Minnesota has 18 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is University of Minnesota-Duluth, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1968. 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
1968
Oldest, University of Minnesota-Duluth, accredited since
9
Offer an online option
0
At an R1 or R2 research university
Minnesota's 18 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1968 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. Verified published in-state tuition for the Minnesota program we priced is $5,487 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
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
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 here
Minnesota State University, Moorhead has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Moorhead, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 2 dual-degree options.
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)
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%) 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 here
Bemidji State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Science in Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Bemidji, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 embedded certificate (Addictions).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Bemidji, MN (1974-present); Online (2018-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%) 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 here
College of Saint Scholastica has held CSWE accreditation since 1976, 50 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Arts Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Duluth, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 embedded certificate (Medical Social Work).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
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)
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%) 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 here
St. Catherine University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (St. Paul, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 dual-degree option.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
St. Paul, MN (1974-present); Online (2024-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%) 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 here
Bethel University has held CSWE accreditation since 1981, 45 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Arts in Social Work is offered both online and on campus (St. Paul, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
St. Paul, MN (1981-Present); Online (2021-Present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
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 Minnesota-Duluth
Duluth, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1968 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1968Why it ranks here
University of Minnesota-Duluth has held CSWE accreditation since 1968, 58 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Duluth, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Duluth, MN (2014-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
- #7
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 here
University of Saint Thomas has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (St. Paul, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
St. Paul, MN (1974-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
- #8
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 here
Southwest Minnesota State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1992, 34 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelors of Science in Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Marshall, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 2 dual-degree options.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Marshall, MN (1992-present); Online (2020-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.4
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 6.0
- #9
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 here
Winona State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1985, 41 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Winona, MN; Rochester, MN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Winona, MN (1985-present); Rochester, MN (1985-present); Online (2022-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.6
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
Concordia College
Moorhead, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
6.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1982Why it ranks here
Concordia College has held CSWE accreditation since 1982, 44 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Moorhead, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Moorhead, MN (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
- #11
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 here
Minnesota State University, Mankato has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Mankato, MN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Mankato, MN (1974-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%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #12
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 here
St. Cloud State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1981, 45 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (St Cloud, MN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 1 embedded certificate (Child Welfare).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
St Cloud, MN (1981-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #13
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1980 · On-Campus
6.4
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1980Why it ranks here
Augsburg University has held CSWE accreditation since 1980, 46 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Minneapolis, MN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Minneapolis, MN (1980-Present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #14
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 here
Metropolitan State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1997, 29 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Saint Paul, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Saint Paul, MN (1997-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #15
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN · CSWE-Accredited since 1990 · On-Campus
5.8
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1990Why it ranks here
St. Olaf College has held CSWE accreditation since 1990, 36 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Northfield, MN). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Northfield, MN (1990-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #16
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 here
North Central University has held CSWE accreditation since 2011, 15 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Minneapolis, MN). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 6 dual-degree options.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Minneapolis, MN (2011-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #17
Walden University
Online · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · Online
5.0
Online Full & part-time 0 campuses + online Accred. since 2016Why it ranks here
Walden University has held CSWE accreditation since 2016, 10 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered fully online. Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Online (2016-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- 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 here
Capella University has held CSWE accreditation since 2022, 4 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered fully online. Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Online (2022-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
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.
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. State median annual wages by specialty:
| Occupation | Employed in MN | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 6,540 | $67,450 |
| Healthcare social workers | 2,430 | $73,970 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 3,590 | $75,020 |
| Social workers, all other | 7,270 | $79,790 |
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 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.