The social work programs in Arizona that lead to a professional bachelor's degree are its 4 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Arizona State University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1965. All 4 record an online option. 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 535 accredited BSW programs in the country, per our five-factor scoring method.
Social Work Schools in Arizona: 4 With an Online BSW
4
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1965
Oldest, Arizona State University, accredited since
4
Offer an online option
2
At an R1 or R2 research university
Arizona's 4 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1965 to 2021, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Arizona State University at 9.2 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, Grand Canyon University, earned accreditation in 2021. Among the Arizona programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $9,552 to $16,390 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Arizona earns a median of $50,150 a year, 16% below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
The 4 Best BSW Programs in Arizona, Ranked
Every one of these BSW programs in Arizona holds current CSWE accreditation. Status, dates, campus locations and online options come from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs, and each card cites its own sources inline. Tuition is shown for reference only and is not factored into the score.
- #1 National #2
Arizona State University
Phoenix · CSWE-Accredited since 1965 · Online or On-Campus
9.2
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 3 campuses + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1965Why it ranks in Arizona
Based in Phoenix, Arizona State University is a public university offering a BSW in Arizona. The degree is taught in Downtown Phoenix, Tucson, the West Valley and Yuma, or online from anywhere. The online option is fully synchronous, meaning regularly scheduled classes meet in real time on Zoom rather than running as self-paced modules. The school runs its own research and training centers, among them the Office of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research, the Family Violence Center, the Office of Gender-based Violence and the Center for Child Well-Being. Undergraduates can alternatively major in community advocacy and social policy. CSWE accreditation dates to 1965, 61 years of unbroken standing, above the Arizona median of 24 years. No other program among the BSW programs in Arizona has held CSWE accreditation longer.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $14,814 · Out-of-state $39,262 / year
2026-27 tuition & fees · asu.edu
Locations
Phoenix (since 1965); Tucson (since 1965); Glendale (since 1965); Online (since 2024)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 9.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #2
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff · CSWE-Accredited since 1988 · Online or On-Campus
8.0
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 2 campuses + online Accred. since 1988Why it ranks in Arizona
Northern Arizona University teaches the BSW in Flagstaff, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Arizona. The degree runs at the Flagstaff campus, the Yuma campus and online, each on its own admission calendar. Flagstaff takes applications by October 1 and February 15, Yuma by October 1 and June 1, and the online program by all three dates. Entering field requires formal acceptance as a social work major, senior standing, a 2.25 overall GPA and a B or better in SW 321, with all core courses finished before a block placement. The Field Education Unit secures the site, and applications close February 1 for fall, April 1 for spring and November 1 for summer. CSWE accreditation dates to 1988, 38 years of unbroken standing, above the Arizona median of 24 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $11,015 · Out-of-state $17,792 / year
Locations
Flagstaff (since 1988); Yuma (since 2021); Online (since 2021)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.1
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
University of Phoenix
Online · CSWE-Accredited since 2017 · Online
4.5
Online Full-time 0 campuses + online Accred. since 2017Why it ranks in Arizona
University of Phoenix teaches the BSSW in Online, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Arizona. Coursework is online and runs in blocks of 5 to 15 weeks, with a stated program length of 4.25 years for 120 credits. Those credits split into 36 general education, 42 elective and 42 required social work credits, at least 30 of which must be upper division. Tuition is priced per course at $398 a credit plus a $170 resource fee, about $1,364 for a three-credit course, and the rate is held flat from enrollment through graduation. The program states plainly that it educationally prepares graduates for bachelor's-level licensure only in the states where it is offered, and that requirements vary by state. CSWE accreditation dates to 2017, 9 years of unbroken standing, below the Arizona median of 24 years. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Arizona.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$9,552 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Online (since 2017)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.4
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix · CSWE-Accredited since 2021 · Online or On-Campus
4.5
Online or On-Campus Full-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2021Why it ranks in Arizona
Grand Canyon University teaches the BSW in Phoenix, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Arizona. The same degree runs two ways, on the Phoenix campus in 15-week terms billed at $8,250 per semester, or online in 8-week terms at $490 per credit. Online students still complete their supervised field experiences in person at an approved agency. Coursework is framed through a Christian worldview, with CWV-101 or CWV-301 required inside the general education block. The bachelor's program reached full CSWE accreditation in February 2024 and is next up for reaffirmation in February 2032. CSWE accreditation dates to 2021, 5 years of unbroken standing, below the Arizona median of 24 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$16,390 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Phoenix (since 2021); Online (since 2021)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 2.8
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
Social Work Jobs and Pay in Arizona for BSW Graduates
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Arizona'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.
Per the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs, Arizona's 4 accredited programs are based across 5 cities, including Phoenix, Tucson, Glendale, Flagstaff, Yuma, all 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 Arizona 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.
Child, family, and school social workers, the most common BSW-level specialty, have a location quotient of 0.92 in Arizona, meaning the occupation is 8% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 2.3 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Arizona, social workers held about 17,200 jobs across the four social work occupations as of May 2025, per the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. Employment, annual wages, and pay range by specialty:
| Occupation | Employed in AZ | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 7,560 | $50,150 | $52,420 | $40,420 to $65,900 |
| Healthcare social workers | 3,100 | $64,030 | $68,330 | $44,620 to $96,470 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 3,690 | $46,380 | $50,630 | $40,810 to $64,350 |
| Social workers, all other | 2,850 | $62,150 | $66,870 | $45,520 to $108,240 |
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. Location quotient compares the state's job concentration to the national average (1.0 = the national rate). O*NET reports tasks, skills, and local outlook by occupation.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Workers; BLS state wage data for Arizona; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
How to Get an LBSW License in Arizona With a BSW
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Arizona 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 the Arizona BSW Programs Were Ranked
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.
Common Questions From Arizona BSW Students
How many CSWE-accredited BSW programs are in Arizona?
Can you earn a BSW online in Arizona?
What can you do with a BSW in Arizona?
How are these Arizona BSW programs ranked?
BSW Programs by City in Arizona (2026)
City pages cover Arizona's 5 largest cities, 2 of which host an accredited BSW campus. Each one shows the programs in that city, accredited campuses within 60 miles, online options, and local wage data for the metro area.
BSW Programs in Phoenix
Population 1,650,070
2 in city · 0 nearby
BSW Programs in Tucson
Population 547,239
1 in city · 0 nearby
BSW Programs in Mesa
Population 511,648
0 in city · 2 nearby
BSW Programs in Chandler
Population 280,167
0 in city · 2 nearby
BSW Programs in Gilbert
Population 275,411
0 in city · 2 nearby