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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in Pennsylvania

27 Ranked Colleges
782 Degrees Awarded
$17,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor's in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 56,762 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, social work is the 8th most popular major in the United States.

Across Pennsylvania, there were 2,428 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 782 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 27 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social work. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social work programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in Pennsylvania

#1

Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Mansfield, Pennsylvania
#23 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, this small public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Mansfield University has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Mansfield University of Pennsylvania is $15,083 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Mansfield University

#2

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
#6 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania landed the #2 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 35 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

SRU also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is $14,088 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Social Work at SRU

#3

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

Edinboro, Pennsylvania
#18 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, this small public school awarded 34 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

Edinboro also took the #18 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $13,169 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Read more about Social Work at Edinboro

#4

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

West Chester, Pennsylvania
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 27 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, West Chester University of Pennsylvania landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, this fairly large public school awarded 60 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

WCUPA also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend West Chester University of Pennsylvania is $16,531 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Social Work at WCUPA

#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

Pitt also took the #5 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $20,075 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Work at Pitt

#6

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
#4 in overall quality

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bloomsburg is a medium-sized school located in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania that handed out 53 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Bloomsburg did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $15,638 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Read more about Social Work at Bloomsburg

#7

Temple University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#2 in overall quality

Temple University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Temple University is a public institution located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Temple has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Temple is $18,315 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Temple Social Work Report

#8

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
#3 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, Elizabethtown College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Elizabethtown College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. It awarded 10 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Etown also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $19,191 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Elizabethtown College.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Social Work at Etown

#9

Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Millersville, Pennsylvania
#11 in overall quality

Millersville University of Pennsylvania ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Millersville is a public institution located in Millersville, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 69 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Millersville, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Millersville is $16,878 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Millersville

#10

Lock Haven University

Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
#12 in overall quality

Lock Haven University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. Lock Haven University is a public institution located in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

LHU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for LHU is $16,690 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Lock Haven University

#11

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Shippensburg, 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.

Ship also took the #10 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $16,461 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

Read full report on Social Work at Ship

#12

California University of Pennsylvania

California, Pennsylvania
#25 in overall quality

California University of Pennsylvania landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

Cal U also took the #25 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California University of Pennsylvania is $14,841 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at California University of Pennsylvania

#13

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, Pennsylvania
#9 in overall quality

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Kutztown University is a public institution located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 65 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kutztown University, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is $17,384 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

#14

Carlow University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
#24 in overall quality

Carlow University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Carlow is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It awarded 12 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Carlow did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The yearly cost to attend Carlow is $16,666 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Social Work at Carlow

#15

Gannon University

Erie, Pennsylvania
#14 in overall quality

Gannon University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. Gannon is located in Erie, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gannon, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Gannon University is $16,984 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Gannon University Social Work Report

#16

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #16, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. East Stroudsburg University is a public institution located in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 23 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,975 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend East Stroudsburg University.

Read more about Social Work at East Stroudsburg University

#17

Lancaster Bible College

Lancaster, Pennsylvania
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #17, Lancaster Bible College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, Lancaster Bible College has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lancaster Bible College is $18,669 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Lancaster Bible College

#18

Cedar Crest College

Allentown, Pennsylvania
#19 in overall quality

Cedar Crest College landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cedar Crest College is a small school located in Allentown, Pennsylvania that handed out 12 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Cedar Crest did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. It costs about $18,693 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cedar Crest.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Social Work at Cedar Crest

#19

Saint Francis University

Loretto, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

Saint Francis University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Loretto, Pennsylvania, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

Saint Francis also took the #7 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Francis University is $21,504 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at Saint Francis University

#20

Marywood University

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Marywood University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Marywood University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Scranton, Pennsylvania. It awarded 2 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Marywood University is $17,062 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 more about Social Work at Marywood

#21

Cairn University

Langhorne, Pennsylvania
#13 in overall quality

Cairn University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. Cairn University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. It awarded 21 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Cairn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cairn University is $16,977 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Cairn University Social Work Report

#22

Seton Hill University

Greensburg, Pennsylvania
#15 in overall quality

Seton Hill University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This small school is located in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Seton Hill also took the #15 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Seton Hill University is $20,577 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at Seton Hill

#23

La Salle University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #23, La Salle University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 30 students in 2019-2020.

La Salle also took the #8 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $22,756 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend La Salle.

Read more about Social Work at La Salle University

#24

Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania
#21 in overall quality

Gwynedd Mercy University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Gwynedd - Mercy is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania. It awarded 3 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Gwynedd - Mercy, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $20,979 for pennsylvania bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Gwynedd Mercy University.

Read full report on Social Work at Gwynedd - Mercy

#25

Eastern University

Saint Davids, Pennsylvania
#20 in overall quality

Eastern University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in Pennsylvania For Those Making $0-$30k list. EU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Davids, Pennsylvania. It awarded 19 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

EU also took the #20 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Pennsylvania” ranking. It costs about $21,610 for Pennsylvania Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend EU.

Full EU Social Work Report

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.

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