North Carolina has 23 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Western Carolina University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 8 of the 23 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 3 are hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 4 at a Carnegie R2 (high research) university.
Each program below is scored on the same five-factor model used in our national ranking, so the order reflects accreditation longevity, delivery and schedule flexibility, program breadth, and the institution's Carnegie research tier, all applied identically nationwide.
North Carolina BSW programs at a glance
23
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Western Carolina University, accredited since
8
Offer an online option
7
At an R1 or R2 research university
North Carolina's 23 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2011, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Appalachian State University at 7.9 out of 10, a Carnegie R2 research university. The newest, Fayetteville State University, earned accreditation in 2011. Among the North Carolina programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $1,000 to $43,816 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in North Carolina earns a median of $59,610 a year, about the same as the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 23 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in North Carolina
Every one of these BSW programs in North Carolina 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
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1987 · Online or On-Campus
7.9
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 3 campuses + online Accred. since 1987Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Boone, Appalachian State University is a public university offering a BSW in North Carolina. SW 3000 Service Learning sends students into a human service agency for at least 15 hours during the semester to apply the skills taught in class. Admission to the professional sequence takes a separate application with a personal statement, a 2.5 overall and social work GPA, and a C or better in every foundation course. Undergraduates do a block placement in the final semester of senior year, after every other course is finished, totalling 400 required hours. Applications go to the Practicum Director by February 1 for a fall placement or June 1 for a spring one. In-state tuition runs $4,242 a year against $21,238 for nonresidents, in line with the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,242 · Out-of-state $21,238 / year
Locations
Boone, NC (1987-present); Hickory, NC (1987-present); Morganton, NC (1987-present); Online (2023-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.2
- Delivery (22%) 9.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #2
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
7.8
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a public university offering a BSW in North Carolina. The 120 credit degree splits into 42 hours of liberal studies, 67 hours of required social work courses and 11 hours of general electives. Only grades of C or higher satisfy major requirements, and a social work course may be retaken for grade replacement only once. Electives reach into school social work, addiction and practice with older adults. Students enter as Pre-Social Work majors and can apply to the major only after 35 credit hours and after taking, or enrolling in, Introduction to Social Work, Social Policy and Interviewing. A 2.8 GPA is required each semester, and admission is selective, so declaring the pre-major does not guarantee a seat. CSWE approved the online option in 2026, the most recent online approval among the 8 online programs on this list.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $1,000 · Out-of-state $5,000 / year
Locations
Cullowhee, NC (1974-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%) 3.0
- #3
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.8
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Raleigh, North Carolina State University is a public university offering a BSW in North Carolina. The practice sequence moves from individuals to families and groups to organizations and communities, built on foundation courses in social welfare development, research methods, policy analysis and advocacy, human behavior and multicultural social work. At least 34 credits, including all three practice courses and the practicum, must be earned at NC State. The elective list is unusually specific: Social Work in Schools, African American Families: History, Tradition and Community, Child Welfare, Addiction Recovery, Direct Practice with Older Adults, The Legal Aspects of Social Work, Hunger and Homelessness, and an International Learning Experience. The school also runs a Child Welfare Education Collaborative. In-state tuition runs $6,535 a year against $29,407 for nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,535 · Out-of-state $29,407 / year
Locations
Raleigh, NC (1974-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 6.0
- #4
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1992 · Online or On-Campus
7.5
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1992Why it ranks in North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Charlotte teaches the BSW in Charlotte, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. Practicum fills the fall and spring semesters of senior year, with the application due the semester before. Students state the populations and practice areas that interest them but do not choose the site, and they are barred from contacting agencies or instructors directly, since the Practicum Office initiates every placement and arranges the interview. Upper division is competitive, with applications open December 15 to July 15, a March 1 priority date, rolling decisions and no waitlist. Beyond a 2.5 GPA, 60 credits and prerequisites passed at C or better, applicants submit a resume and a three to five page APA-formatted essay that must include a plan for fitting a 16-hour-a-week internship into their life. In-state tuition runs $3,812 a year against $18,474 for nonresidents, below the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $3,812 · Out-of-state $18,474 / year
Locations
Charlotte, NC (1992-present); Online (2025-present)
Visit the University of North Carolina at Charlotte BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.4
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #5
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in North Carolina
East Carolina University teaches the BSW in Greenville, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. The social work tier core runs 57 semester hours including two social work electives, layered on 40 hours of general education and a 15-hour social and behavioral science cognate. Coursework covers human behavior and diversity, practice from individuals out to organizations, assessment, social policy and research, taught largely through experiential methods. Students can add candidacy for school social work licensure by taking three additional courses and completing a one-semester internship in a public school setting, and a gerontology minor is available alongside the major. The program runs on campus and face to face only, with no online option. CSWE accreditation dates to 1974, 52 years of unbroken standing, above the North Carolina median of 38 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,452 · Out-of-state $20,729 / year
Locations
Greenville, NC (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
- #6
Meredith College
Raleigh, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Raleigh, Meredith College is a private university offering a BSW in North Carolina. Declaring the major is only the first step. Students apply formally once they have six to twelve credits of social work coursework, including SWK 100 and one of the two human behavior courses passed with a C or better, then sit for an interview with the social work faculty. The program has held its accreditation continuously since 1975, one of the older baccalaureate programs in North Carolina. Social work sits inside a combined Department of Psychology and Social Work rather than standing alone. Published tuition is $43,816 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$43,816 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Raleigh, NC (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
Mars Hill University
Mars Hill, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in North Carolina
Mars Hill University teaches the BSW in Mars Hill, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. The department singles out its use of two internships, rather than a single senior placement, as the structural feature that sets the major apart. Coursework covers practice with individuals, families, groups, communities and organizations across those two experiences. The program has been continuously accredited since 1976 and publishes its assessment of student learning outcomes every term, not annually. Reports run back to spring 2013, giving prospective students more than a decade of competency data to read. Published tuition is $37,270 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$37,270 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Mars Hill, NC (1976-present); Online (2025-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #8
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1987 · Online or On-Campus
7.1
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 1987Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Pembroke, University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a public university offering a BSW in North Carolina. In practicum, students work under a licensed social worker and often carry a caseload of their own, moving across micro, mezzo and macro systems. The department orients the work toward rural problems in southeastern North Carolina and hosts an annual Southeastern Social Work Conference on the Pembroke campus. Through the North Carolina Child Welfare Education Collaborative, students complete the state-mandated Department of Social Services pre-service training while still enrolled, which lets them start work the moment a county agency hires them. It requires a 400-hour practicum inside an NC DSS office and a C or better in SWK 3830 Child Welfare Services. In-state tuition runs $1,000 a year against $5,000 for nonresidents, below the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $1,000 · Out-of-state $5,000 / year
Locations
Pembroke, NC (1987-present); Online (2025-Present)
Visit the University of North Carolina at Pembroke BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.2
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
North Carolina A&T State University
Greensboro, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in North Carolina
North Carolina A&T State University teaches the BSW in Greensboro, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. Juniors apply for field during a designated January window, needing 75 completed credits including all field prerequisites and a 2.6 GPA. The process runs through an orientation, an agency fair, shadowing a current intern, an interview with the field director and a second interview at the assigned site. A Global Exchange option lets first-semester seniors complete the first half of the two-semester internship abroad while taking other required courses overseas, tied to the Office of International Programs' Global Studies Certificate. Several internships sit with agencies serving immigrant and refugee communities, and volunteer hours are built into required classes. CSWE accreditation dates to 1974, 52 years of unbroken standing, above the North Carolina median of 38 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $3,540 · Out-of-state $17,200 / year
Locations
Greensboro, NC (1974-present)
Visit the North Carolina A&T State University BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Greensboro teaches the BSW in Greensboro, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. The degree runs 120 hours with 41 of them in the major, grounded in liberal arts for two years before the professional curriculum takes over. Students clear two community-based volunteer placements before their final year, and while social work can be declared as a major early, admission to the program itself happens in the junior year. Seniors can spend a semester in Denmark, Belgium or Spain through the Global Work with Immigrant Kids Project, which combines intensive language instruction, a 15-week field internship and a web-based course. The exchange is built specifically around practice with immigrant and refugee children and families. CSWE accreditation dates to 1974, 52 years of unbroken standing, above the North Carolina median of 38 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,422 · Out-of-state $20,168 / year
Locations
Greensboro, NC (1974-present)
Visit the University of North Carolina at Greensboro BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
Methodist University
Fayetteville, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1996 · Online or On-Campus
7.0
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online 2 certificates Accred. since 1996Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Fayetteville, Methodist University is a private university offering a BSW in North Carolina. The degree runs both on campus and fully online, with the online version built at 124 credit hours in eight-week terms, accepting up to 93 transfer credits and finishing in about 3.5 years. Online tuition is $445 per credit, dropping to $250 for active duty, Reserve and National Guard students. The senior practicum requires a minimum of 400 hours plus a weekly seminar, and students stay at the agency the full semester even after the hour count is met. Interns carry an actual case load under a field instructor, keep weekly logs and process recordings, and design a research project fitted to the agency. Published tuition is $38,936 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$38,936 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Fayetteville, NC (1996-present); Online (2022-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.8
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 7.0
- #12
Barton College
Wilson, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1994 · Online or On-Campus
6.9
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1994Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Wilson, Barton College is a private university offering a BSW in North Carolina. The degree runs 120 credit hours and is offered both in person and online. Classes are small, and many students pair the major with a minor in psychology, criminal justice, public health or nonprofit leadership. Field is a single 400 hour placement in the spring of the senior year. Students have gone to county Departments of Social Services, North Carolina public schools, domestic violence shelters, the state Department of Corrections, hospice organizations, assisted living facilities and public health departments. Published tuition is $35,600 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$35,600 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Wilson, NC (1994-present); Online (2022-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.1
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #13
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Wilmington, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1996 · Online or On-Campus
6.7
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1996Why it ranks in North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Wilmington teaches the BSW in Wilmington, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. A weekly integrative, strengths-based seminar runs alongside the senior placement, with content built around what students are hitting in their agencies plus a set of written and oral assignments. The field office keeps separate coordinators for the BSW, MSW and HS2SW tracks. Students declare as pre-social work majors first, then apply once they have 45 credit hours, a 2.5 GPA and 13 hours of collateral coursework in human biology with a lab, sociology, psychology and American national government. Current students apply by March 1 and incoming transfers by April 30, with late applications taken on space through July. CSWE accreditation dates to 1996, 30 years of unbroken standing, below the North Carolina median of 38 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,443 · Out-of-state $20,111 / year
Locations
Wilmington, NC (1996-present); Online (2023-present); Jacksonville, NC (1996-2024)
Visit the University of North Carolina at Wilmington BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.8
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #14
Livingstone College
Salisbury, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Salisbury, Livingstone College is a private university offering a BSW in North Carolina. Seniors register for SWK 460 Field Instruction and Seminar, which carries a $50 field instruction fee and requires students to arrange their own transportation to and from the placement site before the course starts. Students must also buy a student liability insurance policy from the National Association of Social Workers. Students apply twice, once to the college and again to the social work department under a separate set of requirements laid out in the department student handbook. After admission to the department, majors must keep a 2.0 GPA. Published tuition is $15,917 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$15,917 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Salisbury, NC (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
- #15
Warren Wilson College
Asheville, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1978 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1978Why it ranks in North Carolina
Warren Wilson College teaches the BSW in Asheville, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. Named practice courses carry the major. Advocacy from the Ground Up sends students to Social Work Advocacy Day at the North Carolina General Assembly in Raleigh, and Principles and Skills of Being a Change Partner puts them into local Hurricane Helene recovery, rebuilding homes in a riverside mobile home park and cooking meals for community distribution. Capstone research is applied and specific, one recent project testing whether a Spanish language self-esteem curriculum improved bilingual students' engagement through surveys before and after delivery at a Denver school. Graduates have continued at Columbia, UNC Chapel Hill, Penn and Berkeley, and into work at Mission Hospital's emergency department and the Family Justice Center. Published tuition is $39,300 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$39,300 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Asheville, NC (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
- #16
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 2001 · Online or On-Campus
6.4
Online or On-Campus Full-time 3 campuses + online 1 certificate Accred. since 2001Why it ranks in North Carolina
Elizabeth City State University teaches the BSW in Elizabeth City, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. The BSW runs in two versions, a face to face option on campus and a fully online option, both housed in the Department of Protective and Human Studies. Coursework applies a person in environment lens to how social, economic and environmental conditions shape life in rural and developing communities. Students can stack the major with a fully online Substance Use and Addiction Certificate that maps to the Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor credential in North Carolina, or with a gerontology minor covering aging and services for older adults. Both credentials extend the program's stated focus on underserved rural populations. CSWE approved the online option in 2026, the most recent online approval among the 8 online programs on this list.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $1,000 · Out-of-state $5,000 / year
Locations
Elizabeth City, NC (2001-present); Roanoke-Chowan Community College/Ahoskie, NC (2017-present); Halifax Community College/Weldon, NC (2017-present); Online (2026-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.0
- Delivery (22%) 9.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #17
Bennett College
Greensboro, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1988 · On-Campus
6.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1988Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Greensboro, Bennett College is a private university offering a BSW in North Carolina. Published tuition is $16,640 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452. Students can add an embedded certificate in Child Welfare. The university is a United Methodist institution. The Board on Accreditation last reaffirmed the program in October 2019 and set the next review for June 2028.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$16,640 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Greensboro, NC (1988-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #18
Campbell University
Buies Creek, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1992 · On-Campus
5.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1992Why it ranks in North Carolina
Campbell University teaches the BSW in Buies Creek, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. The major stacks twelve social work courses covering practice methods, human behavior, research and social welfare systems on top of three required courses from other departments, Human Diversity in sociology plus Psychology of Human Relations and Abnormal Psychology. A C or better in every social work course is required to stay in the major. The final year is built around a 400 hour agency practicum internship paired with a three hour practicum seminar each week. Students need a 2.25 cumulative GPA and all prior required coursework finished before they can enroll in the two practicum courses. Published tuition is $37,750 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$37,750 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Buies Creek, NC (1992-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #19
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 1998 · On-Campus
5.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1998Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Durham, North Carolina Central University is a public university offering a BSW in North Carolina. Social work classes cap at 25 students and seminars at 18, and every social work course carries at least one group project per semester. Advising sits with University College until a student reaches 55 credits, after which the department takes over. Applications open September 1 through 30 for fall and February 1 through 28 for spring. Candidates need one semester of NCCU grades, a 2.5 overall GPA and a combined 2.5 in SOCW 2500 and SOCW 3410, plus a personal narrative, essay and recommendations in a packet built to resemble a graduate application. CSWE accreditation dates to 1998, 28 years of unbroken standing, below the North Carolina median of 38 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $3,728 · Out-of-state $16,764 / year
Locations
Durham, NC (1998-present)
Visit the North Carolina Central University BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #20
Johnson C. Smith University
Charlotte, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 2001 · On-Campus
5.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2001Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Charlotte, Johnson C. Smith University is a private university offering a BSW in North Carolina. The department has pushed undergraduates into federal policy work, sending a BSW student to help draft language for the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act and placing students as congressional interns with the Congressional Research Institute of Social Work and Policy. It also hosts a seminar on professional opportunities for Black men in social work. About 60 percent of majors continue to a master's in social work, and graduates have been admitted to Washington University in St. Louis, Michigan, Maryland and Case Western Reserve. Others work at the Mecklenburg and Cabarrus county social services departments and at agencies such as Florence Crittenton and A Child's Place. Published tuition is $18,450 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$18,450 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Charlotte, NC (2001-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #21
Shaw University
Raleigh, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 2005 · On-Campus
4.8
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2005Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Raleigh, Shaw University is a private university offering a BSW in North Carolina. The internship is concentrated in the final semester, with the director of field education pairing each student with an experienced social worker who supervises the placement. Volunteer opportunities in the surrounding community are available well before that final term. The Evelyn Lane Sanders Social Work Program builds on the university's history as the birthplace of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and students take that up directly through work on voting rights, justice issues and community advocacy while they are enrolled. Published tuition is $12,408 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$12,408 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Raleigh, NC (2005-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #22
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 2008 · On-Campus
4.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2008Why it ranks in North Carolina
Winston-Salem State University teaches the BSW in Winston-Salem, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in North Carolina. Required coursework includes Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Race and Culture, Sociology of the Family and Social Welfare Policy. Every major takes the same classes and completes the same fieldwork, so there are no tracks or concentrations to pick between. The department grew out of a sociology and social welfare program that had run for more than 30 years, enrolled its first social work majors in fall 2007 and earned initial accreditation in June 2012. It moved into the School of Health Sciences in 2018 and now carries over 100 students in the major. CSWE accreditation dates to 2008, 18 years of unbroken standing, below the North Carolina median of 38 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $3,401 · Out-of-state $14,057 / year
Locations
Winston-Salem, NC (2008-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #23
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC · CSWE-Accredited since 2011 · On-Campus
4.4
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2011Why it ranks in North Carolina
Based in Fayetteville, Fayetteville State University is a public university offering a BSW in North Carolina. Practicum is a block placement rather than a course-long day or two per week, with all 400 hours packed into the final semester of the senior year while students take the practicum seminar concurrently. Placements are tracked through the InPlace portal, and the school runs a formal channel for reporting concerns about a site. Students enter as pre social work majors and apply formally only after 63 semester hours, submitting two recommendation letters from non relatives, a 2 to 3 page statement on why they want to become a social worker, and a signed code of ethical behavior. A 2.5 cumulative GPA and a C or better in all courses are required. In-state tuition runs $1,000 a year against $5,000 for nonresidents, below the North Carolina median of $4,452.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $1,000 · Out-of-state $5,000 / year
Locations
Fayetteville, NC (2011-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in North Carolina
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for North Carolina'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, North Carolina's 23 accredited programs are based across 21 cities, including Boone, Hickory, Morganton, Cullowhee, Raleigh, Charlotte, and others, 8 offering an online option. 7 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 North Carolina 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 1.04 in North Carolina, meaning the occupation is about as concentrated as the national average. The state supports roughly 2.6 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In North Carolina, social workers held about 23,490 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 NC | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 13,010 | $59,610 | $59,660 | $42,870 to $76,950 |
| Healthcare social workers | 5,120 | $63,280 | $64,720 | $40,650 to $85,070 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 3,690 | $58,210 | $59,880 | $38,970 to $79,720 |
| Social workers, all other | 1,670 | $63,490 | $74,680 | $44,440 to $116,230 |
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 North Carolina; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in North Carolina
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSW | Certified Social Worker | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (CMSW, CSWM), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW, LCSWA). 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.