New York has 30 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Adelphi University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1951. 6 of the 30 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 5 are hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 3 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.
New York BSW programs at a glance
30
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1951
Oldest, Adelphi University, accredited since
6
Offer an online option
8
At an R1 or R2 research university
New York's 30 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1951 to 2019, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Syracuse University at 8.6 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, Binghamton University, State University of New York, earned accreditation in 2019. Among the New York programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $6,930 to $69,180 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in New York earns a median of $65,100 a year, 9% above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 30 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in New York
Every one of these BSW programs in New York 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
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · Online or On-Campus
8.6
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in New York
Based in Syracuse, Syracuse University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. The major runs a minimum of 120 credits and pairs professional practice courses with behavioral and natural sciences taken through the College of Arts and Sciences. First year students sit in a Social Work Practice Skills Laboratory alongside Human Diversity in Social Context, Introduction to Biological Anthropology and Psychology of Childhood. Graduates land in clinical and private practice settings, mental health and managed care programs, schools and adoption agencies, court systems and public policy offices, and a share continue into the school's own MSW. The school counts close to 7,000 alumni. Published tuition is $69,180 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$69,180 / year (private, one rate for all students)
2026-27 tuition · syracuse.edu
Locations
Syracuse, NY (1975-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
- #2
SUNY Buffalo State University
Buffalo, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · Online or On-Campus
8.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in New York
Based in Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo State University is a public university offering a BSW in New York. Seniors complete a year-long supervised placement designed as a block experience and treated as the culmination of the degree, deliberately integrated with the classroom courses rather than bolted on at the end. The department is blunt that it is an intense agency-based experience carrying real professional responsibility. The department offers two credentials alongside the major itself, a Social Justice minor and a Child Advocacy Studies certificate. Coursework in the major works across micro, mezzo and macro practice and covers methods for analyzing social welfare policy, not only the history of the profession and its services. CSWE approved the online option in 2026, the most recent online approval among the 6 online programs on this list.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,070 · Out-of-state $17,490 / year
Locations
Buffalo, NY (1975-present); Online (2026-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
University at Albany, State University of New York
Albany, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.9
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in New York
Based in Albany, University at Albany, State University of New York is a public university offering a BSW in New York. More than 400 agencies take undergraduate and graduate placements, and the field office keeps a staff member assigned specifically to undergraduate field education. Sitting in the Capital Region puts students within reach of state government offices as well as county and community providers. The school hosts the New York State Social Work Education Consortium, a child welfare workforce partnership with the Office of Children and Family Services spanning 57 county districts, which funds tuition for BSW coursework taken by current child welfare staff. Four research centers sit here too, among them the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. In-state tuition runs $7,070 a year against $25,660 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,070 · Out-of-state $25,660 / year
Locations
Albany, NY (1974-present)
Visit the University at Albany, State University of New York BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4
Adelphi University
Garden City, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1951 · On-Campus
7.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 4 campuses Accred. since 1951Why it ranks in New York
Based in Garden City, Adelphi University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Undergraduates complete 300 to 400 practicum hours in human service agencies, working directly with individuals, families, groups and communities. The practicum education department assigns the placements, and students already employed in human services can apply to use that job as their site. Each spring the school runs a Social Action Initiative that puts undergraduates into advocacy projects such as Being Anti-Racist, Racism and Criminal Justice, and #StopAsianHate. Undergraduate social work students are eligible for scholarships as high as $18,000 a year. CSWE accreditation dates to 1951, 75 years of unbroken standing, above the New York median of 44 years. No other program among the BSW programs in New York has held CSWE accreditation longer.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$45,450 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Garden City, NY (1951-present); Hauppauge, NY (1951-present); New York, NY (1951-present); Middletown, NY (2019-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #5
SUNY Brockport
Brockport, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1973 · Online or On-Campus
7.8
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1973Why it ranks in New York
Based in Brockport, SUNY Brockport is a public university offering a BSW in New York. The major carries 54 credits inside a 120-credit degree. The junior year runs applied statistics for social work, human behavior and the social environment, case management, human service systems and policy, micro and mezzo practice, and a diversity, equity and justice course, with macro practice and research saved for the senior year alongside field instruction. Students do not negotiate their own placements, and most agencies expect availability during ordinary weekday business hours, with evening or weekend hours the exception. Distal block placements are also offered, with locations that have included Washington, D.C., and Alaska. In-state tuition runs $7,070 a year against $14,140 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,070 · Out-of-state $14,140 / year
Locations
Brockport, NY (1973-present); Online (2022-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
Roberts Wesleyan University
Rochester, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · Online or On-Campus
7.6
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1979Why it ranks in New York
Based in Rochester, Roberts Wesleyan University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Coursework covers human behavior across two sequenced courses, practice with individuals, families and groups, social welfare policy, community practice, diversity and oppression, and research methods. Rooted in historical Christianity, the department also teaches spiritual integration and spiritually sensitive practice as a named subject area rather than an add-on. Students practice crisis intervention in an Emergency Room Trauma Simulation Lab, an unusual facility for an undergraduate social work department. The degree can be finished in as few as three years, and graduates may qualify for automatic acceptance into the university's own MSW. Published tuition is $36,004 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$36,004 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Rochester, NY (1979-Present); Online (2021-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Keuka College
Keuka Park, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · Online or On-Campus
7.4
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in New York
Keuka College teaches the BSSW in Keuka Park, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The bachelor's in social work is listed as two separate programs, one on campus and one online, each with its own set of requirements. Admission is rolling with no application deadline, the college is test optional, and decisions usually arrive within one to two weeks. Field Period is a 140-hour experiential internship completed once in each year of enrollment, so social work majors log agency hours from the first year rather than only at the end. The requirement applies college wide, across more than 60 majors, minors and master's level courses. Published tuition is $36,500 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$36,500 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Keuka Park, NY (1982-present); Online (2021-present); Horseheads, NY (1982-2023); Binghamton, NY (1982-2023); Corning, NY (1982-2023); Syracuse, NY (1982-2023); Dansville, NY (1982-2023); Canandaigua, NY (1982-2023); Watertown, NY (1982-2023); Utica, NY (1982-2023); Rome, NY (1982-2023); Rochester, NY (1982-2023); East Syracuse, NY (1982-2023); Dryden, NY (1982-2023); Fayetteville, NY (1982-2023); Dewitt, NY (1982-2023)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
New York University
New York, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in New York
Based in New York, New York University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Practicum can begin as early as junior year and spans a five-credit Practicum Experience Lab plus two six-credit semesters of Practicum Instruction. Placements draw on more than 600 public and nonprofit agency partners across greater New York and in Shanghai, and each student's Practice instructor doubles as their practicum faculty advisor. Silver reports that 93 percent of its 2025 class was employed or enrolled in graduate or professional school within six months of finishing, and that every member of that class held an internship while in school. Half also worked an on-campus job. Published tuition is $60,438 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$60,438 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
New York, NY (1974-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in New York
State University of New York at Stony Brook teaches the BSW in Stony Brook, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The upper-division major totals 66 credits over the junior and senior years, organized around human behavior and the environment, social welfare policy, social research, social work practice and practicum education. Required courses include Foundations of Human Rights and a three-course practice processes sequence, and students must hold a 3.0 GPA in the program. Entry is upper-division and fall start only, requiring 60 completed credits at a 2.5 GPA with prerequisites in American government, human biology, US history since 1877, psychology, sociology or anthropology, math above algebra and a language other than English. About 45 percent of applicants are accepted and 98 percent of enrolled students finish the degree. In-state tuition runs $7,070 a year against $26,860 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,070 · Out-of-state $26,860 / year
Locations
Stony Brook, NY (1976-present)
Visit the State University of New York at Stony Brook BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
Nazareth University
Rochester, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.3
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in New York
Based in Rochester, Nazareth University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. A child life specialist track sits inside the major and pairs it with the developing child and families minor, adding developmental psychology, speech-language acquisition, a play and development course and a death and dying course to the core sequence of Human Behavior and the Social Environment I and II, Social Work Methods and Practice I and II, and research methods. Undergraduate majors who finish the substance abuse prevention and treatment track meet the educational requirements for New York's CASAC credential through a 350-hour certificate. Transfer students holding an associate degree can start in August and finish the bachelor's in two years with no summer courses. Published tuition is $38,790 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$38,790 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Rochester, NY (1977-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #11
Niagara University
Lewiston, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
7.3
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in New York
Based in Lewiston, Niagara University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Students log roughly 500 hours of field experience by graduation, including a year-long placement in a social work agency and service learning through two on-campus civic engagement centers. Field Practicum I and II each carry a matching Field Seminar alongside them. Applications are read on a rolling basis and decisions typically come back in three to four weeks. Once in the major, students must keep a 2.5 GPA and earn a B- or better in every required SWK course. Published tuition is $36,100 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$36,100 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Lewiston, NY (1982-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.5
- #12
Iona University
Bronxville NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1979Why it ranks in New York
Based in Bronxville NY, Iona University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Interprofessional education is formal rather than incidental here. Students work through IPE modules on communication, roles and responsibilities, teamwork and ethics with peers from nursing, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, school psychology, marriage and family therapy and mental health counseling, and can join IPE field fellowships and simulations. Undergraduates here are regularly awarded Behavioral Health Summer Fellowships at Mount Sinai Hospital, and the program reports that every graduate who has sought Advanced Standing MSW admission has been accepted. Alumni work in settings such as the Department of Community Mental Health and Student Assistance Services. Published tuition is $43,680 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$43,680 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
New Rochelle, NY (1979-2023); Bronxville NY (2023-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #13
Molloy University
Rockville Centre, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in New York
Molloy University teaches the BSW in Rockville Centre, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The 120-credit degree keeps social work coursework in the upper division. Junior year covers policy and advocacy, human behavior theory and lifespan development, and separate practice courses for individuals, groups and families, and communities and organizations. Senior year pairs a skills lab and a one-credit quantitative analysis course with a two-semester capstone that ends in public presentations. All 400 field hours fall in the senior year, carried as two five-credit courses, Field I in the fall and Field II in the spring. Placements sit with Long Island partners including Northwell Health, Catholic Health, Family and Children's Association, the Diocese of Rockville Centre, local school districts and the Department of Social Services. Published tuition is $36,280 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$36,280 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Rockville Centre, NY (1977-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #14
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1996 · Online or On-Campus
7.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1996Why it ranks in New York
State University of New York at Plattsburgh teaches the BSW in Plattsburgh, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The major runs in the junior and senior years, with the first two years given over to a liberal arts and general education base before students apply for admission to the program. Both continuing Plattsburgh students and transfers can apply, and coursework runs alongside the agency internship in those upper years. The program reports a 95 percent acceptance rate to graduate schools in the United States and Canada. Students have gone on to Fordham, Hunter College, Syracuse, Rutgers, Washington University in St. Louis, Boston College and McGill, along with the SUNY graduate campuses at Albany, Buffalo, Binghamton and Stony Brook. In-state tuition runs $7,070 a year against $16,980 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,070 · Out-of-state $16,980 / year
Locations
Plattsburgh, NY (1996-present); Online (2018-present); Queensbury, NY (2024-present)
Visit the State University of New York at Plattsburgh BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.8
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #15
Marist University
Poughkeepsie, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
6.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in New York
Marist University teaches the BSW in Poughkeepsie, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The senior practicum runs the full year and takes 400 or more hours in a local social service agency, with students on site two full workdays every Monday and Wednesday, roughly 15 hours a week. They also come back early from winter break to work the placement full time for two weeks in January. Supervision is built as a three way team: practicum faculty, the agency supervisor and the student meet together at the agency at least twice a semester, alongside weekly agency supervision and a weekly campus seminar. Each semester closes with a written agency evaluation shared with the student and faculty and signed by all. Published tuition is $45,330 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$45,330 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Poughkeepsie, NY (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
- #16
Daemen University
Amherst, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in New York
Daemen University teaches the BSW in Amherst, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The university's Institute for Government and Non-Profit Innovation, Training, and Evaluation, known as IGNITE, gives undergraduates applied research work with local organizations, helping evaluate and build the capacity of community programs. Students also help plan the department's annual Humanitarian Fund Dinner, which raises money for social work students who hit a crisis mid-degree. Eighty-five percent of recent BASW graduates were employed or accepted into graduate school before they finished the degree. All of the recent graduates surveyed said they felt prepared to work with diverse populations and solve complex problems, and that they would choose Daemen again. Published tuition is $33,054 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$33,054 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Amherst, NY (1977-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #17
York College, City University of New York
Jamaica, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1985 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1985Why it ranks in New York
Based in Jamaica, York College, City University of New York is a public university offering a BSW in New York. Practicum is a second gated application covering SCWK 410 and SCWK 492, taken in sequence. Applicants need 94 or more credits by the end of the semester they apply, the course sequence through SCWK 370, Writing 303 and two approved diversity courses, with a third diversity course required before graduation. Entry to the major is a separate application reviewed each semester, requiring 45 completed credits, a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher, completion of SCWK 101 and a grade of C or better in every social work course, transfer credit included. Deadlines are July 31 for fall and January 31 for spring. In-state tuition runs $6,930 a year against $14,880 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,930 · Out-of-state $14,880 / year
Locations
Jamaica, NY (1985-present)
Visit the York College, City University of New York BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #18
Dominican University New York
Orangeburg, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1978 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1978Why it ranks in New York
Based in Orangeburg, Dominican University New York is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Two separate placements are required, one in junior year and one in senior year, for 500 hours in total, which the program notes is 100 hours above the accreditation minimum. The junior placement is an individualized field instruction course inside a social service delivery system. This is an upper-division program admitted in stages. Students file an Admission to Junior Field Work Application in the fall of junior year, and entry to senior practice and field courses requires a 2.3 cumulative index plus a faculty advisor's recommendation. Three social work grades below C force a year out of the program. Published tuition is $32,160 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,160 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Orangeburg, NY (1978-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.7
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #19
Lehman College, City University of New York
Bronx, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1983 · On-Campus
6.5
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1983Why it ranks in New York
Based in Bronx, Lehman College, City University of New York is a public university offering a BSW in New York. The major comes in two sizes: 55 credits, or 58 credits in a version that builds in the Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee certificate, so students leave with a substance use credential alongside the degree. An interdisciplinary minor in aging is available, and some courses run hybrid with evening and weekend sections. A dual language English and Spanish practicum seminar is offered for students heading into Spanish-speaking communities. Second-year practicum runs 15 hours a week, and settings include the college's own Bronx Telehealth Counseling Center along with schools, housing, community health and substance use disorder programs. In-state tuition runs $6,930 a year against $14,880 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,930 · Out-of-state $14,880 / year
Locations
Bronx, NY (1983-Present)
Visit the Lehman College, City University of New York BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #20
Fordham University
New York, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1999 · On-Campus
6.3
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1999Why it ranks in New York
Based in New York, Fordham University is a private university offering a BSW in New York. The major is a 31-credit sequence students are expected to finish within two years, entered after roughly 50 undergraduate credit hours. Applicants must already be enrolled at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, Fordham College at Rose Hill or the School of Professional and Continuing Studies. The bachelor's major is run by the Graduate School of Social Service, sitting alongside the MSW and the PhD rather than inside an undergraduate department. Deadlines are May 1 for fall entry and December 1 for spring. Published tuition is $60,335 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$60,335 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
New York, NY (1975-1983; 1999-present); West Harrison, NY (1975-1983; 1999-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.3
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #21
Long Island University, Post
Brookville, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1999 · On-Campus
6.3
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1999Why it ranks in New York
Based in Brookville, Long Island University, Post is a private university offering a BSW in New York. The 120 credit degree gives 53 credits to social work and at least 60 to the liberal arts core, and it folds in health administration courses in organizational leadership and computer-based management systems alongside research methods and statistics. Human behavior, practice and policy each run as two course sequences, capped by a senior course in diversity-sensitive practice. Major courses are not offered every semester and are taken in cohorts, so residential students at Post must carry a full-time load for the final two years to stay with the field sequence. Transfers entering as juniors follow a two year upper-division plan, and students based at LIU Brentwood can take a three or four year part-time schedule. CSWE accreditation dates to 1999, 27 years of unbroken standing, below the New York median of 44 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$39,458 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Brookville, NY (1999-Present); Brentwood, NY (1999-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.3
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #22
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1983 · On-Campus
6.2
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1983Why it ranks in New York
Based in Saratoga Springs, Skidmore College is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Documented senior placements cluster in the Saratoga region and include outpatient addiction treatment clinics, BOCES alternative education programs, elementary and K-12 school districts, a nursing home, Head Start, a senior center and a shelter serving people experiencing homelessness. School-based interns run individual and group counseling under a supervising social worker. Majors enter graduate programs immediately after graduation at four times the rate of the average Skidmore student. About a quarter receive funded internship awards during their time here, and recently more than 75 percent studied off campus, in Denmark, Thailand, Spain, Italy and England. Published tuition is $63,730 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$63,730 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Saratoga Springs, NY (1983-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #23
Siena University
Loudonville, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1985 · On-Campus
6.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1985Why it ranks in New York
Siena University teaches the BSW in Loudonville, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The program describes its curriculum as advanced generalist and ties it to Siena's Franciscan values and liberal arts tradition. It also leans deliberately on location, using proximity to the state capital and the diversity of the Capital Region as teaching and placement resources. Alumni have built careers at Albany Med, St. Peter's Health Partners, Northern Rivers, Joseph's House and Shelter, St. Anne's Institute, the Albany County Public Defender's Office and the New York State offices of Mental Health, Addiction Services and Supports, and People With Developmental Disabilities. Others work in schools and the military. Published tuition is $42,580 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$42,580 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Loudonville, NY (1985-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #24
Long Island University, Brooklyn
Brooklyn, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1999 · On-Campus
6.1
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1999Why it ranks in New York
Based in Brooklyn, Long Island University, Brooklyn is a private university offering a BSW in New York. Any LIU Brooklyn student can declare the major at any point, but staying in good standing is the harder test: a 2.5 overall GPA, a 3.0 average across social work courses, a grade of B or better in the introductory course, and regular meetings with a social work faculty advisor. The program reports competency results publicly and the numbers come from a small cohort, four students in the 2024-2025 field assessment. Against an 80 percent benchmark, students hit 100 percent on six of the nine competencies and 75 percent on human rights and justice, research, and practice evaluation. CSWE accreditation dates to 1999, 27 years of unbroken standing, below the New York median of 44 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$39,458 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Brooklyn, NY (1999-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.3
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #25
Mercy University
Dobbs Ferry, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1997 · On-Campus
5.6
On-Campus Full-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1997Why it ranks in New York
Mercy University teaches the BSW in Dobbs Ferry, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The 120 credit degree divides into 60 credits of general education, 42 credits of social work and 18 open elective credits, which full-time students finish in four years. Coursework runs at the Bronx and Westchester campuses, and students often pair the major with a psychology or sociology minor. The department states plainly that finishing the BSW alone does not qualify a graduate for licensure, which takes an MSW plus examination and supervised experience under state rules. Many graduates move into master's study at New York City, Westchester and Rockland county schools within a year of finishing. Published tuition is $21,236 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$21,236 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Dobbs Ferry, NY (1979-present); Bronx, NY (1979-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.6
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #26
State University of New York at Fredonia
Fredonia, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 1999 · On-Campus
5.2
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1999Why it ranks in New York
State University of New York at Fredonia teaches the BS in Fredonia, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. The practicum stretches across both semesters of senior year at a community-based human service organization, 16 to 18 hours a week for 450 hours total, supervised by an agency field instructor who is an experienced professional social worker. A weekly seminar runs alongside it so students compare practice across each other's agencies. The major sits in the Department of Sociocultural and Justice Sciences, sharing a home with criminal justice. The program has adopted a formal anti-racism statement committing faculty to examine individual and institutional bias in the program's own policies and practices, not only in the material it teaches. In-state tuition runs $7,070 a year against $17,490 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,070 · Out-of-state $17,490 / year
Locations
Fredonia, NY (1999-present)
Visit the State University of New York at Fredonia BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.3
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #27
Medgar Evers College, City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 2009 · On-Campus
5.0
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2009Why it ranks in New York
Based in Brooklyn, Medgar Evers College, City University of New York is a public university offering a BSW in New York. Practicum is the culminating experience and runs as a two-course sequence, SW 420 in the fall and SW 421 in the spring of the final year. Everyone accepted into field is assigned a placement, unless they have proposed a site of their own on the application. Getting into field is a separate gate with a narrow window, applications open only from late January to late March in the spring before placement. Students need 90 completed credits, a C or better in every social work course including five named prerequisites, and an overall 2.5 GPA that must be held to stay in the program. In-state tuition runs $6,930 a year against $14,880 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,930 · Out-of-state $14,880 / year
Locations
Brooklyn, NY (2009-present)
Visit the Medgar Evers College, City University of New York BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.7
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #28
College of Staten Island
Staten Island, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 2011 · On-Campus
4.9
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2011Why it ranks in New York
College of Staten Island teaches the BSSW in Staten Island, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. Applications for fall entry to the major are due by February 15 of the preceding spring. Ahead of the deadline the department holds virtual drop-in sessions with faculty on Zoom in both afternoon and evening slots, with no registration required. The department names social constructionism as the theory it draws on to guide practice, an unusually specific frame to state at the undergraduate level. Its stated goals put equal weight on producing knowledge and on service that builds capacity in Staten Island and the wider region. In-state tuition runs $6,930 a year against $14,880 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,930 · Out-of-state $14,880 / year
Locations
Staten Island, NY (2011-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #29
Hunter College, City University of New York
New York, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 2014 · On-Campus
4.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 2014Why it ranks in New York
Hunter College, City University of New York teaches the BSW in New York, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. Entry is fall only, for full-time Hunter students at a 2.75 GPA who have passed Introduction to Social Work with a B or better and verified a 32-hour volunteer placement. The application adds two recommendations, a 200 to 500 word statement naming the intended track, and an interview. Life and work experience is not accepted toward the major. The program is built on a collaborative-learning model where an admitted class moves through the sequence together as a cohort. It sits inside the Silberman School in East Harlem, which passed its fifteenth year and runs its own writing center, social justice committee and research work with school faculty. In-state tuition runs $6,930 a year against $14,880 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,930 · Out-of-state $14,880 / year
Locations
New York, NY (2014-present)
Visit the Hunter College, City University of New York BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #30
Binghamton University, State University of New York
Binghamton, NY · CSWE-Accredited since 2019 · On-Campus
4.7
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2019Why it ranks in New York
Binghamton University, State University of New York teaches the BSSW in Binghamton, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in New York. Field instruction and its integration seminars account for 12 of the 52 major credits, running across SW 491 and SW 492 with a pass required in the first before a student can move to the second. The paired seminars, SW 495 and SW 496, must be cleared with a C or better. Students start in the College of Community and Public Affairs as undeclared, apply during the spring of sophomore year, and enter the major that fall as juniors. The application includes group or individual interviews, and prerequisites follow the SUNY Transfer Path: introductory social work, psychology, sociology, human biology and statistics. In-state tuition runs $7,070 a year against $26,160 for nonresidents, below the New York median of $34,529.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,070 · Out-of-state $26,160 / year
Locations
Binghamton, NY (2019-present)
Visit the Binghamton University, State University of New York BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
What Does a BSW Cost in New York in 2026?
New York's two public systems keep the entry price remarkably low. Every one of the five CUNY colleges with a BSW charges the identical in-state rate, $6,930 a year at the senior colleges, and every SUNY four-year campus charges $7,070. Treat both figures as tuition only. SUNY lists mandatory student fees of $1,830 a year as a separate line, and CUNY bills its required fees separately as well, so the real annual bill sits meaningfully above the sticker tuition at both systems.
Out-of-state students face a different calculation. CUNY charges nonresidents $14,880 across its BSW colleges, while SUNY's out-of-state rates vary by campus even though its in-state rate does not, running from $16,980 at Plattsburgh up to $26,860 at Stony Brook. Private tuition climbs another order of magnitude: the most expensive option, Syracuse at $69,180, costs roughly ten times what CUNY charges a New York resident. The clear private outlier is Mercy University at $21,236, priced closer to SUNY's out-of-state rates than to its private peers.
Sticker tuition is also not the number that decides most budgets. All of these figures are published prices before aid, and privates in particular often discount heavily. More importantly, living costs in New York City can exceed the entire tuition bill at a public campus, while upstate towns in Western New York or the North Country cost far less to live in. Compare full cost of attendance, housing included, not tuition alone.
Can You Work as a Social Worker in New York With Just a BSW in 2026?
Start with the plain legal fact: NYSED states that the Education Law does not authorize it to license someone holding a BSW degree. New York has no bachelor's-level social work license of any kind. Some states do issue one, and graduates there can hold an independent credential straight out of a BSW program. In New York, a BSW holder may perform certain social work functions, but only under the supervision of a licensed master's-level or clinical social worker, and may not use a protected professional title.
That is a real constraint, but it is not a dead end. BSW graduates in New York work inside supervised structures in agencies where licensed practitioners direct the work, doing the direct-service tasks the degree trains them for. The supervision requirement shapes where you can work and what your job title says, not whether the degree has value. What it does mean is that your career in this state has a built-in second step, because independence and a protected title only arrive with graduate-level licensure.
The master's degree is therefore the real gate in New York. The LMSW requires a master's degree in social work and a passing score on the ASWB Masters examination, and everything above it builds from there. Choose a BSW program with that trajectory in mind, treating the bachelor's years as preparation for graduate admission rather than as a terminal credential.
Where Do New York BSW Students Complete Field Placements in 2026?
Five CUNY colleges offer the BSW, one in each borough: Hunter in Manhattan, Lehman in the Bronx, York in Jamaica, Queens, Medgar Evers in Brooklyn, and the College of Staten Island. Students in the city train in the shadow of some of the largest public service systems in the country. Child welfare in the five boroughs runs through the Administration for Children's Services. Public benefits flow through the Human Resources Administration, which sits under the Department of Social Services, and New York City Public Schools operates the school system. These are the kinds of settings city students encounter, and their sheer scale shapes what urban practice looks like.
Cross into upstate New York and the picture inverts. A student at SUNY Plattsburgh in the North Country, at Binghamton in the Southern Tier, or at one of the Western and Central New York campuses like Brockport, Fredonia, or Nazareth will more often train in smaller agencies serving wide rural areas. Caseloads there tend to demand generalist range, longer travel, and comfort working where a single agency may be the only provider for miles. Neither environment is better preparation. They are different professions in texture, and your placement region usually previews your first job market.
Whichever region you choose, interrogate the placement network before you enroll. CSWE's 2022 accreditation standards require supervised field education in every accredited program, so the question is never whether you will get a placement but where. Ask each program which agencies host its students, how placements are matched, and how far students typically travel.
Why Do Social Work Salaries in New York Run Above the National Median in 2026?
Two forces work together. First, New York pays above the national median in every social work specialty, from about 8 percent above in healthcare to about 32 percent above in mental health and substance abuse work, where the state median reaches $79,380. Second, the state does not just pay more for this work, it employs unusually large numbers of people to do it: location quotients of 1.79 in behavioral health and 1.75 in healthcare mean New York's concentration of these social workers runs far above the national rate. When a state both concentrates a profession and pays a premium for it, that signals sustained institutional demand rather than a temporary shortage.
Read those numbers with two honest corrections. BLS pools every degree level into one occupation, so bachelor's-level roles cluster toward the bottom of each range, and in child, family, and school work the 10th percentile sits near $48,400. That is the neighborhood where a new BSW graduate typically starts, not the median. Cost of living cuts the other way too, since New York City housing absorbs a large share of any salary premium, while upstate wages stretch further. The long-run backdrop is steady rather than explosive: BLS projects 7 percent national growth for social workers from 2024 to 2034.
From BSW to LMSW in New York: The Advanced Standing Path in 2026
Because New York issues no bachelor's-level license, the BSW's real strategic value here is speed into the MSW, and from there into the LMSW. The LMSW itself is more reachable than many students assume: it requires a master's degree in social work and a passing score on the ASWB Masters examination, with no supervised hours required to obtain the license. One distinction matters. Once licensed, an LMSW may practice clinical social work only under the supervision of an LCSW, licensed psychologist, or psychiatrist, but that is a limit on scope of practice, not a hurdle you must clear before getting licensed.
The LCSW is the longer climb. It requires an MSW with at least 12 semester hours of clinical coursework, the ASWB Clinical examination, and three years of post-graduate supervised clinical experience, including at least 2,000 client contact hours and at least 100 hours of in-person clinical supervision, all completed within six years. Nothing in your BSW counts toward those hours, which is another reason the bachelor's degree functions as a launch pad rather than a destination in this state.
Advanced Standing is where the BSW pays off, but no statewide rule guarantees it: each MSW program sets its own criteria. York College requires a CSWE-accredited BSW completed within the last five years, plus a 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.2 in the social work major. Adelphi's online Advanced Standing MSW accepts graduates of accredited BSW programs from the last five years and runs 31 credits, completable in about 15 months. That five-year recency window recurs at named New York programs, so treat it as a pattern worth checking, and avoid letting your BSW age out before you apply.
The Social Work Industry in New York
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for New York'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, New York's 30 accredited programs are based across 31 cities, including Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, Garden City, Hauppauge, New York, and others, 6 offering an online option. 8 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 New York 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 1.23 in New York, meaning the occupation is 23% more concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 3.1 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In New York, social workers held about 67,900 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 NY | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 30,170 | $65,100 | $72,150 | $48,400 to $100,100 |
| Healthcare social workers | 20,440 | $73,070 | $75,170 | $47,750 to $103,730 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 14,820 | $79,380 | $86,110 | $54,650 to $122,340 |
| Social workers, all other | 2,470 | $84,010 | $84,540 | $58,200 to $112,140 |
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 New York; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in New York
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LMSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW). 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.