Kansas has 10 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Kansas State University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 2 of the 10 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 2 are 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.
Kansas BSW programs at a glance
10
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Kansas State University, accredited since
2
Offer an online option
3
At an R1 or R2 research university
Kansas's 10 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2021, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Kansas State University at 9.2 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, University of Saint Mary, earned accreditation in 2021. Among the Kansas programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $4,437 to $35,050 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Kansas earns a median of $54,300 a year, 9% below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 10 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Kansas
Every one of these BSW programs in Kansas 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 #3
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
9.2
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 2 campuses + online 2 certificates Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Kansas
Kansas State University teaches the BSW in Manhattan, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Kansas. The major carries 51 hours of core social work courses inside a 120-hour degree, running from Human Behavior in the Social Environment and Social Welfare and Policy Analysis through macro practice, group work and research. Electives cover child welfare, work with older adults, intimate partner violence, and offenders and victims. Core courses must average a 3.0 with no grade below a C. Addiction counseling courses count as restricted electives, and finishing the specified set lets a student qualify for certification in person-centered case management and sit the Licensed Addictions Counselor exam on completing the bachelor's. That sequence includes addiction pharmacology, co-occurring disorders, and addiction and family. In-state tuition runs $12,694 a year against $30,388 for nonresidents, above the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $12,694 · Out-of-state $30,388 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees · k-state.edu
Locations
Manhattan, KS (1974-present); Salina, KS (1974-present); Online (2025-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #2
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
8.1
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Kansas
University of Kansas teaches the BSW in Lawrence, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Kansas. The degree runs 120 credit hours, 48 of them in social welfare and 12 in practicum, with a further 6 hours of social and behavioral science required beyond the Core 34 general education block. SW 220 has to be passed with a B or higher before a student can touch any 500-level social work course. One placement fills the senior year: 416 clock hours at 16 a week, two days in class and two days at the agency, carried as a 12-credit year-long course graded satisfactory or unsatisfactory with no credit for partial completion. The Practicum Office arranges every placement and aims to keep it within an hour's drive of the student's home. In-state tuition runs $10,596 a year against $28,308 for nonresidents, below the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $10,596 · Out-of-state $28,308 / year
Locations
Lawrence, KS (1974-present); Overland Park, KS (1974-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Wichita State University
Wichita, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.5
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Kansas
Wichita State University teaches the BSW in Wichita, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Kansas. The practicum runs 400 clock hours, with more than 100 community and state agencies providing supervision. Placements are selected jointly by the student and the director or associate director of field practicum based on the student's learning needs and interests, and they span the Wichita metropolitan area and the rural counties around it. Current bachelor's students can add a Certificate in Social Work and Child Welfare or a Certificate in Social Work and Addiction, with applications due October 15 or March 15 for the following academic year. The program has been accredited since 1976, and Kansas law requires graduates to pass the licensure exam before they can call themselves social workers. In-state tuition runs $7,247 a year against $17,165 for nonresidents, below the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,247 · Out-of-state $17,165 / year
Locations
Wichita, KS (1976-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #4
Bethel College
North Newton, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Kansas
Based in North Newton, Bethel College is a private university offering a BSW in Kansas. Admission to the major is a separate application requiring a 2.5 cumulative GPA and a foundation set drawn from outside social work: general psychology, principles of sociology, life-span or developmental psychology, statistics, and either introduction to political science or macroeconomics. Transfers arriving with those done can finish in two years. Three focus areas run alongside the major: a counseling studies minor, a criminal and restorative justice minor, and substance abuse and addictions counseling. The program passed its fiftieth year of graduating social workers. Published tuition is $33,762 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$33,762 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
North Newton, KS (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
- #5
Washburn University
Topeka, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Kansas
Washburn University teaches the BSW in Topeka, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Kansas. The major takes 51 credit hours in the department, moving from an introductory course and a diversity and social justice course into two person-in-environment classes, social policy, and separate micro and macro practice courses. Four correlate courses outside the department are also required, including cultural anthropology, human development and scientific and technical writing. Capstone field education fills the final year, with students working with clients 16 hours a week across two semesters under the supervision of qualified professional social workers. A pre-practicum workshop course precedes it, and paired BSW seminars run alongside each practicum term. In-state tuition runs $9,464 a year against $20,468 for nonresidents, below the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $9,464 · Out-of-state $20,468 / year
Locations
Topeka, KS (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
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Kansas
Based in Pittsburg, Pittsburg State University is a public university offering a BSW in Kansas. Every graduate completes four three week job shadow rotations at area agencies, working next to certified social workers with children and families, people with disabilities, people in addiction treatment and older adults, and handling real cases alongside Crawford County social workers. Partner sites include the Lord's Diner, the SEK Addiction Treatment Center, CHOICES Community Closet and the Safehouse Crisis Center. Three student groups sit alongside the major: Social Work PLUS for professional development, Student 2 Student pairing majors as mentors, and Natural Ties, a buddy program with adults who have special needs. Student service is tracked concretely, with $3,632 raised for nonprofits and 2,090 hygiene, household and clothing items donated in 2021. In-state tuition runs $6,128 a year against $17,472 for nonresidents, below the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,128 · Out-of-state $17,472 / year
Locations
Pittsburg, KS (1975-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
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS · 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 in Kansas
Based in Hays, Fort Hays State University is a public university offering a BSW in Kansas. Field runs as two 200 hour practicums totaling 400 hours in the senior year, each paired with a professional seminar and preceded by a dedicated practicum preparation course. Students get into an agency earlier than that, completing 50 hours of supervised unpaid service during the foundations of practice course they take while applying to the major. Everyone starts as a pre social work major and applies formally after 60 credit hours, with Introduction to Social Work finished and the foundations of practice course underway. A C or better in every social work course plus a 2.50 GPA both overall and in the major is required, and no credit is given for prior work or life experience. In-state tuition runs $4,437 a year against $15,615 for nonresidents, below the Kansas median of $11,645. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Kansas.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,437 · Out-of-state $15,615 / year
Locations
Hays, KS (1995-present); Online (2018-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
Kansas Wesleyan University
Salina, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 2020 · On-Campus
5.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 2020Why it ranks in Kansas
Based in Salina, Kansas Wesleyan University is a private university offering a BSW in Kansas. Two internships anchor the upper years, each at least 200 hours over one semester for five credit hours, with sites chosen by the student together with the field education coordinator. Each placement runs alongside its own senior seminar where students debrief experiences and build a professional portfolio. Principles of Counseling Practice drills the counseling skills set as the national standard for substance abuse counselors, with role plays and training in assessment tools. A separate course on vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue turns students toward their own stress and self-care, and the department warns the material can be emotionally challenging. Published tuition is $32,750 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,750 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Salina, KS (2020-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #9
Tabor College
Hillsboro, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 2014 · On-Campus
4.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2014Why it ranks in Kansas
Based in Hillsboro, Tabor College is a private university offering a BSW in Kansas. The sequence moves from Human Behavior and the Social Environment through Practice 1 and Practice 2 into Social Welfare Policy and a senior seminar. Graded work used to measure student competence includes a diversity research presentation, a written policy analysis, an organizational analysis, a psychosocial assessment and a group facilitation exercise. Social work sits inside a combined Social and Behavioral Sciences department alongside psychology, and the program is openly Christ-centered, asking students to think through their faith in the context of the helping professions. Field and volunteer experience are built into coursework, and the student body is small enough that classes stay close to faculty. Published tuition is $35,050 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$35,050 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Hillsboro, KS (2014-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.5
- #10
University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, KS · CSWE-Accredited since 2021 · On-Campus
3.8
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2021Why it ranks in Kansas
Based in Leavenworth, University of Saint Mary is a private university offering a BSW in Kansas. There are two placements rather than one. A 120-hour junior practicum comes first, in the fall alongside policy and practice coursework, then the senior practicum brings the total to 540 hours by graduation. Placements run through agencies around Leavenworth, though the program does not restrict students to the area. Students can declare the major whenever they like, but formal admission waits until they have completed Professionalism in Social Work at Saint Mary itself. The application asks for a 2.5 GPA, a personal essay, one letter of recommendation, and signed certification that the student has read the NASW Code of Ethics and the program handbook. Published tuition is $32,750 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Kansas median of $11,645.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,750 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Leavenworth, KS (2021-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 2.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Kansas
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Kansas'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, Kansas's 10 accredited programs are based across 11 cities, including Manhattan, Salina, Lawrence, Overland Park, Wichita, North Newton, and others, 2 offering an online option. 3 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 Kansas 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 0.88 in Kansas, meaning the occupation is 12% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 2.2 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Kansas, social workers held about 6,170 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 KS | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 3,190 | $54,300 | $56,360 | $43,690 to $69,970 |
| Healthcare social workers | 1,360 | $64,440 | $64,860 | $46,300 to $79,680 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 1,620 | $56,330 | $60,380 | $47,750 to $79,650 |
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 Kansas; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Kansas
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Kansas 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 | Not specified |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LMSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LSCSW). 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.