Georgia has 11 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is University of Georgia, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1975. 3 of the 11 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 2 are hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 2 at a Carnegie R2 (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.
Georgia BSW programs at a glance
11
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1975
Oldest, University of Georgia, accredited since
3
Offer an online option
4
At an R1 or R2 research university
Georgia's 11 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1975 to 2020, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Georgia State University at 8.3 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, Middle Georgia State University, earned accreditation in 2020. Among the Georgia programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $2,563 to $23,484 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Georgia earns a median of $47,510 a year, 20% below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 11 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Georgia
Every one of these BSW programs in Georgia 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
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · Online or On-Campus
8.3
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1981Why it ranks in Georgia
Based in Atlanta, Georgia State University is a public university offering a BSW in Georgia. The degree runs on the downtown Atlanta campus and fully online, with online students completing practicum in approved settings near home. The campus sits within reach of major hospitals, school systems, state government offices and nonprofits, which is where most placements come from. Practicum runs 400 hours, about 16 hours a week across two semesters, with supervision shared between an agency-based practicum instructor and Georgia State faculty. Placements include schools, hospitals, behavioral health agencies, child and family service organizations, government offices and programs serving older adults. CSWE accreditation dates to 1981, 45 years of unbroken standing, above the Georgia median of 23 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $9,300 · Out-of-state $31,320 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees · gsu.edu
Locations
Atlanta, GA (1981-present); Online (2021-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #2
University of Georgia
Athens, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.9
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Georgia
Based in Athens, University of Georgia is a public university offering a BSW in Georgia. Students apply to the professional program in the semester they finish their last 2000-level course, typically the fall of junior year. Eligibility takes 60 completed hours, a 2.5 overall GPA and a B- or higher in every social work course, and no 5000-level class can be taken until the application clears. Every senior joins a year-long capstone group that designs a community-based social justice project in the fall, implements it with local stakeholders in the spring, and presents it at a poster symposium in late spring. The two credits are graded pass or fail and each student files an individual reflective report. CSWE accreditation dates to 1975, 51 years of unbroken standing, above the Georgia median of 23 years. No other program among the BSW programs in Georgia has held CSWE accreditation longer.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $9,790 · Out-of-state $28,830 / year
Locations
Athens, GA (1975-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #3
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1981Why it ranks in Georgia
Clark Atlanta University teaches the BSW in Atlanta, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Georgia. Undergraduate coursework sits on a liberal arts base and is taught through the Afrocentric lens the school applies across all of its degrees. The stated program goals put real weight on research, expecting students to apply research findings to their practice and to evaluate their own work, and on practice with systems of every size. Founded in 1920, this was the nation's first accredited school of social work at an HBCU and the first accredited in Georgia, and it teaches through an Afrocentric practice model centered on problems affecting African American children, families and men. The school also runs HBCU L.E.A.P., a SAMHSA-funded center pointing students toward behavioral health careers. Published tuition is $23,484 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Georgia median of $6,892.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$23,484 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Atlanta, GA (1973, 1981-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4
Savannah State University
Savannah, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 1983 · On-Campus
6.2
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1983Why it ranks in Georgia
Based in Savannah, Savannah State University is a public university offering a BSW in Georgia. CSWE accreditation dates to 1983, 43 years of unbroken standing, above the Georgia median of 23 years. In-state tuition runs $4,064 a year against $14,785 for nonresidents, below the Georgia median of $6,892. The Board on Accreditation last reaffirmed the program in June 2019 and set the next review for February 2027. The program runs on a full-time plan of study only.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,064 · Out-of-state $14,785 / year
Locations
Savannah, GA (1983-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #5
Thomas University
Thomasville, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 2005 · Online or On-Campus
6.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2005Why it ranks in Georgia
Thomas University teaches the BSW in Thomasville, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Georgia. The degree totals 120 credits and splits practice into four separate courses, one each for individuals, families, groups, and communities and organizations, rather than the more common three. Required major courses also include Human Sexuality, Ethical Issues in Human Services and Professional Communications, and 33 credits are left open as electives. Thomas lists the BSW among its online undergraduate degrees and notes that many program elements run online, with class scheduling built to fit students who work full time. Faculty describe experience teaching first generation students and working parents. Published tuition is $11,400 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Georgia median of $6,892.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$11,400 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Thomasville, GA (2005-present); Tallahassee, FL (2005-2021); Online (2018-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.4
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
Augusta University
Augusta, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 2007 · On-Campus
5.6
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2007Why it ranks in Georgia
Augusta University teaches the BSW in Augusta, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Georgia. Field education carries 12 credit hours split across two separate placements, each in an off-campus agency under the supervision of a practicing social worker. That two-placement structure means students work in more than one setting before graduating. The program sits in the Department of Social Sciences in Pamplin College on the Summerville campus, which runs a Center for Social Science Research that takes undergraduates on as active partners in projects helping local public and nonprofit agencies improve their operations. CSWE accreditation dates to 2007, 19 years of unbroken standing, below the Georgia median of 23 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,892 · Out-of-state $22,270 / year
Locations
Augusta, GA (2007-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Albany State University
Albany, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 2002 · On-Campus
5.5
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2002Why it ranks in Georgia
Albany State University teaches the BSW in Albany, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Georgia. Social work coursework is concentrated in the junior and senior years, covering human behavior and the social environment, social work policies and programs, research, practice with individuals through communities, and a field internship. Faculty research areas include health disparities, chemical dependency, foster care and international social work. The department hosts Eta Delta, its chapter of the Phi Alpha honor society, which admits sophomores who have finished twelve hours of social work courses with a 3.0 overall and 3.25 major average. The Student Social Work Association gives undergraduates a formal voice in curriculum and policy decisions. In-state tuition runs $4,064 a year against $14,786 for nonresidents, below the Georgia median of $6,892.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,064 · Out-of-state $14,786 / year
Locations
Albany, GA (2002-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
Dalton State College
Dalton, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 2003 · On-Campus
5.4
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2003Why it ranks in Georgia
Dalton State College teaches the BSW in Dalton, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Georgia. Field begins in the junior year with a 50 hour practicum over five weeks each spring, attached to the Junior Integrative Seminar. The senior practicum runs 15 hours a week in an agency plus five hours of professional training on campus, with integrative seminars running alongside both semesters. Admission to the upper division is selective and cohort based, with one intake decided each spring for fall entry and no way to join mid-year. Applicants need a 2.5 GPA, a C or better in the four lower division SOWK courses, completed volunteer hours, two references and an 80 percent score on a Code of Ethics quiz. In-state tuition runs $2,563 a year against $9,469 for nonresidents, below the Georgia median of $6,892. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Georgia.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $2,563 · Out-of-state $9,469 / year
Locations
Dalton, GA (2003-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.7
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
Point University
Online · CSWE-Accredited since 2019 · Online
4.4
Online Full-time 0 campuses + online Accred. since 2019Why it ranks in Georgia
Point University teaches the BSW in Online, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Georgia. The degree is delivered 100 percent online, and up to 75 percent of the required coursework, typically 90 credits, can transfer in from another accredited institution. Courses across the university, social work included, are taught from a biblical worldview. The program chartered its own Phi Alpha honor society chapter, Delta Lambda Pi, on April 2, 2025. It holds one or two inductions per academic year and admits students who have finished at least three social work courses and rank in the top 35 percent of their class. Published tuition is $21,150 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Georgia median of $6,892.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$21,150 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Online (2019-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.1
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
Middle Georgia State University
Macon, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 2020 · On-Campus
4.3
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2020Why it ranks in Georgia
Middle Georgia State University teaches the BSW in Macon, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Georgia. Courses meet face to face or hybrid on the Macon campus, and the program states plainly that both classes and practicum hours fall during business hours. Students who cannot free up weekday time are not a fit. In the 2024-25 assessment covering 21 students, competency scores ran from 88 percent on intervention up to 97.5 percent on human rights and on research-informed practice, against an 80 percent benchmark. Results are measured through the field practicum evaluation and a practice presentation rubric in SOCW 4000. CSWE accreditation dates to 2020, 6 years of unbroken standing, below the Georgia median of 23 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $3,600 · Out-of-state $13,200 / year
Locations
Macon, GA (2020-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
Fort Valley State University
Fort Valley, GA · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · On-Campus
4.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2016Why it ranks in Georgia
Based in Fort Valley, Fort Valley State University is a public university offering a BSW in Georgia. CSWE accreditation dates to 2016, 10 years of unbroken standing, below the Georgia median of 23 years. In-state tuition runs $4,064 a year against $14,786 for nonresidents, below the Georgia median of $6,892. The Board on Accreditation last reaffirmed the program in February 2026 and set the next review for June 2026. The program runs on a full-time plan of study only.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,064 · Out-of-state $14,786 / year
Locations
Fort Valley, GA (2016-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Georgia
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Georgia'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, Georgia's 11 accredited programs are based across 9 cities, including Atlanta, Athens, Savannah, Thomasville, Augusta, Albany, and others, 3 offering an online option. 4 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 Georgia 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 0.58 in Georgia, meaning the occupation is 42% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 1.5 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Georgia, social workers held about 16,920 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 GA | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 7,110 | $47,510 | $54,390 | $35,690 to $83,380 |
| Healthcare social workers | 6,970 | $62,420 | $64,910 | $43,260 to $86,990 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 1,330 | $52,030 | $57,470 | $32,990 to $83,500 |
| Social workers, all other | 1,510 | $78,260 | $79,100 | $42,930 to $126,650 |
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 Georgia; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Georgia
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 (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.