Indiana has 16 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Ball State University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 3 of the 16 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 1 is hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 1 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. A program marked National # ranks among the top 20 of all 535 accredited BSW programs in the country, per our five-factor scoring method.
Indiana BSW programs at a glance
16
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Ball State University, accredited since
3
Offer an online option
2
At an R1 or R2 research university
Indiana's 16 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2019, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Indiana University at 9.0 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, Marian University, earned accreditation in 2019. Among the Indiana programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $7,259 to $50,350 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Indiana earns a median of $50,470 a year, 15% below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 16 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Indiana
Every one of these BSW programs in Indiana 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 #8
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
9.0
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 5 campuses 2 certificates Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Indiana
Indiana University teaches the BSW in Bloomington, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. Practicum placements draw on a network of more than 2,700 community partners across the state. Each student works with a practicum instructor at the agency, a task instructor and a faculty liaison, and placements, timesheets, learning plans and supervision records are handled in Sonia. There is no separate application to the major. Students admitted to Indiana University who name social work on the application are admitted to the school outright, which brings a social work specific advisor, guaranteed seats in required courses and early access to scholarship applications. In-state tuition runs $12,142 a year against $42,702 for nonresidents, below the Indiana median of $34,303. It operates more approved teaching sites than any of the BSW programs in Indiana.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $12,142 · Out-of-state $42,702 / year
2026-27 tuition & fees, Bloomington · iu.edu
Locations
Bloomington, IN (1975-present); Fort Wayne, IN (1975-present); Gary, IN (1975-present); Indianapolis, IN (1975-present); South Bend, IN (1975-present); Richmond, IN (1975-2026)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #2
Ball State University
Muncie, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.2
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Indiana
Ball State University teaches the BSW in Muncie, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. The degree totals 126 credits and can be compressed into three years with summer coursework, though the four-year path leaves room for minors in applied behavior analysis, criminal justice, peace studies and conflict resolution or Spanish. A child welfare specialization is available through a collaboration with the Indiana Department of Child Services. Continuously accredited since 1974, this is the oldest accredited undergraduate social work program in Indiana and, with nearly 400 majors, one of the largest. The same department also runs a gerontology minor built around an internship in an agency providing services to older adults. In-state tuition runs $8,688 a year against $26,696 for nonresidents, below the Indiana median of $34,303. No other program among the BSW programs in Indiana has held CSWE accreditation longer.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,688 · Out-of-state $26,696 / year
Locations
Muncie, IN (1974-Present); Online (2022-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Indiana Wesleyan University
Marion, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · Online or On-Campus
7.2
Online or On-Campus Full-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in Indiana
Indiana Wesleyan University teaches the BSW in Marion, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. Both field placements fall in the senior year and they are deliberately uneven, a 120-hour practicum in the fall followed by a 420-hour practicum in the spring, for 540 hours in community agencies. The program's Director of Field Experiences arranges the placements and licensed social workers supervise on site. A Child Life Specialization can be layered onto the social work major for students aiming at pediatric hospital work. It adds ten courses spanning child development, family systems, therapeutic play, and loss and bereavement, and is built toward the Certified Child Life Specialist credential. Published tuition is $8,680 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, below the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$8,680 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Marion, IN (1982-present); Online (2016-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #4
University of Saint Francis
Fort Wayne, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Indiana
University of Saint Francis teaches the BSW in Fort Wayne, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. An Immersive Learning Lab puts students inside a 3D simulation of situations they will meet with clients, and classroom work is supplemented by guest lectures, field trips and project-based assignments. Professional Development Days bring practicing social workers in for sessions on careers, graduate school and field placement. Because Indiana licenses social work at the bachelor's level, graduates sit for the Association of Social Work Boards exam and practice as licensed bachelor social workers. Alumni have gone on to MSW study at Indiana University, Ohio State and Washington University's Brown School. CSWE accreditation dates to 1976, 50 years of unbroken standing, above the Indiana median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$34,190 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Fort Wayne, IN (1976-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #5
Goshen College
Goshen, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Indiana
Based in Goshen, Goshen College is a private university offering a BSW in Indiana. The major runs 53 credit hours, pairing human behavior, two semesters of social welfare policy and two of practice theory with required cognates in sociology of the family, race and ethnic relations, research methods and abnormal psychology. Students apply separately to the professional program in December, after Introduction to Social Work, and need a 2.5 GPA. Field work starts early with SOWK 209, a 40-hour agency placement taken in the sophomore year, and culminates in a 400-hour senior Field Instruction carrying 10 credits alongside a senior seminar. Placements include school and after-school programs, child welfare agencies, community mental health clubhouses, long-term care organizations, medical clinics, police departments and public health departments. Published tuition is $37,760 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$37,760 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Goshen, IN (1977-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
Manchester University
North Manchester, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Indiana
Manchester University teaches the BSSW in North Manchester, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. Admission happens twice. Students apply to the major in the sophomore year with a personal statement, a reference from a social work faculty member, relevant work or volunteer experience and an interview, then apply again in the spring of junior year for the senior practice block, which requires 76 completed credit hours and prior attendance at a Celebrating Diversity Workshop. Manchester has held CSWE accreditation continuously since 1977, and the program publishes its annual outcomes data rather than only summarizing it. Every social work student is paired with a social work faculty member who handles academic advising, career guidance and mentoring rather than a general campus advisor. Published tuition is $35,800 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$35,800 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
North Manchester, IN (1977-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Anderson University
Anderson, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
7.0
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1979Why it ranks in Indiana
Anderson University teaches the BSW in Anderson, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. Students work with a minimum of four populations in need through three mini-internships and one full-semester practicum. Host sites include the Madison County Department of Child Services, Aspire Indiana's infectious disease prevention program, Compassus Hospice, Catholic Charities refugee resettlement and county victim assistance offices. Course field trips run locally and into inner-city Chicago, and the program ends with a capstone trip built around service and reflection. Seniors plan and present the annual AU Social Work Conference for local providers, and juniors can be awarded the Carrie Becker Brown scholarship of up to $2,800. Published tuition is $34,590 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$34,590 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Anderson, IN (1979-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Indiana
Valparaiso University teaches the BSW in Valparaiso, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. The major totals a minimum of 57 credits, with a practice sequence that moves from individuals to families and groups, then organizations and communities. Policy is split into a history and programs survey and a senior analysis and advocacy course, and the research requirement can be met through social work, sociology or psychology methods pairs. Comprehensive fees covering field education and required co-curricular activities run $150 a year for the first two years and $500 for the third and fourth. Students adding a second major must list social work first, and the department also offers direct practice, foundations and policy practice minors. Published tuition is $45,136 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$45,136 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Valparaiso, IN (1975-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
University of Southern Indiana
Evansville · CSWE-Accredited since 1988 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1988Why it ranks in Indiana
Based in Evansville, University of Southern Indiana is a public university offering a BSW in Indiana. The field program publishes its own BSW field manual, personal safety training for students on placement, and a supervision video and slide deck for the agency staff who take interns. A Behavioral Health Academy runs alongside it. Admission stays conditional until a student completes orientation and a national and local criminal history check. Under Indiana Public Law 11-1994 that check is repeated on entry to every field placement, and a conviction for sex offenses against children bars admission or continuation in the program. In-state tuition runs $8,751 a year against $21,188 for nonresidents, below the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,751 · Out-of-state $21,188 / year
Locations
Evansville; IN (1988-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.1
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
Taylor University
Upland, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1980 · On-Campus
6.4
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1980Why it ranks in Indiana
Based in Upland, Taylor University is a private university offering a BSW in Indiana. The faith commitment shows up in the coursework rather than around it: alumni point to working through the NASW code of ethics line by line and reading it against Scripture. Social policy is one of the content areas, and it has moved graduates into law school and federal violence prevention policy work. Every student who finished the program in the last four years found a job, internship or graduate program within six months of graduating. Alumni have gone on to MSW study at Columbia, Washington University in St. Louis, the Jane Addams College of Social Work, North Carolina and Michigan, and work as school and medical social workers, LCSW therapists and social work faculty. Published tuition is $38,140 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$38,140 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Upland, IN (1980-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
Huntington University
Huntington, IN · 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 Indiana
Huntington University teaches the BSW in Huntington, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. Students log more than 500 hours of field experience and spend the entire final semester in a social work setting under a field instructor. Sites run from Huntington County child protection, schools, hospices and the Charis House shelter to distant options including the Dale House Project in Colorado Springs, His House in Miami, and a Romania studies program. The department anchors its framing in Micah 6:8, seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly, and integrates faith with practice through the curriculum. Students also take an annual field trip to Reins and Rainbows, an equine therapeutic horse farm, and to Josiah White's. CSWE accreditation dates to 2005, 21 years of unbroken standing, below the Indiana median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$29,030 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Huntington, IN (2005-present); 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
- #12
University of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1995 · On-Campus
5.9
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1995Why it ranks in Indiana
University of Indianapolis teaches the BSW in Indianapolis, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. Two practica are required, 168 clock hours in the junior year carried with six credits of seminar and 350 hours in the senior year carried with twelve, spread over one or two semesters. Students help choose their own agency, and a grade of B or better in each practicum seminar is needed to stay in good standing. Students apply to the major only after finishing SOWK 110 and 230 with a B- or better and holding a 2.3 cumulative GPA. The application adds a mandatory information session, a written social work narrative, a resume and an interview with faculty, and the committee may admit provisionally or defer a decision. CSWE accreditation dates to 1995, 31 years of unbroken standing, below the Indiana median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$34,416 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Indianapolis, IN (1995-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #13
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1994 · On-Campus
5.5
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1994Why it ranks in Indiana
Based in Terre Haute, Indiana State University is a public university offering a BSW in Indiana. Coursework covers individual and group counseling, human services delivery, social welfare policy analysis, community organization and development, and client advocacy, and the degree is built to finish in four years of full time study. The program carries a stated focus on clinical rural social work practice. The BSW earned its initial CSWE accreditation in 2012 and was reaffirmed in November 2019 for a term running through 2027. Outcome measures are published separately for the bachelor's program, distinct from the department's MSW. In-state tuition runs $9,712 a year against $21,454 for nonresidents, below the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $9,712 · Out-of-state $21,454 / year
Locations
Terre Haute, IN (1994-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #14
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 1998 · On-Campus
5.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1998Why it ranks in Indiana
Based in Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College is a private university offering a BSW in Indiana. Students complete more than 480 hours of field work, and a placement coordinator works with each student individually to match the site to her interests, whether that is a school, a homeless services agency, or a medical or mental health setting. Ninety-eight percent of graduates are in graduate school or employed full time a year out, and the same share said the college prepared them very well for graduate study. Alumnae have gone on to MSW programs at Michigan, Washington University in St. Louis, Illinois, Chicago, Penn and NYU. Published tuition is $50,350 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Indiana median of $34,303.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$50,350 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Notre Dame, IN (1998-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #15
Purdue University Northwest
Westville, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · On-Campus
4.8
On-Campus Full-time 2 campuses 2 certificates Accred. since 2016Why it ranks in Indiana
Based in Westville, Purdue University Northwest is a public university offering a BSW in Indiana. In-state tuition runs $7,259 a year against $14,144 for nonresidents, below the Indiana median of $34,303. CSWE accreditation dates to 2016, 10 years of unbroken standing, below the Indiana median of 45 years. The credential is a BAS (BASW). The Board on Accreditation last reaffirmed the program in October 2024 and set the next review for June 2031. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Indiana.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,259 · Out-of-state $14,144 / year
Locations
Westville, IN (2019-present); Hammond, IN (2022-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #16
Marian University
Indianapolis, IN · CSWE-Accredited since 2019 · On-Campus
4.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 2019Why it ranks in Indiana
Marian University teaches the BSW in Indianapolis, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Indiana. The degree runs on campus or fully online, with most core social work courses in a 15-week asynchronous term, others in seven-week blocks, and entry points in fall, spring or summer. Students who already hold a two-year human services or AODA degree can arrange with the program director to finish in two years. Bridge courses give people who already hold a four-year degree in psychology, sociology, criminal justice or human services an online route into social work training, with 15-week fall and spring sections and an accelerated seven-week summer cohort. Enrolling requires a current state training certificate. CSWE accreditation dates to 2019, 7 years of unbroken standing, below the Indiana median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$39,100 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Indianapolis, IN (2019-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
The Social Work Industry in Indiana
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Indiana'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, Indiana's 16 accredited programs are based across 18 cities, including Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, South Bend, Muncie, and others, 3 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 Indiana 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 0.83 in Indiana, meaning the occupation is 17% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 2.1 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Indiana, social workers held about 13,530 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 IN | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 6,690 | $50,470 | $53,290 | $38,270 to $72,140 |
| Healthcare social workers | 3,890 | $64,580 | $68,370 | $48,050 to $93,510 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 2,490 | $48,300 | $53,990 | $36,290 to $77,780 |
| Social workers, all other | 460 | $84,570 | $83,890 | $60,200 to $107,950 |
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 Indiana; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Indiana
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Indiana 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 Bachelor Social Worker | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
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.