South Dakota has 3 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is University of South Dakota, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. None of the 3 record an online option, all are campus-based. 1 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.
South Dakota BSW programs at a glance
3
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, University of South Dakota, accredited since
0
Offer an online option
1
At an R1 or R2 research university
South Dakota's 3 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2006, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is University of South Dakota at 7.8 out of 10, a Carnegie R2 research university. The newest, Oglala Lakota College, earned accreditation in 2006. A child, family, and school social worker in South Dakota earns a median of $51,100 a year, 14% below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 3 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in South Dakota
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
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.8
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
University of South Dakota has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Vermillion, SD). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 embedded certificate (Child Welfare). Its home institution holds a Carnegie R2 classification for high research activity.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Vermillion, SD (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%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #2
University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, SD · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.5
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
University of Sioux Falls has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Sioux Falls, SD). 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
Sioux Falls, SD (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%) 6.0
- #3
Oglala Lakota College
Pine Ridge, SD · CSWE-Accredited since 2006 · On-Campus
5.2
On-Campus Full-time 3 campuses Accred. since 2006Why it ranks here
Oglala Lakota College has held CSWE accreditation since 2006, 20 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 3 approved campuses (Pine Ridge, SD; Kyle, SD; Rapid City, SD). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Pine Ridge, SD (2006-present); Kyle, SD (2006-present); Rapid City, SD (2006-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.2
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in South Dakota
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for South Dakota'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, South Dakota's 3 accredited programs are based across 5 cities, including Vermillion, Sioux Falls, Pine Ridge, Kyle, Rapid City, all campus-based. 1 is 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 South Dakota social-service economy.
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 South Dakota, social workers held about 3,200 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 SD | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 2,050 | $51,100 |
| Healthcare social workers | 790 | $57,510 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 230 | $48,920 |
| Social workers, all other | 130 | $93,760 |
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 South Dakota; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in South Dakota
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
South Dakota 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 | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (CSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (CSW-PIP). 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.