Massachusetts has 9 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Anna Maria College, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 3 of the 9 record an online option; the rest are campus-based.
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.
Massachusetts BSW programs at a glance
9
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Anna Maria College, accredited since
3
Offer an online option
0
At an R1 or R2 research university
Massachusetts's 9 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2021, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Anna Maria College at 7.8 out of 10. The newest, Springfield College, earned accreditation in 2021. A child, family, and school social worker in Massachusetts earns a median of $75,570 a year, 27% above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 9 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Massachusetts
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
Anna Maria College
Paxton, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
7.8
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Anna Maria College has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Paxton, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Paxton, MA (1974-present); Online (2026-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%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #2
Salem State University
Salem, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · Online or On-Campus
7.8
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1977Why it ranks here
Salem State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1977, 49 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Salem, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Salem, MA (1977-present); Online (2025-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Regis College
Weston, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1976Why it ranks here
Regis College has held CSWE accreditation since 1976, 50 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Weston, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Weston, MA (1976-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4
Elms College
Chicopee, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
7.0
On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1982Why it ranks here
Elms College has held CSWE accreditation since 1982, 44 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Chicopee, MA; Springfield, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Chicopee, MA (1982-present); Springfield, MA (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
- #5
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
6.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1982Why it ranks here
Bridgewater State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1982, 44 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Bridgewater, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Bridgewater, MA (1982-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
Simmons University
Boston, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 2011 · Online or On-Campus
5.6
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2011Why it ranks here
Simmons University has held CSWE accreditation since 2011, 15 years of standing as of 2026. The BSW is offered both online and on campus (Boston, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Boston, MA (2011-present); Online (2021-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.4
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Westfield State University
Westfield, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 2000 · On-Campus
5.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2000Why it ranks here
Westfield State University has held CSWE accreditation since 2000, 26 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Westfield, MA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Westfield, MA (2000-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
Lesley University
Cambridge, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 2019 · On-Campus
4.4
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2019Why it ranks here
Lesley University has held CSWE accreditation since 2019, 7 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Cambridge, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Cambridge, MA (2019-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
Springfield College
Springfield, MA · CSWE-Accredited since 2021 · On-Campus
4.3
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2021Why it ranks here
Springfield College has held CSWE accreditation since 2021, 5 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Springfield, MA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Springfield, MA (2021-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 2.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Massachusetts
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Massachusetts'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, Massachusetts's 9 accredited programs are based across 9 cities, including Paxton, Salem, Weston, Chicopee, Springfield, Bridgewater, and others, 3 offering an online option. 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts, social workers held about 26,100 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 MA | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 10,900 | $75,570 |
| Healthcare social workers | 7,220 | $76,440 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 7,440 | $62,500 |
| Social workers, all other | 540 | $101,280 |
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 Massachusetts; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Massachusetts
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Massachusetts 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSW1 | Licensed Social Worker 1 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
| LSW2 | Licensed Social Worker 2 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
| LSW3 | Licensed Social Worker 3 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Not specified |
| LSW4 | Licensed Social Worker 4 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Not specified |
| LSW5 | Licensed Social Worker 5 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
| LSW6 | Licensed Social Worker 6 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Not specified |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LCSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LICSW). 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.