Vermont 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 Vermont, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1977. None of the 3 record an online option, all are campus-based. 1 is hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very 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.
Vermont BSW programs at a glance
3
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1977
Oldest, University of Vermont, accredited since
0
Offer an online option
1
At an R1 or R2 research university
Vermont's 3 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1977 to 2009, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Vermont State University at 7.6 out of 10. The newest, Champlain College, earned accreditation in 2009. Among the Vermont programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $9,984 to $45,100 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Vermont earns a median of $67,340 a year, 13% above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 3 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Vermont
Every one of these BSW programs in Vermont 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
Vermont State University
Castleton, VT · CSWE-Accredited since 1981 · On-Campus
7.6
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus 5 certificates Accred. since 1981Why it ranks in Vermont
Vermont State University teaches the BSW in Castleton, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Vermont. The program runs an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio and caps junior and senior courses at 15 students to keep seminars discussion-based. Students can also join Pi Gamma Mu, the social sciences honor society, through the program's chapter. The program's most recent assessment, covering 2024-2025, reported 100 percent of students meeting the 3.0 benchmark on all nine CSWE competencies against an 80 percent target. The department notes many graduates are hired by their senior field placement site before or shortly after graduation. In-state tuition runs $9,984 a year against $19,992 for nonresidents, below the Vermont median of $16,280.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $9,984 · Out-of-state $19,992 / year
Locations
Castleton, VT (1981-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.2
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #2
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Vermont
University of Vermont teaches the BSW in Burlington, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Vermont. The 120 credit on-campus major moves students through a cohort during the junior and senior years, so the social work sequence is taken alongside the same group of peers. Classroom work leans on case studies, role play and presentations, and service learning ties coursework to community-based settings. The senior year practicum runs 15 to 20 hours a week across two semesters for 450 total hours, in settings that include schools, medical centers, mental health centers, government agencies and community organizations. A weekly campus seminar meets alongside the placement so students compare what they are seeing. In-state tuition runs $16,280 a year against $41,280 for nonresidents, in line with the Vermont median of $16,280.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $16,280 · Out-of-state $41,280 / year
Locations
Burlington, VT (1977-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Champlain College
Burlington, VT · CSWE-Accredited since 2009 · On-Campus
4.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2009Why it ranks in Vermont
Champlain College teaches the BSW in Burlington, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Vermont. The Upside-Down Curriculum puts students into social work courses in the first semester rather than after two years of general education. Requirements are grouped into organizations and systems, advocacy, and the essential skills of helping professionals, running from Introduction to Community Care Systems through Policy for Social Change, Research for Impact and a two-part practice skills sequence. Community engagement starts in the spring of the first year at family service agencies, after-school programs, the YMCA, justice programs and the public library. Two six-credit placements, Field Experience I and II, follow under approved field instructors and a faculty liaison, with a weekly campus seminar attached to the first. Graduates leave with more than 400 hours. Published tuition is $45,100 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Vermont median of $16,280.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$45,100 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Burlington, VT (2009-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.7
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Vermont
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Vermont'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, Vermont's 3 accredited programs are based across 2 cities, including Castleton, Burlington, 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 Vermont 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.
Child, family, and school social workers, the most common BSW-level specialty, have a location quotient of 0.84 in Vermont, meaning the occupation is 16% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 2.1 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Vermont, social workers held about 1,320 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 VT | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 640 | $67,340 | $66,970 | $47,270 to $84,140 |
| Healthcare social workers | 250 | $81,140 | $82,720 | $61,760 to $102,820 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 320 | $73,210 | $76,580 | $61,510 to $100,140 |
| Social workers, all other | 110 | $73,070 | $77,860 | $46,170 to $113,760 |
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. 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 Vermont; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Vermont
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 (LICSW). 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.