Kansas has 10 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Tabor College, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1970. 2 of the 10 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 2 are hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very 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 10 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Kansas
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 #3
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
9.2
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 2 campuses + online 2 certificates Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Kansas State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work & Bachelor of Science in Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Manhattan, KS; Salina, KS). 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 $12,694 · Out-of-state $30,388 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees · k-state.edu
Locations
Manhattan, KS (1974-present); Salina, KS (1974-present); Online (2025-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #2
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
8.1
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
University of Kansas has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Lawrence, KS; Overland Park, KS). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. Its home institution holds a Carnegie R1 classification for very high research activity.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Lawrence, KS (1974-present); Overland Park, KS (1974-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Tabor College
Hillsboro, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1970 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1970Why it ranks here
Tabor College has held CSWE accreditation since 1970, 56 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Hillsboro, KS). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 3 dual-degree options.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Hillsboro, KS (2014-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%) 7.5
- #4
Bethel College
North Newton, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Bethel College has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (North Newton, KS). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
North Newton, KS (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
- #5
Washburn University
Topeka, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Washburn University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Topeka, KS). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Topeka, KS (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
- #6
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks here
Pittsburg State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Pittsburg, KS). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Pittsburg, KS (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%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Wichita State University
Wichita, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1976Why it ranks here
Wichita State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1976, 50 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Wichita, KS). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 2 embedded certificates (Addictions, Child Welfare).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Wichita, KS (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%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #8
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1995 · Online or On-Campus
6.6
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1995Why it ranks here
Fort Hays State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1995, 31 years of standing as of 2026. The BSW is offered both online and on campus (Hays, KS). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Hays, KS (1995-present); Online (2018-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
Kansas Wesleyan University
Salina, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 2020 · On-Campus
5.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 2020Why it ranks here
Kansas Wesleyan University has held CSWE accreditation since 2020, 6 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Salina, KS). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 embedded certificate (Addictions) and 6 dual-degree options.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Salina, KS (2020-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #10
University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 2021 · On-Campus
3.8
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2021Why it ranks here
University of Saint Mary has held CSWE accreditation since 2021, 5 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Leavenworth, KS). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Leavenworth, KS (2021-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 2.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Kansas
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Kansas'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, Kansas's 10 accredited programs are based across 11 cities, including Manhattan, Salina, Lawrence, Overland Park, Hillsboro, North Newton, and others, 2 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 Kansas 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 Kansas, social workers held about 6,170 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 KS | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 3,190 | $54,300 |
| Healthcare social workers | 1,360 | $64,440 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 1,620 | $56,330 |
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 Kansas; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Kansas
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Kansas 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 | Not specified |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LMSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LSCSW). 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.