Connecticut has 8 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is University of Saint Joseph, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. None of the 8 record an online option, all are campus-based.
Each program below is scored on the same five-factor model used in our national ranking, so the order reflects accreditation longevity, delivery and schedule flexibility, program breadth, and the institution's Carnegie research tier, all applied identically nationwide.
All 8 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Connecticut
Accreditation status, dates, locations, online option, and program details are sourced directly from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. Tuition is shown for reference only and is not factored into the score.
- #1
University of Saint Joseph
West Hartford, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
University of Saint Joseph has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (West Hartford, CT). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
West Hartford, CT (1974-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #2
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks here
Southern Connecticut State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (New Haven, CT). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
New Haven, CT (1975-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · On-Campus
6.4
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1981Why it ranks here
Sacred Heart University has held CSWE accreditation since 1981, 45 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Fairfield, CT). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Fairfield, CT (1981-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 1991 · On-Campus
6.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1991Why it ranks here
Central Connecticut State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1991, 35 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (New Britain, CT). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
New Britain, CT (1991-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #5
Western Connecticut State University
Danbury, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 1984 · On-Campus
6.2
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1984Why it ranks here
Western Connecticut State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1984, 42 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Danbury, CT). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Danbury, CT (1984-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.7
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
Eastern Connecticut State University
Willimantic, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 1998 · On-Campus
5.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1998Why it ranks here
Eastern Connecticut State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1998, 28 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Willimantic, CT). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Willimantic, CT (1998-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
University of Connecticut
Hartford, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 2018 · On-Campus
4.0
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2018Why it ranks here
University of Connecticut has held CSWE accreditation since 2018, 8 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Hartford, CT). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Hartford, CT (2018-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.3
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT · CSWE-Accredited since 2019 · On-Campus
3.9
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2019Why it ranks here
Fairfield University has held CSWE accreditation since 2019, 7 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Fairfield, CT). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Fairfield, CT (2019-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Connecticut
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Connecticut's front-line social-service workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET, social workers are employed across public human-services and child-welfare agencies, hospitals and health systems, K-12 schools, community mental-health and substance-use programs, aging and disability services, and nonprofit and faith-based organizations. BSW-level roles are generalist and direct-practice: case manager, child and family caseworker, community and behavioral-health worker, and social and human-service assistant. Supervisory, therapeutic, and independent clinical positions generally require a master's. If you plan to pursue graduate education, BestMSWPrograms.org covers the best MSW programs to help you take that next step.
Per the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs, Connecticut's 8 accredited programs are based across 7 cities, including West Hartford, New Haven, Fairfield, New Britain, Danbury, Willimantic, and others, all campus-based. CSWE standards require supervised field education, so programs build placement partnerships with local agencies, hospitals, schools, and nonprofits, which makes the state's campuses a training and hiring pipeline into the surrounding Connecticut social-service economy.
Nationally, the BLS projects social-worker employment will grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 67,300 openings projected each year, many from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. The BLS projects faster-than-average growth for healthcare social workers and for mental health and substance abuse social workers, specialties that hire at both the bachelor's and master's levels.
In Connecticut, social workers held about 8,880 jobs across the four social work occupations as of May 2025, per the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. State median annual wages by specialty:
| Occupation | Employed in CT | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 5,230 | $78,970 |
| Healthcare social workers | 1,650 | $79,900 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 1,540 | $78,640 |
| Social workers, all other | 460 | $69,080 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages cover all workers in each occupation; BLS does not break wages out by degree, and BSW-level roles typically fall toward the lower end of each range. O*NET reports tasks, skills, and local outlook by occupation.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Workers; BLS state wage data for Connecticut; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Connecticut
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
The license ladder continues to the master's level (MLSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW). A CSWE-accredited BSW also qualifies graduates for Advanced Standing admission to a master's program.
How We Ranked These Programs
Every program is scored on the same five-factor model used in the national ranking, with no state-specific adjustments. Four factors are drawn from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; prestige uses the institution's 2025 Carnegie research classification.
- Accreditation longevity (40%): years of continuous CSWE accreditation.
- Delivery flexibility (22%): online option and number of approved campus locations.
- Prestige (15%): 2025 Carnegie research tier (R1, R2, or baseline).
- Schedule flexibility (12%): full-time and part-time plans of study.
- Program breadth (11%): embedded certificates and dual-degree options.
For the full model, see our ranking methodology.