Minnesota has 18 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Minnesota State University, Moorhead, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 9 of the 18 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.
Minnesota BSW programs at a glance
18
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, accredited since
9
Offer an online option
0
At an R1 or R2 research university
Minnesota's 18 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2022, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Minnesota State University, Moorhead at 8.2 out of 10. The newest, Capella University, earned accreditation in 2022. Among the Minnesota programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $5,487 to $56,970 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Minnesota earns a median of $67,450 a year, 13% above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 18 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Minnesota
Every one of these BSW programs in Minnesota 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
Minnesota State University, Moorhead
Moorhead, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.2
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Minnesota
Minnesota State University, Moorhead teaches the BSW in Moorhead, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. There are two routes to the same degree: an on-campus version that mixes classroom and online courses, and a separate online cohort delivered asynchronously. Both require the full 480-hour internship before graduation. An average of 97 percent of graduates pass the national social work licensing exam on the first attempt, against a national rate of 79 percent. Graduates still have to sit for the exam in whichever state they intend to practice. CSWE approved the online option in 2024, the most recent online approval among the 9 online programs on this list. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Minnesota.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $5,487 · Out-of-state $5,487 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees, one rate all students · mnstate.edu
Locations
Moorhead, MN (1974-present); Online (2024-present)
Visit the Minnesota State University, Moorhead BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 6.0
- #2
Bemidji State University
Bemidji, MN · 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 Minnesota
Based in Bemidji, Bemidji State University is a public university offering a BSW in Minnesota. The first two years go to liberal education and pre-admission coursework, followed by four semesters of core classes once students are admitted to the program. The major totals 70 credit hours and carries 540 hours of practice inside a human service organization, with the 480-hour internship placeable anywhere within a four-hour radius of campus. The standard internship is a single semester of 480 hours registered as SOWK 4970 for 12 credits. Students pursuing the addictions credential instead complete 880 hours across two semesters, splitting registration between the social work and addictions internship courses so hours for both licenses accrue at the same time. In-state tuition runs $8,994 a year against $8,994 for nonresidents, below the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,994 · Out-of-state $8,994 / year
Locations
Bemidji, MN (1974-present); Online (2018-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
- #3
College of Saint Scholastica
Duluth, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · Online or On-Campus
8.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Minnesota
Based in Duluth, College of Saint Scholastica is a private university offering a BSW in Minnesota. The major requires a single comprehensive practicum of at least 450 hours in one primary agency setting rather than a series of shorter placements. Students carry concurrent practice-focused coursework and a seminar during the placement, and write a learning plan with its own evaluation criteria in the first weeks. Entry to the college takes a high school diploma or GED and a 2.0 cumulative GPA, but staying in the major is stricter, since every social work course must be passed with at least a C. Fall applications are accepted through the end of August, the application is free, and deposits stay refundable until May 1. Published tuition is $39,530 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$39,530 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Duluth, MN (1976-present); Online (2020-present); Fond du Lac/Cloquet, MN (1976-2022); Inver Hills, MN (1976-2022); Austin, MN (1976-2022); Brainerd, MN (1976-2021)
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
St. Catherine University
St. Paul, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Minnesota
St. Catherine University teaches the BSW in St. Paul, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. Field placement runs through the junior and senior years for 400 hours alongside a licensed social worker, in settings spanning case management, crisis intervention, community education and organizing, group counseling, and policy and planning. Graduates finish ready to sit for the licensure exam required to practice in Minnesota. The bachelor's program was first accredited in 1975 within a School of Social Work operated jointly with the University of St. Thomas. That partnership ended in 2019, after which the program was accredited on its own under the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health, with assessment results posted by academic year. Published tuition is $36,694 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$36,694 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
St. Paul, MN (1974-present); Online (2024-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 4.5
- #5
Bethel University
St. Paul, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · Online or On-Campus
7.5
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1981Why it ranks in Minnesota
Bethel University teaches the BASW in St. Paul, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. Practicum runs past 600 hours, drawing on the more than 100 agency contacts the department keeps across the Twin Cities. Settings include healthcare facilities, schools and community organizations, and students can build concentrated experience in child welfare, healthcare social work or community advocacy through their placement and electives. The Bethel Career Commitment promises added support to any graduate without a job offer or graduate school acceptance six months out. The department publishes an annual assessment of student learning outcomes, with reports posted every year back to 2014-2015. Published tuition is $42,760 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$42,760 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
St. Paul, MN (1981-Present); Online (2021-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
University of Saint Thomas
St. Paul, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Minnesota
University of Saint Thomas teaches the BSW in St. Paul, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. The major is 12 courses and 44 credits, plus 16 credits of supporting coursework in psychology, sociology and biology. Students take some social work courses before admission to the major itself, which happens in the spring of junior year, and formal co-major pairings exist with psychology, sociology and criminal justice. Students placed in community practice have worked on passing Minnesota's minimum wage legislation with A Minnesota Without Poverty, including a State Capitol flash mob titled Ketchup to the Cost of Living. The school also funds Social Work Minority Undergraduate Student Scholarships for qualifying majors. Published tuition is $50,788 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$50,788 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
St. Paul, MN (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
Southwest Minnesota State University
Marshall, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1992 · Online or On-Campus
7.1
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1992Why it ranks in Minnesota
Based in Marshall, Southwest Minnesota State University is a public university offering a BSW in Minnesota. The degree is offered on the Marshall campus and, recently, as a fully online bachelor's. Minnesota legally regulates baccalaureate social workers, and graduates of an accredited undergraduate program like this one are eligible to sit for the state licensure exam. Students apply formally to the major, usually in the fall of junior year, and need a 2.5 cumulative GPA, at least 31 earned credits of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, a C or better in every social work course, and a C in academic writing and public presentations. In-state tuition runs $8,840 a year against $8,840 for nonresidents, below the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,840 · Out-of-state $8,840 / year
Locations
Marshall, MN (1992-present); Online (2020-present)
Visit the Southwest Minnesota State University BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.4
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 6.0
- #8
Winona State University
Winona, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1985 · Online or On-Campus
7.0
Online or On-Campus Full-time 2 campuses + online Accred. since 1985Why it ranks in Minnesota
Based in Winona, Winona State University is a public university offering a BSW in Minnesota. The IV-E Child Welfare Scholar program pays $3,000 a semester to students who take SOCW 420 Child Welfare with a B or better and arrange their senior practicum in a county, state or tribal child welfare unit. Scholars then run a three-month child welfare job search and hold that job for 4.5 months per stipend semester. The program reports that 96 percent of alumni land a social work job or start graduate school within five months of finishing. Named regional employers include Winona Health, Rochester Public Schools, Family Service Rochester, Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center and Elder Network, and the WSU Foundation puts more than $10,300 a year into social work scholarships. In-state tuition runs $8,388 a year against $15,120 for nonresidents, below the Minnesota median of $13,601. It operates more approved teaching sites than any of the BSW programs in Minnesota.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,388 · Out-of-state $15,120 / year
Locations
Winona, MN (1985-present); Rochester, MN (1985-present); Online (2022-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.6
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
Concordia College
Moorhead, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
6.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in Minnesota
Based in Moorhead, Concordia College is a private university offering a BSW in Minnesota. Community work starts in the sophomore year and builds toward a full-time internship in the senior year. Placements come out of partnerships with agencies across Fargo and Moorhead, on work such as helping low-income families make ends meet or helping New Americans find housing, matched where possible to a student's interests. Each spring students join social workers from across Minnesota at Social Work Day at the Capitol, where speakers take up policy issues affecting the profession and the people it serves. The department also reports that its graduates pass the national licensure examination at rates well beyond the national average. Published tuition is $29,400 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$29,400 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Moorhead, MN (1982-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Minnesota
Minnesota State University, Mankato teaches the BSSW in Mankato, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. The culminating practicum carries eight credits at 32 hours a week in a social service setting, supervised by a degreed social worker, which is close to full-time work for the term. It is taken alongside a four-credit integrative seminar that serves as the capstone, and both require the foundation and practice sequences plus program permission. A Title IV-E child welfare track prepares undergraduates specifically for public and tribal child welfare work and runs professional development across southern Minnesota. The department also flags that Minnesota requires anyone with a social work degree providing services in a social service setting to hold a license, with limited exceptions. In-state tuition runs $8,356 a year against $17,726 for nonresidents, below the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,356 · Out-of-state $17,726 / year
Locations
Mankato, MN (1974-present)
Visit the Minnesota State University, Mankato BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
St. Cloud State University
St Cloud, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1981Why it ranks in Minnesota
Based in St Cloud, St. Cloud State University is a public university offering a BSW in Minnesota. Students already employed in a human service agency may complete the practicum at their workplace under a separate learning agreement. Summer practicum is not offered and the hours cannot be stretched across breaks, so the placement is a single full-time semester in a non-profit, medical, educational or human service agency. The bachelor's degree is the credential Minnesota requires for the Licensed Social Worker credential, earned by passing a national exam through the state Board of Social Work. The department maps all four Minnesota license levels, showing where the bachelor's stops and graduate study takes over. In-state tuition runs $8,811 a year against $8,811 for nonresidents, below the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,811 · Out-of-state $8,811 / year
Locations
St Cloud, MN (1981-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #12
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1980 · On-Campus
6.4
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1980Why it ranks in Minnesota
Augsburg University teaches the BSW in Minneapolis, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. Students apply directly to the program, usually after a sophomore year information session, with 52 to 64 semester hours completed, a 2.5 GPA, college algebra equivalency and at least four of the seven supporting courses done. Two faculty members review each cover letter, resume and transcript. Each spring, juniors have the option to spend the semester in Cuernavaca, Mexico on the Social Work in a Latin American Context program. The required curricular content is covered while abroad, so the semester counts rather than pausing the degree. Published tuition is $43,142 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$43,142 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Minneapolis, MN (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
- #13
Metropolitan State University
Saint Paul, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1997 · On-Campus
5.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1997Why it ranks in Minnesota
Based in Saint Paul, Metropolitan State University is a public university offering a BSW in Minnesota. Of the 120 credits, 48 are social work, and eight of those go to a two-part Comparative Racial/Ethnic Analysis sequence that ends with the Eight Cross Cultural Curative Factors model applied to individual practice. The research sequence closes with a senior advocacy project on an issue facing a specific Twin Cities community of color. There are two placements, each 20 hours a week. The first comes in the second semester of the major, in a community learning center inside one of the Twin Cities communities of color, and the senior practicum moves to a mainstream agency or child welfare setting under a master's-prepared supervisor, with a field seminar running alongside both. In-state tuition runs $8,571 a year against $8,571 for nonresidents, below the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,571 · Out-of-state $8,571 / year
Locations
Saint Paul, MN (1997-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #14
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1990 · On-Campus
5.8
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1990Why it ranks in Minnesota
St. Olaf College teaches the BA in Northfield, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. The 400-hour practicum is done as one full-time block placement filling the fall semester of senior year rather than spread part-time across two terms. Sites are typically in the Twin Cities or communities near campus, with more distant placements arranged individually. Majors with Spanish can take the spring semester Social Work in a Latin American Context program, which satisfies junior-level requirements for the major. The Amanda Kimer Memorial Scholarship supports students focused on oppressed communities, especially communities of color, and seniors close the major with a spring reflection retreat. Published tuition is $56,970 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$56,970 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Northfield, MN (1990-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #15
North Central University
Minneapolis, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 2011 · On-Campus
5.7
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2011Why it ranks in Minnesota
North Central University teaches the BSW in Minneapolis, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. Two semesters of internship are required to finish the degree, and students get help finding a site that matches the direction they want to go. Recent placements include Fraser Mental Health, CornerHouse, the Ronald McDonald House, Minnesota Refugee Services, Arrive Ministries and HCMC, with student roles in youth advocacy, hospice care counseling and school health policy. Classes and student life are rooted in Scripture, and the program frames practice as following Jesus's example of challenging structures that oppress, marginalize or concentrate privilege. It assumes students arrive with little or no prior social work training. Published tuition is $28,500 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$28,500 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Minneapolis, MN (2011-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #16
Walden University
Online · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · Online
5.0
Online Full & part-time 0 campuses + online Accred. since 2016Why it ranks in Minnesota
Based in Online, Walden University is a private university offering a BSW in Minnesota. Coursework is online and mostly asynchronous, but a one-credit Social Work Skills Lab breaks that pattern with three weeks online, three days of face-to-face or virtual synchronous sessions, then two more weeks online. Published minimum time to completion is 48 months. Practicum is 400 hours in an approved social services agency under a licensed social worker, carried across two ten-credit field seminars. A preparatory course helps students identify a site and supervisor for coordinator approval, and students join a live hourlong seminar every week while placed. CSWE accreditation dates to 2016, 10 years of unbroken standing, below the Minnesota median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$10,313 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Online (2016-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #17
University of Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 2014 · On-Campus
4.7
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2014Why it ranks in Minnesota
University of Minnesota-Duluth teaches the BSW in Duluth, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. More than 200 community agencies are currently approved for placements, and undergraduates work with their own practicum director rather than sharing the graduate one. The department puts particular weight on placements in tribal and rural communities. Applications are read on a rolling basis with a February 15 priority date and an August 1 close. Applicants need a 2.5 GPA, 30 credits or an associate degree, three pre-major courses passed with a C, documented volunteer or community work, a four-question essay and a professional reference who must respond within three weeks or the file is canceled. In-state tuition runs $12,766 a year against $18,210 for nonresidents, below the Minnesota median of $13,601.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $12,766 · Out-of-state $18,210 / year
Locations
Duluth, MN (2014-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #18
Capella University
Online · CSWE-Accredited since 2022 · Online
4.7
Online Full & part-time 0 campuses + online Accred. since 2022Why it ranks in Minnesota
Capella University teaches the BSW in Online, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Minnesota. Eleven core courses sit behind two practicum courses, starting with SWK2002, which must be taken in the first quarter and cannot be transferred or waived through prior learning. Most other core courses transfer only from CSWE accredited programs, and the micro practice course pairs asynchronous work with live role plays. The two practicum courses carry 400 hours of supervised field work. Capella states the degree is designed for bachelor level social work licensure but publishes state by state disclosures rather than promising eligibility, and practicum travel costs fall outside its tuition cap. CSWE accreditation dates to 2022, 4 years of unbroken standing, below the Minnesota median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$14,436 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Online (2022-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 2.6
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Minnesota
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Minnesota'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, Minnesota's 18 accredited programs are based across 12 cities, including Moorhead, Bemidji, Duluth, St. Paul, Marshall, Winona, and others, 9 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota, 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 Minnesota, social workers held about 19,830 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 MN | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 6,540 | $67,450 | $70,890 | $47,890 to $99,320 |
| Healthcare social workers | 2,430 | $73,970 | $73,510 | $51,720 to $95,200 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 3,590 | $75,020 | $74,420 | $50,950 to $98,520 |
| Social workers, all other | 7,270 | $79,790 | $79,420 | $55,500 to $101,210 |
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 Minnesota; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Minnesota
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Minnesota 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSW | Licensed Social Worker | No ASWB exam required | Not specified |
| PLSW | Provisional Licensed Social Worker | No ASWB exam required | Not specified |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LGSW, LISW, PLGSW, PLISW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LICSW, PLICSW). 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.