Indiana has 16 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Indiana State University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1968. 3 of the 16 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 1 is hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 1 at a Carnegie R2 (high research) university.
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. A program marked National # ranks among the top 20 of all 537 accredited BSW programs in the country, per our five-factor scoring method.
All 16 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Indiana
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 National #11
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
9.0
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 5 campuses 2 certificates Accred. since 1975Why it ranks here
Indiana University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 5 approved campuses (Bloomington, IN; Fort Wayne, IN; Gary, IN; and more). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 2 embedded certificates (Addictions, Child Welfare). Its home institution holds a Carnegie R1 classification for very high research activity.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $12,142 · Out-of-state $42,702 / year
2026-27 tuition & fees, Bloomington · iu.edu
Locations
Bloomington, IN (1975-present); Fort Wayne, IN (1975-present); Gary, IN (1975-present); Indianapolis, IN (1975-present); South Bend, IN (1975-present); Richmond, IN (1975-2026)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #2
Ball State University
Muncie, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.2
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Ball State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Muncie, IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. Its home institution holds a Carnegie R2 classification for high research activity.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Muncie, IN (1974-Present); Online (2022-Present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Indiana Wesleyan University
Marion, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · Online or On-Campus
7.2
Online or On-Campus Full-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1982Why it ranks here
Indiana Wesleyan University has held CSWE accreditation since 1982, 44 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Science in Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Marion, IN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 1 embedded certificate (Child Welfare).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Marion, IN (1982-present); Online (2016-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #4
University of Saint Francis
Fort Wayne, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1976Why it ranks here
University of Saint Francis has held CSWE accreditation since 1976, 50 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Fort Wayne, IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Fort Wayne, IN (1976-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
- #5
Goshen College
Goshen, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks here
Goshen College has held CSWE accreditation since 1977, 49 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Goshen, IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Goshen, IN (1977-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
Manchester University
North Manchester, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks here
Manchester University has held CSWE accreditation since 1977, 49 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (North Manchester, IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
North Manchester, IN (1977-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Anderson University
Anderson, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
7.0
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1979Why it ranks here
Anderson University has held CSWE accreditation since 1979, 47 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Anderson, IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Anderson, IN (1979-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1968 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1968Why it ranks here
Indiana State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1968, 58 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Terre Haute, IN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Terre Haute, IN (1994-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
- #9
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks here
Valparaiso University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Valparaiso, IN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Valparaiso, IN (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
- #10
University of Southern Indiana
Evansville · CSWE-Accredited since 1988 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1988Why it ranks here
University of Southern Indiana has held CSWE accreditation since 1988, 38 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Evansville; IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Evansville; IN (1988-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.1
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
Taylor University
Upland, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1980 · On-Campus
6.4
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1980Why it ranks here
Taylor University has held CSWE accreditation since 1980, 46 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Upland, IN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Upland, IN (1980-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #12
Huntington University
Huntington, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 2005 · Online or On-Campus
6.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2005Why it ranks here
Huntington University has held CSWE accreditation since 2005, 21 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Huntington, IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Huntington, IN (2005-present); Online (2018-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.4
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #13
University of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1995 · On-Campus
5.9
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1995Why it ranks here
University of Indianapolis has held CSWE accreditation since 1995, 31 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Indianapolis, IN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Indianapolis, IN (1995-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #14
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1998 · On-Campus
5.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1998Why it ranks here
Saint Mary's College has held CSWE accreditation since 1998, 28 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Notre Dame, IN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Notre Dame, IN (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
- #15
Purdue University Northwest
Westville, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · On-Campus
4.8
On-Campus Full-time 2 campuses 2 certificates Accred. since 2016Why it ranks here
Purdue University Northwest has held CSWE accreditation since 2016, 10 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Westville, IN; Hammond, IN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 2 embedded certificates (Conflict Resolution, Crisis Intervention).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Westville, IN (2019-present); Hammond, IN (2022-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #16
Marian University
Indianapolis, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 2019 · On-Campus
4.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 2019Why it ranks here
Marian University has held CSWE accreditation since 2019, 7 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Indianapolis, IN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 1 embedded certificate (Other).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Indianapolis, IN (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%) 5.0
The Social Work Industry in Indiana
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Indiana'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, Indiana's 16 accredited programs are based across 18 cities, including Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, South Bend, Muncie, and others, 3 offering an online option. 2 are hosted at a Carnegie research university (R1 or R2), which adds research and teaching-hospital placements to the local training pipeline. 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 Indiana social-service economy. Online-capable programs extend that access to students in rural and remote parts of the state, areas the federal government (HRSA) frequently designates as mental-health workforce shortage areas.
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 Indiana, social workers held about 13,530 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 IN | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 6,690 | $50,470 |
| Healthcare social workers | 3,890 | $64,580 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 2,490 | $48,300 |
| Social workers, all other | 460 | $84,570 |
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 Indiana; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Indiana
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Indiana licenses social workers at the bachelor level, so a CSWE-accredited BSW is the degree requirement for an entry-level license here. That makes program accreditation, the basis of our ranking, a direct licensing prerequisite.
| License | Name | Exam | CSWE BSW required |
|---|---|---|---|
| LBSW | Licensed Bachelor Social Worker | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LSW), 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.