Colorado has 5 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Colorado State University, 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.
Colorado BSW programs at a glance
5
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Colorado State University, accredited since
3
Offer an online option
1
At an R1 or R2 research university
Colorado's 5 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2020, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Colorado State University at 8.3 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, earned accreditation in 2020. Verified published in-state tuition for the Colorado program we priced is $13,774 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Colorado earns a median of $63,720 a year, 7% above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 5 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Colorado
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
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.3
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Colorado 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 (Fort Collins, CO). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 1 embedded certificate (Addictions). Its home institution holds a Carnegie R1 classification for very high research activity.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $13,774 · Out-of-state $36,113 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees · colostate.edu
Locations
Fort Collins, CO (1974-present); Online (2024-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%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #2
Colorado State University-Pueblo
Pueblo, CO · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
7.0
On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1982Why it ranks here
Colorado State University-Pueblo has held CSWE accreditation since 1982, 44 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Pueblo, CO; Colorado Springs, CO). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Pueblo, CO (1982-present); Colorado Springs, CO (1982-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO · 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
Metropolitan State University of Denver has held CSWE accreditation since 1995, 31 years of standing as of 2026. The BSW (1995-2017) is offered both online and on campus (Denver, CO). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Denver, CO (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
- #4
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO · CSWE-Accredited since 2020 · Online or On-Campus
5.8
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online 6 certificates Accred. since 2020Why it ranks here
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs has held CSWE accreditation since 2020, 6 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Colorado Springs, CO). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 6 embedded certificates (Child and Family, Developmental Disabilities, Gerontology, and more).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Colorado Springs, CO (2020-present); Online (2020-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #5
Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, CO · CSWE-Accredited since 2014 · On-Campus
4.2
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2014Why it ranks here
Colorado Mesa University has held CSWE accreditation since 2014, 12 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Grand Junction, CO). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Grand Junction, CO (2014-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Colorado
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Colorado'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, Colorado's 5 accredited programs are based across 5 cities, including Fort Collins, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver, Grand Junction, 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 Colorado 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 Colorado, social workers held about 15,700 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 CO | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 8,200 | $63,720 |
| Healthcare social workers | 3,670 | $63,480 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 1,640 | $65,620 |
| Social workers, all other | 2,190 | $61,610 |
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 Colorado; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Colorado
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
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.