Iowa has 13 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is University of Iowa, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 2 of the 13 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.
Iowa BSW programs at a glance
13
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, University of Iowa, accredited since
2
Offer an online option
1
At an R1 or R2 research university
Iowa's 13 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2019, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is University of Iowa at 8.3 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, St. Ambrose University, earned accreditation in 2019. Among the Iowa programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $8,396 to $49,650 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Iowa earns a median of $52,250 a year, 12% below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 13 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Iowa
Every one of these BSW programs in Iowa 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
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
8.3
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Iowa
Based in Iowa City, University of Iowa is a public university offering a BSW in Iowa. The professional core runs on a tightly fixed sequence that begins only in the fall. Students choose between a one-year and a two-year plan, and the two-year version for those entering the major in 2026 spreads practicum and seminar across two semesters. The major can be declared at application, but registering for the professional core takes three prerequisites, an introductory social work course, elementary psychology and introduction to sociology, each passed with a C or higher, plus 45 semester hours, a 2.0 GPA and a signed professional social work agreement form. In-state tuition runs $11,971 a year against $34,247 for nonresidents, below the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $11,971 · Out-of-state $34,247 / year
2026-27 tuition & fees · uiowa.edu
Locations
Iowa City, IA (1974-present); Des Moines, IA (2010-2021)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #2
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Iowa
Based in Cedar Rapids, Mount Mercy University is a private university offering a BSW in Iowa. Both foundation and advanced field instruction fall in the senior year, running across the fall and spring semesters. Students have placed at the Juvenile Court Office, the Abbe Center for Community Mental Health, Four Oaks, Families First Counseling Services, the Department of Human Services, Goodwill, nursing homes and domestic violence programs. Faculty bring practice backgrounds in child welfare, healthcare, public health and political organizing. In SW 265 students worked in photo voice, photographing the African American Museum of Iowa to draw attention to parts of American history that are not often taught in school. Published tuition is $38,070 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$38,070 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Cedar Rapids, IA (1977-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 9.0
- #3
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.6
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Iowa
Based in Cedar Falls, University of Northern Iowa is a public university offering a BSW in Iowa. Coursework moves from human growth and development, human behavior, social work practice and social policy into diversity and difference, American racial and ethnic minorities, conflict resolution and social work in mental health settings. The department also runs a social welfare minor and an addictions treatment certificate alongside the major. The internship is the senior-year capstone, taken in spring or summer, and scales with credit load: 10 credit hours equal 400 clock hours at the minimum, rising to 600 hours at 15 credits. Students must attend a field orientation session at least a semester ahead, then browse profiles of approved agency partners through the Intern Placement Tracking system. In-state tuition runs $8,396 a year against $19,940 for nonresidents, below the Iowa median of $35,360. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Iowa.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,396 · Out-of-state $19,940 / year
Locations
Cedar Falls, IA (1975-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #4
Briar Cliff University
Sioux City, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
7.6
Online or On-Campus Full-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Iowa
Briar Cliff University teaches the BSW in Sioux City, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Iowa. The degree runs in person in Sioux City and online, with a transfer completion route for students holding an associate degree or 62 transferable credits. Online students recruit volunteers for video-recorded practice sessions and meet faculty weekly, and the program is built for Iowa licensure, with no determination made for other states. The practicum carries 12 credits, and online students complete 450 hours under a practicum instructor they help identify. Students who declare one of the four concentrations must place with an agency serving that population, and there is an option to do the practicum in Chicago through Chicago Semester. Published tuition is $33,369 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, below the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$33,369 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Sioux City, IA (1974-present); Online (2018-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #5
Clarke University
Dubuque, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Iowa
Clarke University teaches the BSW in Dubuque, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Iowa. Classroom work covers social policy, research, diversity and privilege, and human behavior and the social environment, with a practice sequence that moves from work with individuals, built around interviewing, role plays, videotaping and case studies, out to communities and organizations. A rotating topics course takes up child welfare, case management, spirituality and family violence. Students apply formally to the BSW program through the Social Work Department rather than simply declaring the major, typically during the sophomore year while enrolled in SW 231, Human Behavior and the Social Environment. The timeline shifts for transfer students and for those switching majors later. Published tuition is $38,400 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$38,400 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Dubuque, IA (1974-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
- #6
Loras College
Dubuque, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Iowa
Loras College teaches the BA in Dubuque, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Iowa. Seniors complete 420 hours of practice inside a social service agency. Sites providing field instruction have included Hillcrest Family Services, Mercy Medical Center, the Department of Correctional Services, Four Oaks Family and Children Services, the Riverview Sexual Assault Program and the Multicultural Family Center. Majors travel to the Iowa state capitol every spring to lobby on legislative interests they pick themselves. The program also runs a partnership in India, where students spend a semester in Chennai taking classes, completing an internship and traveling. Published tuition is $36,454 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$36,454 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Dubuque, IA (1974- 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
- #7
Wartburg College
Waverly, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Iowa
Based in Waverly, Wartburg College is a private university offering a BSW in Iowa. Two field experiences are required and together they total 590 hours, starting with an observational placement in a social service agency and building to a practicum of 30 or more hours a week through Winter Term of the fourth year. An optional May Term placement is available for students who want a second population or setting. Students apply to enter the major in the Fall Term of their third year. Admission requires a C- or better in every course counting toward the major and in EN112 Intermediate Composition, a 2.0 cumulative GPA, and satisfactory completion of SW 181 Beginning Field Experience. Published tuition is $48,490 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$48,490 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Waverly, IA (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
- #8
Buena Vista University
Storm Lake, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · Online or On-Campus
7.0
Online or On-Campus Full-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1981Why it ranks in Iowa
Buena Vista University teaches the BSW in Storm Lake, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Iowa. The major is offered on the Storm Lake campus and also fully online. More than ten Iowa community colleges, including Des Moines Area, Iowa Lakes and Western Iowa Tech, have transfer agreements that let students start there and finish the bachelor's degree online. A three-week agency placement in the freshman or sophomore year comes first, so students can identify a branch of the field early. The senior year brings a full-time internship carried across three practicum courses and a senior seminar, at sites such as Cherokee Mental Health Institute, Buena Vista Juvenile Probation and Lutheran Services in Iowa. Published tuition is $40,190 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$40,190 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Storm Lake, IA (1981-present); Online (2024-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
Luther College
Decorah, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Iowa
Based in Decorah, Luther College is a private university offering a BSW in Iowa. A Social Work Advisory Board of local practitioners meets twice a year, helps locate field placements and advises on curriculum review. The program also runs the Lambda Theta chapter of Phi Alpha and awards the Don Kemp Memorial Scholarship to one junior major each year. Within a year of graduating, 93 percent of majors are employed or in graduate study. Senior practicums have been placed in Decorah, Denver, Chicago, Rochester and Minneapolis, and a share of each class takes a year or two with AmeriCorps, the Lutheran Volunteer Corps or the Peace Corps first. Published tuition is $49,650 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Iowa median of $35,360.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$49,650 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Decorah, IA (1976-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
- #10
Dordt University
Sioux Center, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1986 · On-Campus
6.5
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1986Why it ranks in Iowa
Based in Sioux Center, Dordt University is a private university offering a BSW in Iowa. The major runs 14 courses on top of Dordt's core program, with Elementary Statistics filling the quantitative reasoning requirement and Spanish recommended as the language. Content ranges from an introductory survey built around agency visits to family systems and child welfare policy, two semesters of human behavior starting at prenatal development, and social science research methods. The internship runs a full semester and requires 440 hours in an agency, well beyond the accredited minimum. Students also build practice hours earlier through agency visits, community volunteering and applied class projects rather than waiting for the senior placement. CSWE accreditation dates to 1986, 40 years of unbroken standing, below the Iowa median of 50 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$35,360 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Sioux Center, IA (1986-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
Northwestern College
Orange City, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 1986 · On-Campus
6.0
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1986Why it ranks in Iowa
Northwestern College teaches the BSW in Orange City, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Iowa. The practicum runs 400 hours at an organization matched to the student's interests, with past placements at refugee resettlement agencies, crisis pregnancy centers, adoption services and homeless shelters. Ahead of that, students volunteer at area agencies and shadow working professionals to see different corners of the field. A Romania Semester sends students into post-communist Romania to work with teens, orphanages, after-school programs or people with intellectual disabilities, with internships coordinated by the New Horizons Foundation. Related minors in mission and justice and in nonprofit management sit alongside the major. CSWE accreditation dates to 1986, 40 years of unbroken standing, below the Iowa median of 50 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$35,000 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Orange City, IA (1986-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #12
Grand View University
Des Moines, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 2015 · On-Campus
4.7
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2015Why it ranks in Iowa
Based in Des Moines, Grand View University is a private university offering a BSW in Iowa. Students choose between all face-to-face classes during the day and an evening plus online track that meets on Monday evenings with the rest completed virtually. Published plans of study cover two, three and four year paths, and DMACC students can cross-enroll in Introduction to Social Work at no extra charge while carrying 12 or more credits there. First-year students entering with a 3.60 high school GPA and social work declared are invited into an honors track capped at 20 seats, which grants provisional admission to the major with no separate application. Applicants at 3.85 and above compete for a $5,000 renewable scholarship, and a 3+2 option reaches the MSW in five years. CSWE accreditation dates to 2015, 11 years of unbroken standing, below the Iowa median of 50 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,800 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Des Moines, IA (2015-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #13
St. Ambrose University
Davenport, IA Mount Mercy Campus- Cedar Rapids, IA · CSWE-Accredited since 2019 · On-Campus
3.9
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2019Why it ranks in Iowa
St. Ambrose University teaches the BSW in Davenport, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Iowa. Practicum is a two-part sequence, BSW Practicum Instruction I and II, worth six credits together. Rather than assigning sites, the program has students work one-on-one with the Director of Practicum Education to secure a placement matched to their own interests and professional goals. Getting into the major takes a supplemental application on top of university admission. Sophomores and transfer students use the standard route, reviewed in the order received from April 1 through July 15 with a personal statement and a reference, while high school seniors carrying a 3.0 unweighted GPA can secure a place early through the Track I application. CSWE accreditation dates to 2019, 7 years of unbroken standing, below the Iowa median of 50 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$35,318 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Davenport, IA (2019-Present) Mount Mercy Campus- Cedar Rapids, IA (2026-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Iowa
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Iowa'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, Iowa's 13 accredited programs are based across 12 cities, including Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Sioux City, Dubuque, Waverly, and others, 2 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 Iowa 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 0.87 in Iowa, meaning the occupation is 13% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 2.2 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Iowa, social workers held about 6,390 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 IA | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 3,410 | $52,250 | $57,120 | $39,240 to $81,170 |
| Healthcare social workers | 1,550 | $63,050 | $63,560 | $46,140 to $80,360 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 1,200 | $48,530 | $57,330 | $37,980 to $80,760 |
| Social workers, all other | 230 | $91,170 | $88,940 | $47,310 to $113,800 |
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 Iowa; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Iowa
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Iowa 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 (LMSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LISW). 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.