Michigan has 20 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Michigan State University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 5 of the 20 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 2 are hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 4 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.
Michigan BSW programs at a glance
20
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Michigan State University, accredited since
5
Offer an online option
6
At an R1 or R2 research university
Michigan's 20 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2007, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Michigan State University at 9.3 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, Oakland University, earned accreditation in 2007. Among the Michigan programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $12,240 to $39,280 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Michigan earns a median of $59,270 a year, about the same as the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 20 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Michigan
Every one of these BSW programs in Michigan 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 #1
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
9.3
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus + online 6 certificates Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in East Lansing, Michigan State University is a public university offering a BSW in Michigan. The BASW is designed to meet the State of Michigan's social work licensing criteria. The school also states outright that it cannot confirm whether the degree satisfies licensure requirements in any other state. A survey of 2021 BASW graduates found 97 percent landed the job of their choice. The school counts more than 10,000 alumni working in the field and runs its own social work and public health career fair each spring. CSWE accreditation dates to 1974, 52 years of unbroken standing, above the Michigan median of 36 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $16,916 · Out-of-state $44,300 / year
2025-26 tuition, full-time lower-division · msu.edu
Locations
East Lansing, MI (1974-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #2 National #20
Wayne State University
Detroit, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.6
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in Detroit, Wayne State University is a public university offering a BSW in Michigan. The degree needs at least 120 credits, the first 60 covering general education and five pre-professional courses in social work, American government, sociology, human biology and psychology. The junior and senior years carry 51 credits of social work coursework across human behavior, research methods, practice and social welfare policy, plus the practicum. Practicum is a two-semester, 460-hour internship that cannot be done online, including for students in the fully online BSW WOW! track. The school arranges every placement through an internship tracking system, so students may suggest agencies but cannot set up their own, with emphasis on metro Detroit sites. CSWE accreditation dates to 1974, 52 years of unbroken standing, above the Michigan median of 36 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $13,643 · Out-of-state $31,248 / year
2025-26 tuition · wayne.edu
Locations
Detroit, MI (1974-present); Online (2018-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Michigan
Northern Michigan University teaches the BSW in Marquette, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Students apply to the upper-level program by October 1, usually early in junior year, needing 60 credits, a 2.50 GPA across SW 100 and SW 230, and a 2.50 across at least five of the seven courses in the Human Behavior Cluster minor. A personal statement is read for readiness, and the committee review can be competitive. The Upper Peninsula setting puts students in rural health systems, tribal communities and mining heritage towns, and the course list includes Tribal-Centered Victim Services along with a comparison of global social protection systems. When applicants outnumber seats, living in the Upper Peninsula or north of the 45th parallel counts in a student's favor. CSWE approved the online option in 2023, the most recent online approval among the 5 online programs on this list.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $14,702 · Out-of-state $20,198 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees, lower-division · nmu.edu
Locations
Marquette, MI (1974-present); Online (2023-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #4
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
8.0
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Michigan
Eastern Michigan University teaches the BSSW in Ypsilanti, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. The degree stacks three required areas, liberal arts, pre-social work and social work, and most required BSW courses run in both day and evening sections. The internship takes two days a week, or 16 hours, through the final year, split 200 hours per semester. The generalist placement runs 400 hours across a full academic year, either September to April or January to August. The school partners with more than 400 agencies, and students may request their current workplace as a site, though the field director and coordinator make the final assignment. CSWE accreditation dates to 1974, 52 years of unbroken standing, above the Michigan median of 36 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $15,200 · Out-of-state $15,200 / year
Locations
Ypsilanti, MI (1974-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #5
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.8
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Michigan
Western Michigan University teaches the BSW in Kalamazoo, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Courses run in two locations, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, and accreditation covers every program option, including both sites and delivery methods. The bachelor's program was first accredited in 1975 and is currently accredited through 2032. Undergraduates can study a semester or a year at a partner university while paying only WMU tuition: Rajagiri College of Social Sciences in Kerala, India, focused on social entrepreneurship and non-governmental organizations, or the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico, focused on refugee and human rights practice. CSWE accreditation dates to 1975, 51 years of unbroken standing, above the Michigan median of 36 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $15,198 · Out-of-state $18,998 / year
Locations
Kalamazoo, MI (1975-present); Benton Harbor, MI (1975-2020)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #6
Saginaw Valley State University
University Center, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 3 certificates Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in Michigan
Saginaw Valley State University teaches the BSW in University Center, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Prerequisites in psychology, sociology, political science, economics and biology fill the first two years, with the first social work courses arriving in the sophomore year. Five major courses run through the junior year, and the senior year is entirely social work, four advanced courses paired with the two six-credit field semesters. Graduates are eligible to apply for Michigan's Limited Bachelor of Social Work license. Recent hires have gone to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Recovery Pathways, GISD Head Start and Flint Community Schools, while others continued into MSW study at Michigan State, Michigan and Wayne State. In-state tuition runs $12,240 a year against $28,752 for nonresidents, below the Michigan median of $16,673. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Michigan.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $12,240 · Out-of-state $28,752 / year
Locations
University Center, MI (1982 - present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 9.0
- #7
University of Detroit Mercy
Detroit, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Michigan
University of Detroit Mercy teaches the BSW in Detroit, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Required coursework taught by the BSW program director includes Social Welfare and Social Justice, Social Welfare Policy, Human Behavior, Social Work Ethics and Digital Advocacy, and Self-Care and Spirituality. She is a licensed social worker appointed by Michigan's governor to the state Board of Social Work, and brings digital ethics and energy-based wellness practice into the classroom. Students log 400 hours in a human service agency under the supervision of a qualified social worker. The department will not substitute previous or current employment for social work course credit, so those hours have to be earned inside the practicum itself. Published tuition is $32,300 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,300 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Detroit, MI (1990-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
Madonna University
Livonia, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · On-Campus
7.0
On-Campus Full-time 3 campuses 1 certificate Accred. since 1981Why it ranks in Michigan
Madonna University teaches the BSW in Livonia, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Practicum totals 400 hours across the senior year, 200 clock hours per term, and each term pairs the placement with a two-credit seminar in which agency data, reports and forms are reviewed. Sites include courts, hospitals, nursing homes and shelters, and a senior integrative capstone runs alongside the second placement. Students apply while taking or after finishing SW 2300 and SW 3400 with a C or better, and must hold a 2.5 GPA, 45 credits of the Madonna Core Curriculum, two letters of recommendation and a reflective personal statement. Applicants are accepted once a year in the fall, and only admitted students may enroll in 4000-level social work courses. Published tuition is $27,360 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673. It operates more approved teaching sites than any of the BSW programs in Michigan.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$27,360 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Livonia, MI (1981-Present); Dearborn, MI (2019-Present); Gaylord, MI (1996-Present); Detroit, MI (2001-2009; 2015-2018)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #9
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1989 · On-Campus
6.9
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1989Why it ranks in Michigan
Ferris State University teaches the BSW in Big Rapids, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Two placements bracket the degree. An introductory field experience typically falls in the summer between freshman and sophomore year, and a senior internship across the final semesters puts students in practice under a social worker's supervision. The department works with agencies in almost every Michigan county. Declaring the major takes a 2.50 high school GPA and an ACT of 17 or SAT of 900. Moving into degree candidacy is a separate hurdle: 56 credit hours, a 2.3 overall and 2.5 social work GPA, a written self-analysis and a documented library research paper. In-state tuition runs $14,140 a year against $14,140 for nonresidents, below the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $14,140 · Out-of-state $14,140 / year
Locations
Big Rapids, MI (1989-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 8.5
- #10
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1992 · Online or On-Campus
6.8
Online or On-Campus Full-time 2 campuses + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1992Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in Spring Arbor, Spring Arbor University is a private university offering a BSW in Michigan. Students pick among three delivery modes. There is traditional face to face teaching on the Spring Arbor campus, a virtual classroom built around one live session a week with the same peers, and a fully online track paced by the student through video lectures and digital coursework. Eligible students can start graduate coursework as early as junior year, often billed at the undergraduate tuition rate, and finish a master's in as little as one year after the bachelor's. Spring Arbor runs its own MSW, so that accelerated route stays inside the same department. Published tuition is $31,940 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$31,940 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Spring Arbor, MI (1992-present); Online (2021-present); Southfield, MI (1992-2024); Flint, MI; Jackson, MI (2006-2024); Lansing, MI (2006-2024); Metro Detroit/Detroit, MI (2006-2024); Metro Toledo/Lambertville, MI (2007-2024); Grand Rapids, MI (2007-2024); Petosky, MI (2008-2024); Battle Creek, MI (2008-2024); Troy, MI (2010-2024); Kalamazoo, MI (2015-2024); Freemont, OH, (2012-2014)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.4
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #11
Grand Valley State University
Grand Rapids, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1990 · On-Campus
6.5
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1990Why it ranks in Michigan
Grand Valley State University teaches the BSW in Grand Rapids, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Students apply for BSW Candidacy in the sophomore year, February for current students and July 31 for transfers, submitting a resume and a three-part personal statement. Eligibility means a 2.5 GPA and a C or better in named pre-candidacy courses including biology, American government, psychology and sociology. Applicants land in one of four buckets: full, conditional, waitlist or deferral. Two cross-cultural service-learning courses run in the spring and summer, one placing students in a specific U.S. location and one abroad, each built around a two or three week experiential component. Before field, SW 348 already requires three hours a week of volunteer service in an approved agency. In-state tuition runs $14,978 a year against $21,154 for nonresidents, below the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $14,978 · Out-of-state $21,154 / year
Locations
Grand Rapids, MI (1990-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #12
University of Michigan-Flint
Online · CSWE-Accredited since 1997 · Online
6.5
Online Full & part-time 0 campuses + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1997Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in Online, University of Michigan-Flint is a public university offering a BSW in Michigan. Coursework runs fully online in a mix of asynchronous classes and synchronous ones that require live attendance on Zoom. The practicum stays in person, completed during the final year at a social service agency in the student's own area of residence. Admission runs twice a year into a cohort capped at 60 students, and applicants must first clear SWR 100 and ENG 111 with a C or better and bank 30 college credits. Once enrolled, students pass SWR 121 with a C in their first semester, with only two retakes allowed, and hold a 2.4 average overall and in social work. In-state tuition runs $12,942 a year against $25,854 for nonresidents, below the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $12,942 · Out-of-state $25,854 / year
Locations
Online (2018-present); Flint, MI (1998-2020)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.6
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #13
Calvin University
Grand Rapids, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1990 · On-Campus
6.3
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1990Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in Grand Rapids, Calvin University is a private university offering a BSW in Michigan. Applications are due April 1 of sophomore year with 35 credits, a 2.5 GPA and introductory psychology, sociology and SOWK 240 behind them. Students also document 30 hours of social work service drawn from no more than two settings, supply a supervisor reference, and write a 720 to 1250 word personal statement. No cap is set on admissions. Through Calvin's Prison Initiative, students can take several social work courses at the Handlon Correctional Facility campus in Ionia alongside incarcerated students in Inside-Out classes. The department reports that 95 percent of BSW students who apply to MSW programs are accepted, and more than a dozen donor funded scholarships are open to majors. Published tuition is $38,370 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$38,370 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Grand Rapids, MI (1990-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #14
Andrews University
Berrien Springs MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1990 · On-Campus
6.2
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1990Why it ranks in Michigan
Andrews University teaches the BSW in Berrien Springs MI, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Most students complete their practicum hours from September through May. Placements come from a list of approved affiliates, most of them in southwest Michigan or northern Indiana, or students can find their own site, working with the Director of Practicum Education and tracking paperwork in EXXAT. The school's career center keeps a bachelor's job list separate from the graduate one, and it leans heavily toward the Michiana region. Named employers include the Area Agency on Aging, Berrien County Juvenile Center, Van Buren Community Mental Health and the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission. Published tuition is $32,400 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,400 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Berrien Springs MI (1972-1983; 1990-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #15
Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 2000 · On-Campus
5.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 2000Why it ranks in Michigan
Cornerstone University teaches the BSW in Grand Rapids, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Practice is taught as a three-course sequence built around the Generalist Intervention Model, moving from individuals and families through group facilitation to communities and organizations. Human behavior coursework covers birth through young adulthood, and a separate Human Diversity course handles prejudice, oppression and implicit bias. General education is the 33-credit Cornerstone Core. The BSW is an on-campus program in Grand Rapids priced at $22,000 per year, and the university accepts up to 75 percent of degree credits by transfer. Applications are being taken for August and January starts. Published tuition is $28,300 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$28,300 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Grand Rapids, MI (2000-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #16
Oakland University
Rochester, MI , Mount Clemens, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 2007 · On-Campus
5.8
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 2007Why it ranks in Michigan
Oakland University teaches the BSW in Rochester, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. Each student is paired with an agency practicum instructor who holds a social work degree and at least two years of post-degree experience and owes a minimum of one hour of supervision every week, plus a faculty liaison who leads the accompanying seminar. A Practicum Learning Agreement is drafted jointly at the start of the fall semester. Applications are read on a rolling basis up to a June 1 final deadline, and everything from the intent to apply form through end-of-term practicum evaluations moves through a web system called SONIA that links students, agencies and faculty liaisons. Anyone in the pre-major or the program is assigned an advisor. CSWE accreditation dates to 2007, 19 years of unbroken standing, below the Michigan median of 36 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $16,429 · Out-of-state $24,737 / year
Locations
Rochester, MI (2007-Present), Mount Clemens, MI (2013-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #17
Hope College
Holland, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 1993 · On-Campus
5.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1993Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in Holland, Hope College is a private university offering a BSW in Michigan. Seniors spend 220 hours in the field each semester across two placement courses, drawing on more than 30 local human service agencies such as Community Action House in Holland, Allegan County Family Court and the Career Assessment Center. With prior permission, students can instead take the senior placement in an urban agency through the Chicago Semester. Entry to the major is competitive and not everyone who applies gets in. Students must take SWK 241, Introduction to Social Welfare, in the spring of freshman year or the fall of sophomore year, finish or be enrolled in SOC 101, and hold a 2.5 overall GPA with a 2.7 in social work courses. Published tuition is $37,240 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$37,240 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Holland, MI (1993-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.3
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #18
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 2000 · On-Campus
5.5
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2000Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in Mt. Pleasant, Central Michigan University is a public university offering a BSW in Michigan. The practicum runs fall through spring of senior year at about 14 hours a week, with a floor of 200 hours each semester and 400 across the year. The field director assigns placements after talking through the student's needs, and students meet the agency before anything is finalized. Current students apply in the spring of sophomore year by the third Friday in February, transfers in the fall. The bar is 50 credits at a 2.5 GPA, 50 hours of approved social work related experience, 12 major credits at a 2.7 GPA, and a B minus or better in SWK 250, plus two academic references. CSWE accreditation dates to 2000, 26 years of unbroken standing, below the Michigan median of 36 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $13,862 · Out-of-state $13,862 / year
Locations
Mt. Pleasant, MI (2000-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #19
Kuyper College
Grand Rapids, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 2002 · On-Campus
5.5
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2002Why it ranks in Michigan
Based in Grand Rapids, Kuyper College is a private university offering a BSW in Michigan. Every social work course includes face to face classroom instruction, and all faculty are or have been practicing social workers. The program also carries a tenth competency past the nine CSWE requires, understanding and integrating a biblical, Reformed worldview. Graduates have continued to MSW programs at the University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University. Career directions the program names include military social work, gerontological social work, school social work and community development. Published tuition is $26,390 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$26,390 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Grand Rapids, MI (2002-present); Online (2018-2024)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #20
Adrian College
Adrian, MI · CSWE-Accredited since 2006 · On-Campus
4.8
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2006Why it ranks in Michigan
Adrian College teaches the BSW in Adrian, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Michigan. The Bachelor of Social Work runs 120 hours and sits on a liberal arts base, drawing on biological, psychological and sociological coursework before the profession specific practice content begins. A 25 to 27 hour social work minor and a 15 to 17 hour Trauma-Informed Care certificate run alongside the major. The program reached full accreditation in 2006, was renewed in 2014 and again in 2022, and has graduated more than 165 students. The department is direct that healthcare and clinical jobs usually require an MSW, with the bachelor's opening case management, counseling and advocacy work. Published tuition is $39,280 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Michigan median of $16,673.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$39,280 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Adrian, MI (2006-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Michigan
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Michigan'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, Michigan's 20 accredited programs are based across 18 cities, including East Lansing, Detroit, Marquette, Ypsilanti, Kalamazoo, University Center, and others, 5 offering an online option. 6 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 Michigan 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 1.42 in Michigan, meaning the occupation is 42% more concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 3.6 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Michigan, social workers held about 26,940 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 MI | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 15,760 | $59,270 | $61,060 | $41,260 to $81,100 |
| Healthcare social workers | 4,860 | $67,600 | $69,940 | $47,640 to $91,190 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 4,620 | $60,830 | $62,940 | $42,150 to $82,750 |
| Social workers, all other | 1,700 | $62,140 | $70,090 | $40,290 to $109,720 |
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 Michigan; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Michigan
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Michigan 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 (LLMSW, LMSW-M), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LMSW-C). 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.