Maine has 5 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is University of Southern Maine, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 3 of the 5 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 1 is 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.
All 5 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Maine
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 Maine
Orono, ME · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · Online or On-Campus
8.4
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1979Why it ranks here
University of Maine has held CSWE accreditation since 1979, 47 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (1979-2012) Bachelor of Social Work (2012-2023) is offered both online and on campus (Orono, ME). 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)
In-state $13,760 · Out-of-state $37,910 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees, 30 cr · umaine.edu
Locations
Orono, ME (1979-present); Online (2025-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #2
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
University of Southern Maine has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Portland, ME). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Portland, ME (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
- #3
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Presque Isle, ME · CSWE-Accredited since 1999 · Online or On-Campus
6.6
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1999Why it ranks here
University of Maine at Presque Isle has held CSWE accreditation since 1999, 27 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Presque Isle, ME). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 embedded certificate (Mental Health).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Presque Isle, ME (1999-present); Online (2025-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.3
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #4
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · Online or On-Campus
5.3
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2016Why it ranks here
Saint Joseph's College of Maine has held CSWE accreditation since 2016, 10 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Standish, ME). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Standish, ME (2016-present); Online (2018-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #5
University of New England
Biddeford, ME · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · On-Campus
4.6
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2016Why it ranks here
University of New England has held CSWE accreditation since 2016, 10 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Biddeford, ME). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Biddeford, ME (2016-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Maine
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Maine'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, Maine's 5 accredited programs are based across 5 cities, including Orono, Portland, Presque Isle, Standish, Biddeford, 3 offering an online option. 1 is 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 Maine 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 Maine, social workers held about 5,120 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 ME | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 2,000 | $63,290 |
| Healthcare social workers | 790 | $71,610 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 1,860 | $57,050 |
| Social workers, all other | 470 | $60,280 |
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 Maine; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Maine
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Maine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSW1 (LS) | Licensed Social Worker 1 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
| LSW2-C (LSX) | Licensed Social Worker 2, Conditional | No ASWB exam required | Not specified |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LMSW (LM)), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW1 (LC), LCSW2 (LC), LMSW-CC (MC)). 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.