2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Social Work is the 12th most popular major in the country with 57,618 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, social work graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,459 and had an average of $30,084 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 21,855 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,303 and $24,501 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 454 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social work. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality social work programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the social work program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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One Size Does Not Fit All
The social work school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree social work students.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Minot State University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. MSU is a small public school situated in Minot, North Dakota. It awarded 60 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
MSU also took the #6 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minot State University is $11,898 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.
Out of the 454 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Bemidji State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Bemidji, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, Bemidji State University also did well on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Bemidji State University is $15,868 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Winona State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s. Winona State is located in Winona, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 73 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Winona State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Winona State University is $17,656 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Dakota. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 84 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.
UND did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $15,738 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at University of North Dakota
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Wisconsin - River Falls. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s. University of Wisconsin - River Falls is located in River Falls, Wisconsin and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.
UW - River Falls not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $13,748 for bachelor’s degree social work students per year to attend UW - River Falls.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Wisconsin - River Falls Social Work Report
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, this fairly large public school handed out 72 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.
UW - Eau Claire not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for UW - Eau Claire is $16,020 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Marion, Indiana is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 173 students in 2019-2020.
On top of its placing in this ranking, IWU also did well on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for IWU is $22,207 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
Brigham Young University - Idaho did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Rexburg, Idaho, and it awarded 63 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Idaho is $7,167 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
The low student loan default rate of 3.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Purdue University Global came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and it awarded 185 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Minnesota State University - Moorhead ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Minnesota State University - Moorhead is a medium-sized school located in Moorhead, Minnesota that handed out 69 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree social work students list, MSU Moorhead has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend MSU Moorhead is $16,893 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at Minnesota State University - Moorhead
With a ranking of #11, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point is a medium-sized school located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin that handed out 61 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UW - Stevens Point is also in the top of our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 10% of all schools on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It costs about $14,465 for bachelor’s degree social work students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.
Read full report on Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Minnesota State University - Mankato came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Minnesota State Mankato is a fairly large school located in Mankato, Minnesota that handed out 61 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our bachelor’s degree social work students list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State Mankato is $16,221 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Brandman University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Irvine, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 123 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandman, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Brandman is $21,604 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.
University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. San Juan, is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UPR Rio Piedras is $11,714 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.
Full University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Social Work Report
Southwest Minnesota State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Marshall, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 11 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Southwest Minnesota State University is $14,397 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.
Full Southwest Minnesota State University Social Work Report
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh is located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on this list, UW Oshkosh is in the top on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend UW Oshkosh is $15,463 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
Metropolitan State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 58 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.
Metro State excels when it comes to social work quality. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The estimated yearly cost for Metropolitan State University is $15,225 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Wisconsin - Green Bay is a medium-sized school located in Green Bay, Wisconsin that handed out 31 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for UW - Green Bay is $14,395 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
Read more about Social Work at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
With a ranking of #19, University of Wisconsin - Superior did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. This small school is located in Superior, Wisconsin, and it awarded 38 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,774 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students per year to attend UW - Superior.
University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Minnesota - Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.
On top of its placing in this ranking, UMN Duluth also did well on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Duluth is $17,067 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
West Texas A&M University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Canyon, Texas, this fairly large public school awarded 48 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $12,761 for bachelor’s degree social work students per year to attend West Texas A&M University.
Saint Cloud State University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Saint Cloud State University is a fairly large school located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota that handed out 57 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
St. Cloud State University excels when it comes to social work quality. It’s in the top 15% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Cloud State University is $14,267 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students.
Read full report on Social Work at St. Cloud State University
With a ranking of #23, Western Carolina University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. WCU is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $13,722 for Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students per year to attend WCU.
Read full report on Social Work at Western Carolina University
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s list. Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 35 students in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for SRU is $19,926 for bachelor’s degree social work students.
Full Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Social Work Report
Westfield State University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s ranking. Westfield, Massachusetts is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 43 students in 2019-2020.
Westfield also claimed a top spot on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools” list. It’s in the top 10% of all schools in this category. It costs about $19,167 for bachelor’s degree social work students per year to attend Westfield.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Rest of the Best 50 in Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s
While not in the ‘top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Western Michigan University | Kalamazoo, MI |
| 52 | University of Nebraska at Kearney | Kearney, NE |
| 53 | University of South Florida - Main Campus | Tampa, FL |
| 54 | Grand Valley State University | Allendale, MI |
| 55 | Heritage University | Toppenish, WA |
| 56 | Pittsburg State University | Pittsburg, KS |
| 57 | California State University - Fresno | Fresno, CA |
| 58 | University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg, MO |
| 59 | Texas Woman’s University | Denton, TX |
| 60 | Thomas University | Thomasville, GA |
| 60 | Missouri State University - Springfield | Springfield, MO |
| 62 | Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater, MA |
| 63 | Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff, AZ |
| 64 | Dalton State College | Dalton, GA |
| 65 | Mansfield University of Pennsylvania | Mansfield, PA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau, MO |
| 67 | Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | Edinboro, PA |
| 68 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon, OH |
| 69 | The University of Tennessee - Martin | Martin, TN |
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Notes and References
References
- 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 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Army Medicine.
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