to hone your ability to understand human behavior and come up with solutions.
Students enrolled in online MSW programs typically focus on their specialization in the second year of study, allowing students to choose a track that can help elevate their experience in the field.
Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format. In addition, the schools either have no GRE admissions requirements, or qualified students may apply for a GRE waiver.
Adelphi University is a privately managed university with a 75-acre suburban campus in Garden City, New York. Adelphi also has centers all over New York in Hudson Valley, Manhattan and Suffolk County.
This current iteration of Adelphi was established in 1896, but its history date back to 1863 with the Adelphi Academy, which operated in Brooklyn. This was a small privately owned prep school but soon grew to what it is today.
The current enrollment at Adelphi University is 8,146 students. This includes both postgrads and undergrads.
Adelphi sports teams play as the “Panthers” in the NCAA Division II.
Adelphi is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and all of the professional schools, and related programs at Adelphi are accredited by nationally recognized professional associations.
Arizona State University, or more widely referred to as ASU, by its students, is a publicly operated university that has a 661-acre urban campus in Tempe, Arizona. Aside from this main campus, they also operate 4 other campuses spread across the Phoenix metro as well as other satellite regional centers all over Arizona.
This state university was founded in 1885 with only 33 students. Today, ASU averages more than 110,000 students, which is comprised on about 90,000 on campus and just a little over 21,000 online students.
ASU plays as the “Sun Devils” in the NCAA Division I.
Arizona State has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1931.
Baylor University, or more widely known as simply Baylor, is a privately owned university that operates a 1,000-acre campus in Waco, Texas. It was established in 1845 but traces its heritage to 1841 with a meeting by the Union Baptist Associate, which decided the need to establish a Baptist university.
Baylor has always been affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Today, current student numbers average about 17,000, with 14,000 of these being undergrads and the rest postgrads.
Baylor plays as the Bears & Lady Bears in the NCAA Division I.
Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.
Boise State University is a publicly run university that operates a 285-acre urban campus in Boise, Idaho. This campus holds about 170 buildings.
BSU, as it is fondly called, has a strong research focus. It was founded in 1932 as the Boise Junior College by the Episcopal Church. Today, BSU has no declared religious affiliations and is considered independent. Current figures on enrollment have the student population a little over 25,000. 22,000 of these are undergrads and the rest are postgrads.
BSU plays as the “Broncos” in the NCAA Division I.
Boise State is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Boston University is a privately operated university with a 135-acre urban campus in Boston, Massachusetts. BU, as it is referred to, has a strong research focus. It was founded in 1839 as the Newburry Biblical Institute. The school is currently not affiliated with any religious organization, though it had once been affiliated strongly with the United Methodist Church.
Today, BU has about 34,000 students enrolled per semester split into about 16,000 undergrads, 15,000 postgrads, and more than 2,000 students enrolled in their other programs.
The Boston “Terriers” play in the NCAA Division I.
BU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
California State University – Northridge is also known as CSUN or Cal State Northridge. This is a publicly operated university that has a 356-acre suburban campus in Northridge, Los Angeles. It was established in 1958 San Fernando Valley State College as an offshoot of the Los Angeles State College, or what is now called the California State University.
Current data puts the enrollment numbers of CSUN near 40,000 students. This number is primarily comprised of undergrads as 34,000, with postgrads at just under 4,000.
The CSUN “Matadors” play in the NCAA Division I.
CSU Northridge is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
California State University – San Bernardino, also known as Cal State Bernardino or CSUSB, is a publicly operated university that operates 2 campuses. The suburban campus in San Bernardino California is just at 441 acres, and the Palm Desert campus is about 40 acres.
CSUSB was opened in 1965 but was created by a state legislature in 1960. Today. there are just about 20,000 students currently enrolled between its 2 campuses. The undergrads comprise the majority at almost 18,000, with postgrads with a relatively small population of 2,000.
The CSUSB “Coyotes” play in the NCAA Division II.
CSUSB is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Case Western Reserve University, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a private research school. The university formed in 1967 after a merger of Western Reserve University (1826) and Case Institute of Technology (1880).
Time magazine said the merger was the founding of “Cleveland’s Big-Leaguer” university. It now works closely with such as city institutions as the Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and the popular Cleveland Play House.
There are approximately 12,000 students at CWRU, split fairly evenly between undergrads and postgrads.
The Spartans play in the NCAA Division III.
Case Western is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Columbia University is a privately operated university that’s an Ivy League member. It is also sometimes referred to simply as Columbia, but it is officially named as Columbia University in the City of New York.
It was established in 1754 as King’s College. The founding of this university seemed like a response to the founding of Princeton in New Jersey. It has a 299-acre urban campus in New York City. Columbia’s current enrollment population is at 33,000, comprised primarily by about 24,000 postgrads, with undergrads comprising the rest.
The Columbia “Lions” play in the NCAA Division I.
Columbia is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Fordham University is a privately owned and run university with a strong research focus. It has 4 campuses all over New York City. The first is the 85-acre Rose Hill Campus; next is the 8-acre Lincoln Center Campus, then the 32-acre Westchester Campus, and finally the 0.39-acre London Centre Campus.
Fordham University was founded in 1841 by a bishop. Today, it has primary religious affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church through the Jesuits. Current enrollment is over 15,500 students, of which are more than 9,200 undergrads and over 6,000 postgrads.
Fordham is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
George Mason University, also known as GMU, George Mason, or simply Mason, is a publicly operated university. Mason operates 4 campuses over a total land area of 1,148 acres. Three are located in Northern Virginia, with one in Blue Ridge Mountains. Mason also operates abroad at a South Korean campus.
GMU was established in 1949 as the Northern Virginia University Center of the University of Virginia. Today, Mason has about 35,000 students enrolled, more than 24,000 of which are undergrads. Their sport nickname is the Patriots, and they play in the NCAA Division I.
George Mason is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Humboldt State University, also referred to as HSU, Humboldt State, or simply Humboldt, is a state-run university that has 144-acre rural main campus with 591 additional university-owned acres in Arcata, California. It was founded in 1913 as the Humboldt State Normal School.
Current data has enrollment at over 7,700. This is primarily composed of undergrads (7,200). Postgrads account for the remaining 500-plus student population.
The sports teams of Humboldt are called the Lumberjacks, and they play in the NCAA Division II.
Humboldt State is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, certifying the quality and effectiveness of Humboldt’s degree programs and educational activities.
Indiana University, or simply IU, is a state-run public university that operates 9 campuses across 3,640 acres. The main campus is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and the rest are spread all over the state. IU was founded in 1820.
Today, the Indiana University student population is just over 110,000. This number is composed of an undergrad majority at about 89,000. The remaining 21,000 is made up of postgrads.
The Indiana teams are called “The Hoosiers.”
At IU, each campus is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Indiana Wesleyan University, also known as IWU, is a privately owned and operated university that has a 320-acre suburban campus that’s located at Marion, Indiana. Indiana Wesleyan University also operates regional 14 Education Centers in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
This university was founded in 1890 as the Marion Normal College. Currently, it is religiously affiliated with the Protestant Christian Wesleyan Church. On average, there are more than 13,000 students enrolled across its campuses.
Their sports teams are called the “Wildcats,” and they play in the NCCAA Division I and NAIA Division II.
IWU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Ohio State University, also known fondly as OSU, is a public education institution with a strong foundation in research. It operates a 1,764-acre main campus in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College through a land grant.
Current student enrollment is over 60,000 students. About 50,000 of these are undergrads.
OSU has a strong athletic focus and has had success claiming more than 100 medals in Olympic events. Their sports nickname is “Buckeyes,” and they play in the NCAA Division I.
Ohio State has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1913.
Ohio University is a state-run university that operates a 1,850-acre college town in Athens, Ohio. The university is fondly referred to as OU or OhioU by the students and the locals. It was founded in 1804, but it was only in 1809 that the first 3 students were enrolled.
Today, current figures on their student enrollment is over 34,000. This is comprised mainly of undergrads with 28,600+ students, with postgrads accounting for the remaining 5,000+ students.
Their sports teams are called the “Bobcats,” and they play in the NCAA Division I.
Ohio U is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Our Lady of the Lake University is a privately owned and operated education establishment that has a 72-acre urban campus in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1895 by a Catholic institute called the Sisters of Divine Providence. It is still strongly affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church today through the Congregation of Divine Providence.
Each semester, there are about 3,200 students who are enrolled. This is split pretty evenly between undergrads and postgrads. Their sports teams are called the “Saints,” and they play in the NAIA – RRAC.
Our Lady of the Lake is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Portland State University, also known as PSU, is a publicly operated educational institution that manages a 50-acre urban campus in Portland, Oregon. PSU is widely known as a research intensive university. It was established in 1946 to provide post-secondary education to World War II veterans.
Recent enrollment data have the PSU student population at about 28,000. A big majority of this is undergrads at 22,000. The rest are postgrads.
Their sports teams are called the “Vikings,” and they have an NCAA Division 1 Big Sky Conference athletic affiliation.
PSU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Regis College is a privately owned and managed educational institution that operates a 132-acre suburban campus in Weston, Massachusetts. Regis University was founded in 1927. For a majority of its existence, Regis University was an exclusive women’s college. It was only in 2007 that it began accepting male students.
Today, there are about 2,000 students enrolled each semester. Undergrads make up about 1,100 while the remainder is composed of postgrads.
Their sports teams are called “Pride,” and they have an NCAA Division III affiliation.
Regis is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, also known as RU, is a state-operated public education institution that has a strong focus on research. It manages 2 campuses at New Brunswick, Newark and Camden, New Jersey. The total land area of these campuses is about 6,088 acres.
Rutgers was founded in 1766. Today, its student census reaches about 69,000 every semester. About 50,000 are undergrads, with the rest being postgrads.
Their sports teams are called the “Scarlet Knights,” and they have an NCAA Division I affiliation.
Rutgers is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Sacred Heart University, also known as SHU, is a privately owned and managed educational institution that has a 300-acre campus in Fairfield, Connecticut. SHU was founded in 1963 as a Catholic university. At present, it’s considered the second largest Catholic-affiliated university in New England.
The first class was only 173 strong. Today, there are about 8,500 students enrolled in any given semester.
SHU has an NNCAA Division I-NEC, CAA, ECAC, AHA, and EIVA affiliations. Their sports teams are called the “Pioneers.”
SHU is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Saint Leo University is a privately owned university that has a rural campus in Saint Leo, Florida. It was founded in 1889 after a donation of 36 acres of land was provided. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church.
The total student census in the first year was only 32. Today, current data has enrollment at just under 12,000. More than 7,000 of these are online students.
Saint Leo University has an NCAA Division II affiliation. and their sports team name is the “Lions.”
Saint Leo is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees.
Simmons University is a privately owned and operated university that has an urban campus in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1899 with a strong feminist vision of females being independent. Their undergraduate university is exclusively for female students only while their postgraduate programs are open to both genders.
Their current student census has a total of just about 5,000 students. 2,000 of these are undergrads, while about 3,000 are postgrads.
Their athletic teams, called the “Sharks,” play in the NCAA Division III.
Simmons is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Texas State University is a publicly run education facility that operates a 492-acre campus in San Marcos, Texas. This university has a strong focus on research. It was established in 1899, but it only opened its doors in 1903.
Its original name was the Southwest Texas State Normal School. There were only 303 students who enrolled at the time. Today, more than 38,000 make up the entire student body. More than 34,000 of these are undergrads.
Their athletic teams, the “Bobcats,” are playing in the NCAA Division I.
Texas State is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Tulane University is a privately owned and managed university that operates a 110-acre urban campus in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane University has a strong focus on research studies.
The university was established in 1834 as the Medical College of Louisiana. It came about as a response to increasing fears about diseases, such as smallpox.
The current student census of Tulane University is just about 14,000. There are more than 8,000 undergrads and more than 5,000 postgrads.
Their athletic teams, called the “Green Wave.” are part of the NCAA Division I.
Tulane is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master, doctorate, and professional degrees.
Properly named the State University of New York at Buffalo but better known as SUNY Buffalo or UB, this institution is a public research school with another campus in Amherst, NY. It is the flagship school of the state’s university system.
Beginning in 1846, it was originally a private medical college. It merged with the state system in 1962. Now, it has 13 different colleges under its university umbrella and approximately 31,500 students.
It is still the state’s largest medical and dental school, but there are a variety of degree programs offered here, including 205 master’s degree.
The Buffalo Bulls play in the NCAA Division I.
UB is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The University of Alabama, also known as Bama or UA, is a state-run university that has a strong focus on research studies. It is the flagship member of the University of Alabama System. It operates an urban 1,970-acre campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
It was founded in 1820 but was only opened in 1831. Today, there are about 38,000 students enrolled at Alabama. Undergrads comprise the majority at 33,000.
The UA Athletic teams are called the “Crimson Tide.” They’re affiliated with the NCAA Division I.
Bama is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees.
The University of Alaska – Anchorage, or UAA, is a state-managed education institution that focuses on research studies. UAA was established in 1954 as the Anchorage Community College.
This school had only about 400 students at first. Today, it is the largest educational institution in Alaska. The student census has the enrollment number at just under 18,000.
Their sports teams are called the “Seawolves,” and they are part of the NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I.
UA is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
The University of Arkansas is a state-operated university that has a 412-acre college town in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was established in 1871 as a land grant university. The first class was officially started in 1872.
Current data for the student enrollment at the University of Arkansas shows more than 27,000 students. A large majority of these are undergrads. They comprise more than 23,000. Their athletic teams are nicknamed the “Razorbacks” and are part of the NCAA Division I.
UArk is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The University of Central Florida is a state-run education facility that operates a 1,415-acre urban main campus in Orlando, Florida. It was established in 1963 and was originally known as the Florida Technological University. The mission of this school was to provide well-educated and trained engineers for the United States Space Program.
Today, the student population is about 69,000 students. With these numbers, it actually is one of the largest in America.
Their sports teams are called the “Knights,” and they are affiliated with the NCAA Division I.
UCF is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, master, specialist, and doctoral levels.
The University of Denver is a privately owned and operated educational establishment that has a strong research focus. It runs a 125-acre urban and residential campus in Denver, Colorado.
It was established in 1864 as the Colorado Seminary. The purpose of this seminary was to help bring in some civility to Denver, which was a mere mining camp at the time.
Today, the enrollment is just under 12,000. More than 5,000 of these are undergrads, and the rest are postgrads.
Their sports team name is the “Pioneers” and they are part of the NCAA Division I.
DU and all of its academic programs are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The University of Houston is a publicly operated university that has strong research programs. It manages a 668-acre urban campus in Houston, Texas. It was established in 1927 as the Houston Junior College. Their first enrollment was only 232 students.
Today, UH is the third-largest American university in terms of the number of students enrolled. On average, they have about 46,000 students enrolled per semester. About 40,000 of these are undergrads.
Their sports teams are called the “Cougars,” and they play in the NCAA Division I.
UH is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master, professional, and doctoral degrees.
The Urbana-Champaign University, or simply the U of I, is a publicly managed educational establishment that is part of the University of Illinois System, which is comprised of three universities. These are the UIC in Chicago, the UIS in Springfield, and the UIUC in Urbana-Champaign.
The University of Illinois is the oldest and was founded in 1867. It has about 51,000 enrolled students. About 34,000 of these students are undergrads, and more than 16,000 are postgrads. Their sports team nickname is the “Fighting Illini,” and they’re playing in the NCAA Division I – FBS.
UI is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The University of Louisville, also known as U of L, is a publicly operated university that is part of the Kentucky State University System. It has 4 campuses in total, 3 in Louisville and 1 outside of the U.S., in Panama City, Panama.
U of L was founded in 1798. Today, there are about 22,000 students enrolled throughout its campuses. 16,000 of these are undergrads, with the remaining 6,000 being postgrads. Their sports team nickname is the “Cardinals,” and they’re playing in the NCAA Division I – ACC.
Louisville is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, bachelor, master, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees (D.M.D., J.D., M.D.).
The University of Missouri is a publicly owned educational facility that has a strong focus on research studies. Mizzou, as it is fondly called by students and faculty, operates a 1,262-acre urban college town in Columbia, Missouri. It was established in 1839 through the enactment of the Geyer Act.
Today, there are about 30,000 students enrolled at Mizzou. The majority are undergrads at almost 22,500. The rest of the population, at 7,000+ students, consists of postgrads.
Their sports teams are called the “Tigers,” and they play in the NCAA Division I.
Mizzou is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The University of Nevada –Reno is a publicly owned and operated university that has an urban campus in Reno, Nevada. The University is sometimes referred to simply as Nevada or UNR. UNR was founded as a land grant university in 1874. In fact, UNR is the only one in Nevada.
Today, more than 21,000 students are enrolled each semester. About 18,000 of these are undergrads, and only 3,000 are postgrads.
They call their sports teams the “Wolf Pack.” They’re playing in the NCAA Division I.
UNR is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
UNE has a 540-acre campus in Biddeford, Maine with two other campuses in Portland, Maine and Tangier, Morocco. Current enrollment is 13,743 for on-campus and online studies.
The school was established in 1939 for high school and college-level men. It’s had many names and undergone several mergers to become the largest private university in the state.
The Nor’easters play in the NCAA Division III and the CCC.
UNE is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
The University of New Hampshire is a publicly owned and managed academic establishment that has a strong focus on research. Its campuses are located at Durham Concord and Manchester, New Hampshire. The total land area of these campuses is about 2,600 acres.
It was founded in 1866 through the Morrill Act. Current data has its enrollment exceeding 15,000. More than 12,000 of these are undergrads. About 2,500 are postgrads.
Their sports teams are called “Wildcats,” and they play in the NCAA Division I.
UNH is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
The University of North Dakota, or UND, is a publicly managed university that has a strong focus on research studies. UND operates a 550-acre campus with 240 buildings. This is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
It was founded in 1883, which was 6 years prior to North Dakota becoming a member state. Today, there are about 14,000 students enrolled during any given semester. More than 10,000 of these are undergrads. About 3,300 are postgrads.
They call their sports teams as the “Fighting Hawks.” They’re playing in the NCAA Division I.
UND has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1913, when the Association was first organized.
The University of Northern Iowa is a state-run university that has a 900-acre urban campus in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It traces its origins to 1869 as the “Central Hall.” This was an education facility that also served as a student home. It was founded in 1876 as the Iowa State Normal School to train teachers.
Today, there are about 10,000 students enrolled in the university. About 9,000 of these are undergrads.
They call their sports teams the “Panthers.” They play in the NCAA Division II.
UNI is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The University of South Dakota is a state-run education facility that manages a 274-acre rural college town in Vermillion, South Dakota. USD, as the university is fondly called, has a strong research focus. It was established in 1862 by the power of the Dakota Territory Legislature.
It is also the oldest state-run university in South Dakota. Today, enrollment figures are at about 10,000 total students. About 7,400 of these are undergrads.
USD calls its sports teams the “Coyotes.” They play in the NCAA Division I.
USD has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools since 1913.
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a state-run university that operates a 1,913-acre urban campus in Tampa, Florida. It was established in 1956 as an all-white university. It admitted its first non-white student in 1961.
Current data has the student population at about 50,000. A large portion of these is undergrads at about 37,000. The remaining 11,000 are postgrads.
They call their sports teams the “Bulls.” They play in the NCAA Division I.
USF is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, master, specialist, and doctorate degrees.
The University of Southern California, also known as USC or South Cal, is a privately owned and managed university that has a 299-acre urban campus in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1880.
USC is also considered as the oldest privately owned university with a strong research focus in the state of California. Today, there are about 45,000 students enrolled. Undergraduates make up only about 19,000, and the majority of students are postgrads.
They call their sports teams the “Trojans.” They play in the NCAA Division I.
USC has been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) since March 6, 1949.
The University of Tennessee – Knoxville, also known as UT Knoxville, UTK, or simply UT, is a publicly managed state university with a strong focus in research. UTK manages a 600-acre campus in Knoxville, Tennessee.
It was established in 1794, which was actually a couple of years prior to Tennessee becoming a U.S. State. Today, there are about 29,000 students enrolled. Undergrads make up the majority at about 23,000. The rest are postgrads.
They call their sports teams the “Volunteers” & “Lady Volunteers.” They play in the NCAA Division I and FBS.
Since 1897, UT – Knoxville, has been continuously accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degrees.
The University of Texas – Arlington is a public university with a strong focus in research studies. This university is also fondly called UTA, UT, or Arlington. UT operates a 420-acre urban campus in Arlington, Texas.
It was established in 1895 as private school called Arlington College. Today, there are about 43,000 students enrolled at UT. Undergrads make up the majority at about 28,000. Postgrads comprise the remaining 14,000.
They call their sports teams the “Mavericks.” They play in the NCAA Division I.
UT Arlington is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degrees.
The University of Washington is a publicly owned and operated university that has a strong research focus. It is fondly called UW, U-Dub, or simply Washington. U-Dub has a 703-acre, urban campus in Seattle, Washington.
Today, there are about 48,000 students enrolled. A majority of this figure is comprised of undergrads, whose numbers total about 32,500. The rest are postgrads.
They call their sports teams the “Huskies.” They play in the NCAA Division 1.
UW is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
The Virginia Commonwealth University is a publicly managed academic institution that has a strong research component. VCU, as it is fondly called, has a 150-acre urban campus in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded in 1838 as the Medical College of Virginia.
The latest data on its enrollment have the total student population above 38,000. The majority consists of undergrads at 31,000. Postgrads make up the rest at 7,000.
Their sports teams are called the “Rams.” They play in the NCAA Division I.
VCU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, master, doctoral and first-professional degrees.
West Virginia University is a publicly operated educational institution that manages a 913-acre campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. WVU, as it is fondly called, has a strong research focus. It is both a land-grant and a space-grant college.
It was founded in 1867. Today, it has about 30,000 students, more than 21,000 of which are undergrads. The rest is comprised of postgrad students.
Their sports teams are called the “Mountaineers.” They have an NCAA Division and ACHA Division affiliation.
WVU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which guarantees the quality of the university as a whole.
Western New Mexico University is a publicly managed university that runs an 80-acre rural campus with more than 40 buildings in Silver City, New Mexico. It was established in 1893. Its original name was the New Mexico Normal School and operated out of a Presbyterian church.
Today, its enrollment reaches approximately 3,500.
Their sports teams are called the “Mustangs.” They have an NCAA Division II – Lone Star affiliation.
WNMU’s campus-wide accreditation has been reaffirmed by the Higher Learning Commission.
Yeshiva University is a privately owned and operated education institution that has 4 urban campuses in New York City. Yeshiva University has a strong focus on research. It traces its origins to 1886 when an elementary school that taught the Talmud together with secular education was established.
Today, it is still strongly affiliated with Modern Orthodox Judaism. At present, there are about 6,500 students enrolled. 3,000 of these are undergrads, and about 3,500 are postgrads.
Its sports teams are called the “Maccabees,” and they play in the NCAA Division III.
Yeshiva is an independent institution chartered by New York State and is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and by several professional agencies.
There are a few different MSW online concentrations available in the field of social work.
Select the program that interests you most to jump to that section of the guide:
Each of these online MSW programs specializations can help prepare you for a slightly different career. A growing number of online master’s programs in social work require no GRE exam.
Much of the work that social workers due in this field comes down to experience and counseling. Whether you study on campus or online, you’ll need to understand at-risk factors for children and youth and how problems can be prevented through financial and healthcare assistance.
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This online specialization can help you learn how to recognize and respond to abuse situations as well as how to offer families assistance through such a situation. Your courses can help you learn how to ensure and prioritize the safety of children and also determine if and how family units can move forward. This social work program also focuses on how to communicate with and counsel children and teens.
Mental health is one of the major reasons that social work offices exist today. When someone is in need of care but can’t receive it for mentally debilitating problems, social workers can help them find relief. It’s especially important for individuals and families who are at risk of becoming homeless or who are living below the poverty line.
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You may be the resource and case manager to help individuals and families connect with the services they need.
You might work in public administration, for a government agency, the court system, a non-profit organization, or even a medical facility as a resource coordinator. If you want to ensure that people have access to the help they need, consider this educational path.
The elderly are susceptible to all kinds of problems as they grow older. It’s possible that they won’t know how to use technology or understand what services are available to them, such as health services, counseling, or financial assistance. Social workers can help alleviate these problems or spot abuse in nursing home facilities.
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If you want to become a direct care social worker, you don’t need to become a licensed clinical social worker. In fact, you can enter this field with just your bachelor’s in social work. You won’t have as varied work opportunities but you may begin your career as a healthcare services social worker or case manager for the elderly.
The majority of social workers assist with health services so that people can get aid when they need it. Whether that means finding free clinics or providing counseling services for families, social workers in health services or human services do a lot of work with families and children to prevent illnesses from getting worse due to not having the right treatment.
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After graduating from an online program, you might also work in a hospital setting or nursing home overseeing discharges. Your oversight of a person’s case likely won’t stop when they leave your facility. Instead, you may need to ensure that they have the ongoing support they need, including home health care, meals, counseling, occupational and physical therapy, and financial assistance.
Some social workers prefer to look at the bigger picture. The focus of this concentration is on how the field can adapt to new problems and what new methods there are to help with difficult challenges in at-risk communities locally and globally.
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After completing your online MSW programs, you might work with individuals and families to overcome barriers to employment or work as an advocate to shape your community’s laws and workplace policies. You might work for a government agency, and non-profit community organization, or start your own grassroots movement to effect change for the social good.
If you want to work in social work management, then you’ll need to take high-level courses in project management, leadership, healthcare administration, and counseling. This concentration is for those who want to work behind the scenes in the “business” aspect of social work while still providing a valuable service to their community.
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As a social work administrator, you can help ensure that your organization is providing services in the most efficient, most ethical manner possible. Your duties will likely include hiring case managers, directing staff, implementing and evaluating services, and ensuring your office stays within budget.
Social services offer a great deal of assistance to the public, but many of the policies are misunderstood. In this concentration, students learn about different policies, how to change policies, and how to be more innovative with analysis.
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This online program and the work involved focus on the laws and ethics of working in human services and how to implement best practices throughout your organization. This is a leadership development program that may also lead you to lobby for change at the governmental level or as a grassroots advocate.
With the number of rehabilitation facilities rising, many social workers are getting into substance abuse counseling and social work. The knowledge you can gain in this course of study can help you transition into a satisfying career where you can provide assistance for those who are trying to kick substance abuse problems, especially those who are at risk of becoming homeless or developing serious health problems.
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As a substance abuse social worker, you may manage a caseload for a government agency, non-profit organization, medical facility, or rehabilitation facility to set a treatment plan for your clients and ensure that they’re sticking to it. You’ll likely refer them to the services they need and consult with members of their support team, including probation officers, medical personnel, and others.
What can you earn with a BSW or MSW? Many students go into careers earning around $35,000 per year to start. However, MSW graduates will likely earn more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some careers in the social work field include:
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Mental Health Program Manager | $89,880 |
| Social Services Operations Manager | $77,980 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $69,600 |
| Family Service Center Director | $64,330 |
| Forensic Social Worker | $64,210 |
| College Career Counselor | $58,120 |
| Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) | $57,630 |
| Ambulatory Care Social Worker | $52,850 |
| Substance Abuse Social Worker | $48,720 |
| Child Welfare Specialist | $48,430 |
These figures do not distinguish between degree types such as a bachelors or doctorate in social work online, so let’s take a look at that next.
There is a high demand for social workers. The most popular careers are those who work in education and casework management. In the long-term, social workers usually earn considerable raises in salary as they move into higher administrative roles.
When social workers have an MSW, they are more likely to get a higher-paying position and administrative role within clinical and agency settings. Many online MSW programs work well for those who want to pursue clinical social work, and most states require that professionals be licensed, which also requires an MSW degree.
While a BSW can get you into entry-level casework, it may not be rewarding in salary, but the experience can help prepare you for licensure or a fast-track online MSW program that can help accelerate your career.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Master of Social Work (MSW) holders often earn about $10,000 more than Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) holders.
Currently, the median pay for social workers is $51,760. That means half of all social workers, regardless of educational attainment, earn more than that amount, the other half earn less.
Consider the following comparison provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the salary differences between BSW vs. MSW holders:
| Careers | BSW | MSW | Percent Change |
| Social and human service assistants | $37,000 | $50,000 | 35% |
| Social and community service managers | $50,000 | $65,000 | 30% |
| Social workers | $40,000 | $50,000 | 25% |
The exact amount professionals in this field earn depends on a number of factors such as geographic location, experience, and industry.
While most online programs are designed by the professors and departments at individual schools, there are certain courses and concentrations that are available at most colleges. These courses are designed to teach students about social justice, diverse counseling needs, different at-risk social groups, and child welfare.
Here are some common online courses that can be found in MSW online programs:
Typically, students without a BSW will take a 2-year MSW program, completing 4-6 semesters of coursework. BSW students may be able to fast-track their concentration.
Depending on your preferences for online vs. classroom learning and your past education, you can choose from one of these three types of social work programs.
This is the most traditional way to take an MSW program. If you don’t have a full-time job and learn better in a hands-on way, then going to a physical classroom may be better. There are also hybrid courses that can allow you to do part of the work online and go to class once or twice per month.
These are the most convenient for students who want to work full-time or study from home while earning a master’s degree for social work. Many accredited online programs exist to accelerate your learning so that you can enter a career within 1-2 years of enrolling in a social work master’s program online.
You can also be flexible with your schedule and choose tracks that will help you succeed in real work settings.
For those who already have a BSW degree, it can be easy and fast to get an accelerated master’s program in Social Work at an accredited college. Typically advanced standing degree programs are only three semesters long and allow you to complete all of your requirements to get a master’s without needing any of the introductory courses for the first year.
Students mainly focus on a track of their MSW program during this time, such as human behavior, substance abuse, community planning, youth counseling, or another field.
Social work also requires that individuals in this field earn a professional license to work. There are a few different licenses available to social workers today, including:
Check your state’s requirements for earning and maintaining these licenses.
In addition to a professional license, you can also apply for the following certifications, verifying your expertise and experience in the field.
This certification is offered as a post-baccalaureate certification that can qualify you to move into a case manager position. Students wanting to earn this certification can take courses that help them understand the high standards of care necessary to be a case manager.
Social workers who have earned a bachelor’s degree, can pass a state license or take the ASWB exam and earn a passing score. In addition, you will need to have three years of experience providing services under case management.
This certification helps social workers in clinical settings by specializing in the art of working within communities, becoming immersed in the cultural specificity of the area and understanding the struggles within.
You’ll need an MSW, complete 30 hours of post-baccalaureate-degree work, allowing you to pursue more education specific to social work. You’ll also need to show three years of experience by passing an assessment on mental health and treatment.
Depending on your specialty, you may also be interested in these certifications.
Certifications specific to your work area can help open more job opportunities for you.
Earning an MSW online degree can help students transition right into social work careers, but what are the top professional organizations for those in the field? Becoming a member of one or more of these affiliations can certainly help you move forward in your career and make important connections within the field.
Most of these organizations help members find jobs and networking opportunities, as well as workshops.
Don’t wait until after graduation to consider joining these organizations though. They may provide the perfect complement to your education through literature and conferences. They may also share financial aid opportunities for you to take advantage of.
There are a few things to think about when you start to plan your career in social work. Most of the careers focus on helping children, families, and individuals with special needs. You can get further in a career by specializing in areas where social work is needed, such as mental health.
Here are a few of the careers that are most popular currently:
Whichever specialty you choose to work in when pursuing MSW programs online, important attributes you’ll need are compassion, high organization, and critical decision-making skills.
The accreditation status for any graduate school is important. You want the ability to transfer your credits to other colleges if you’re going into a different program so that you can take on a graduate study at another institution. It’s also what you’ll need to pursue a fulfilling career, as many jobs in this field look for coursework at universities with the right accreditation.
Accreditation makes sure that online MSW degree programs are evaluated with the right standards for academic excellence. When enrolling in a program, you should look for schools with Council for Higher Education (CHEA) accreditation.
Schools accredited by CSWE are highly rated in the field. Accreditation signals that you’ll benefit from a high-quality degree program from skilled professors who have experience in this field.
As you remember from earning your bachelor’s, investing in a degree can be costly. It pays to find as many sources of financial aid as possible.
You’ll want to start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then do the same for your state. You may qualify for grants, loans, or both.
If you’re already working as a social worker, ask your employer about possible tuition assistance.
Social work may be very rewarding to those who want to help out special needs groups and learn about assistance for those who are less fortunate in the community. Through social services, people can live healthier lives and gain access to benefits that they didn’t know were there to help them.
Social workers have a responsibility to protect people as well. Since many children can fall through the cracks in the system, skilled therapists and caseworkers are needed to help families with assistance or prevent neglect from turning into dangerous situations.
Through MSW programs, graduates often enter exciting areas where they have the ability to affect someone’s entire life for the better.
The GRE test is a good indicator of a student’s education. It’s not the most individualized marker, however. Schools can learn much more about a person by looking at their work history, past educational achievements, and essays. For this reason, it’s becoming more common for there to be a graduate school without GRE requirements.
Many schools request to evaluate students on this more individualized basis and either do not require GRE scores for a master’s degree at all or include them as an optional indicator in your application.
You can typically finish an MSW degree in 1-2 years, but some programs do require longer coursework depending on your experience and undergraduate degree. For those who are currently working in the field under a BSW degree, the MSW online program coursework typically is accelerated, taking at most 3 semesters to complete.
For those who do not have a BSW or who have not worked in this field, it typically takes 4-6 semesters to complete the coursework and gain the licensure needed to work in your field. Some accelerated programs even offers 1 year MSW programs online with no BSW degree required for admission.
Each program is different and depends on your concentration. For those looking to finish quickly, it’s best to choose a school that offers an online accelerated social work degree program.
If you think earning an MSW is the right career move for you, here’s what to do next:
Once you choose and enroll in the school of your choice, you’ll be on your way to helping others in an even greater capacity.