Alaska has 2 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is University of Alaska, Anchorage, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1978. 1 of the 2 record an online option; the rest 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.
Alaska BSW programs at a glance
2
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1978
Oldest, University of Alaska, Anchorage, accredited since
1
Offer an online option
0
At an R1 or R2 research university
Alaska's 2 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1978 to 1984, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is University of Alaska, Anchorage at 7.3 out of 10. The newest, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, earned accreditation in 1984. A child, family, and school social worker in Alaska earns a median of $62,630 a year, 5% above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 2 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Alaska
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 Alaska, Anchorage
Anchorage, AK · CSWE-Accredited since 1978 · On-Campus
7.3
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1978Why it ranks here
University of Alaska, Anchorage has held CSWE accreditation since 1978, 48 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Anchorage, AK). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 embedded certificate (Child Welfare).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Anchorage, AK (1978-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.7
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #2
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Online · CSWE-Accredited since 1984 · Online
7.1
Online Full & part-time 0 campuses + online Accred. since 1984Why it ranks here
University of Alaska, Fairbanks has held CSWE accreditation since 1984, 42 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered fully online. Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Online (2018-present); Fairbanks, AK (1984-2018); Audio-distance option (1984-2022)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.7
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Alaska
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Alaska'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, Alaska's 2 accredited programs are based in Anchorage, 1 offering an online option. 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 Alaska 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 Alaska, social workers held about 2,320 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 AK | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 1,260 | $62,630 |
| Healthcare social workers | 480 | $62,000 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 250 | $56,710 |
| Social workers, all other | 330 | $61,220 |
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 Alaska; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Alaska
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Alaska 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 Baccalaureate Social Worker | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LMSW), 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.