Virginia has 14 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is George Mason University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 3 of the 14 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 2 are hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 2 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.
Virginia BSW programs at a glance
14
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, George Mason University, accredited since
3
Offer an online option
4
At an R1 or R2 research university
Virginia's 14 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2015, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Virginia Commonwealth University at 8.6 out of 10, a Carnegie R1 research university. The newest, Liberty University, earned accreditation in 2015. Among the Virginia programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $5,540 to $41,410 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Virginia earns a median of $61,330 a year, 3% above the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 14 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Virginia
Every one of these BSW programs in Virginia 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
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA · 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 Virginia
Based in Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university offering a BSW in Virginia. The degree runs 120 credits across 40 courses, with foundational coursework in the first two years and 300- and 400-level professional practice courses in public policy, human behavior, research and social work practice once students reach junior standing. Part-time study is available but lengthens the four-year timeline. The Child Welfare Stipend Program, run with the Virginia Department of Social Services, pays $10,000 per academic year to seniors who commit to twelve months at a local department of social services in foster care, adoption or family preservation for each year funded. Students can also graduate with honors by defending an independent senior research project before three faculty. In-state tuition runs $17,240 a year against $40,404 for nonresidents, above the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $17,240 · Out-of-state $40,404 / year
2025-26 tuition & fees · vcu.edu
Locations
Richmond, VA (1975-present); Online (2022-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
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.9
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Virginia
Based in Fairfax, George Mason University is a public university offering a BSW in Virginia. The senior practicum runs 450 supervised hours in agencies the department approves. Students file a practicum planning survey once admitted to the major and then meet with the practicum office to work out a site, and the department states plainly that it will make reasonable efforts but does not guarantee a placement. Declaring social work does not put a student in the program. The application to major goes in at the start of the junior spring semester against a January 15 deadline and takes 45 credit hours, a 2.50 cumulative GPA, and a C or better in three social work courses plus two more from a set of four. In-state tuition runs $10,095 a year against $34,259 for nonresidents, in line with the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $10,095 · Out-of-state $34,259 / year
Locations
Fairfax, VA (1974-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
Radford University
Radford, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Virginia
Radford University teaches the BSW in Radford, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. Teaching is grounded in the rural, small city context of Appalachia and southwestern Virginia, which the school treats as its starting point for understanding difference rather than as a limitation. Cultural humility is integrated across the coursework, with the school pushing a global perspective alongside the regional one. The bachelor's degree carries full accreditation through 2030, which means it meets the educational requirements for social work licensure in other states, though several states attach conditions beyond the degree itself. Social work at Radford is one of the older offerings in the Waldron College, running more than 25 years. In-state tuition runs $8,401 a year against $20,853 for nonresidents, below the Virginia median of $10,095. It operates more approved teaching sites than any of the BSW programs in Virginia.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,401 · Out-of-state $20,853 / year
Locations
Radford, VA (1976-present); Roanoke, VA (1976-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4
Virginia Union University
Richmond, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Virginia
Virginia Union University teaches the BSW in Richmond, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. Students declare an intended major on arrival but must be formally admitted before enrolling in upper-division social work courses, usually applying in the spring of sophomore year. Requirements include a 2.4 cumulative GPA, a C or better in the introductory and communication courses and in English 101 and 102, 45 completed credits, and the community service hours required each semester. The department describes itself as the only Bachelor of Social Work offered at an independent, faith-based HBCU in Virginia. Three student organizations, including a campus affiliate of the Association of Black Social Workers, are run by social work students, and a three-credit Leadership Seminar exists to train students to lead them. Published tuition is $10,530 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$10,530 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Richmond, VA (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
- #5
Ferrum College
Ferrum, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Virginia
Ferrum College teaches the BSW in Ferrum, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. Practice is built as a three course sequence that ends with a social justice course pairing macro practice theory with the stages of social welfare policymaking. The research course goes beyond design into writing grant funding proposals, and the major draws supporting coursework from political science, psychology and business administration. The social work degree has held its CSWE accreditation since 1977. It is taught by a two person social work faculty, and the program coordinator is a Ferrum graduate who returned to teach, which is part of how the department describes itself as small and student centered. Published tuition is $37,400 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$37,400 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Ferrum, VA (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
- #6
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.0
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Virginia
Based in Harrisonburg, James Madison University is a public university offering a BSW in Virginia. The practicum lands entirely in the final semester, 472 hours of direct practice at a community agency under a designated field instructor. Students prepare the semester before through Professional Forum I, then take Professional Forum II as a capstone while placed, meeting in small seminar groups with a faculty member. You can declare the major at any point, but the catalog requires applying the semester immediately after finishing Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare. Eligible students receive a Canvas invitation to complete the packet, and the department holds an articulation agreement with Blue Ridge Community College. In-state tuition runs $7,914 a year against $25,128 for nonresidents, below the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,914 · Out-of-state $25,128 / year
Locations
Harrisonburg, VA (1977-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Longwood University
Farmville, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Virginia
Based in Farmville, Longwood University is a public university offering a BSW in Virginia. Placement runs on its own paperwork track, with one application for social work field placements, a second for senior field education, and a risk management and health insurance form. The department also publishes an eligibility requirements and essential functions document alongside the program application. Admission comes at the end of the sophomore year: an application due the Friday before spring break, two professional references with one from a Longwood social work professor, and 55 earned credits including ENGL 165, SOWK 201, SOCL 105, MATH 171 and BIOL 101. The 2.30 cumulative GPA required is the same threshold used to enter field instruction. In-state tuition runs $8,660 a year against $20,870 for nonresidents, below the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,660 · Out-of-state $20,870 / year
Locations
Farmville, VA (1974-present); Martinsville, VA (1974-2022)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #8
Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Virginia
Norfolk State University teaches the BSW in Norfolk, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. Students apply to the professional program after finishing two years of core and pre-social work requirements, with a 2.0 cumulative GPA and completion of or enrollment in the ENG 299 writing competency exam. Staying in the professional phase requires a 2.5 average across social work courses and a C or better in each one. The degree sits in the Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work, where students can join the Whitney Young Social Work Society, the Alpha Delta Mu honor society or an honors track in social work. Faculty specialties run to child protection, gerontology, veterans, school social work and forensic social work. In-state tuition runs $5,926 a year against $17,428 for nonresidents, below the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $5,926 · Out-of-state $17,428 / year
Locations
Norfolk, VA (1974-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
Eastern Mennonite University
Harrisonburg, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Virginia
Based in Harrisonburg, Eastern Mennonite University is a private university offering a BSW in Virginia. The practice sequence runs across three required courses that step from micro to meso to macro work. Students can widen it with classes drawn from EMU's peacebuilding offerings, including globalization and justice, immigration issues and theories of social change, along with Spanish language and culture. The department reports that 98 percent of job-seeking graduates were employed within a year, with most practicing professionally inside four months. Employers it names include the Valley Community Services Board, Harrisonburg City Schools, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Virginia Organizing and Mennonite Central Committee. Published tuition is $41,410 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$41,410 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Harrisonburg, VA (1975-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
Christopher Newport University
Newport News, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
6.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in Virginia
Christopher Newport University teaches the BSW in Newport News, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. Seniors complete 448 hours of field work across fall and spring, placed by the Field Instruction Coordinator and supervised by an agency field instructor. Sites include Eastern State Hospital, the Hampton VA Medical Center, Newport News and Hampton public schools, Denbigh House for survivors of traumatic brain injury, and the juvenile and domestic relations court. Entry to the major runs through a formal application filed during the sophomore year, with a 2.5 overall GPA required. Freshmen and sophomores can take SOWK 201 and SOWK 210 early, but most social work coursework waits until the junior and senior years, after the biology and math requirements. CSWE accreditation dates to 1982, 44 years of unbroken standing, below the Virginia median of 50 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $10,001 · Out-of-state $24,238 / year
Locations
Newport News, VA (1982-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
Mary Baldwin University
Staunton, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 2009 · Online or On-Campus
5.7
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2009Why it ranks in Virginia
Mary Baldwin University teaches the BSW in Staunton, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. The degree runs in person or online, and online students still complete five hybrid courses that mix synchronous and asynchronous sessions rather than working entirely on their own schedule. Up to 84 credits can transfer in toward the 120 required. A Medical Social Work emphasis adds health care policy, politics and law, medical terminology and a choice among public health issues, aging or an anthropology course, aimed at hospital roles on interdisciplinary teams. The Susan Warfield Caples program was first accredited in 2009 and reaccredited in 2017. Published tuition is $32,732 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Virginia median of $10,095.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,732 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Staunton, VA (2009-present); Online (2018-present); Richmond, VA (2009-22024); Roanoke, VA (2009-2024); South Boston, VA (2009-2024)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.7
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #12
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virgina · CSWE-Accredited since 2015 · Online or On-Campus
5.3
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2015Why it ranks in Virginia
Based in Lynchburg, Liberty University is a private university offering a BSW in Virginia. The degree runs 120 hours with 63 in the major and another 21 in foundational courses like human biology, cultural anthropology and intercultural communication. Alongside the practice sequence, students take Chemical Dependency, Health of the Social Worker and Social Work in Mental Health. Two cognates are available, Child & Family and Healthcare, Aging & Medical Social Work. The BSSW is offered both residentially and online, and students may transfer in up to 75 percent of the degree total. Liberty publishes state-by-state licensure disclosures because some states license bachelor-level practice and others do not. CSWE accreditation dates to 2015, 11 years of unbroken standing, below the Virginia median of 50 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$15,015 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Lynchburg, Virgina, (2015-Present); Online (2016-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.8
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #13
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 2010 · On-Campus
5.1
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 2010Why it ranks in Virginia
Virginia State University teaches the BSW in Petersburg, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. Full-time BSW students can apply to the Child Welfare Stipend Program, a Virginia Department of Social Services partnership shared with four other public universities, for $10,000 per academic year. Recipients take a child welfare policy elective and a child welfare practice elective and owe twelve months at a local department of social services for each year funded. The department also runs a web-based undergraduate certificate in Homefront Readjustment for the Armed Forces, built and taught by faculty who are Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and practicing licensed clinicians. It is described as the only military cultural competency certification in Virginia offered through a CSWE-accredited program. In-state tuition runs $5,540 a year against $17,038 for nonresidents, below the Virginia median of $10,095. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Virginia.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $5,540 · Out-of-state $17,038 / year
Locations
Petersburg, VA (2010-present; 1975-2001)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #14
Batten University
Virginia Beach, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 2011 · On-Campus
4.9
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2011Why it ranks in Virginia
Batten University teaches the BSW in Virginia Beach, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Virginia. Applications to the major can go in as early as the spring of sophomore year. Students must hold a 2.5 GPA both overall and in the major and finish every required course with a C or better before the internship, and a Level II honor code violation means immediate removal from the program. The electives run narrower than the core, covering death and grief, aging as portrayed in film and television, human sexuality and the pharmacology of drugs of abuse. Women on the Brink includes a one-week residential stay in an urban homeless shelter, and Homeless in America runs immersion experiences in Hampton Roads. CSWE accreditation dates to 2011, 15 years of unbroken standing, below the Virginia median of 50 years.
Locations
Virginia Beach, VA (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
The Social Work Industry in Virginia
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Virginia'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, Virginia's 14 accredited programs are based across 13 cities, including Richmond, Fairfax, Radford, Roanoke, Ferrum, Harrisonburg, and others, 3 offering an online option. 4 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 Virginia 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 0.91 in Virginia, meaning the occupation is 9% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 2.3 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Virginia, social workers held about 17,010 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 VA | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 9,410 | $61,330 | $66,500 | $45,060 to $95,360 |
| Healthcare social workers | 3,070 | $66,550 | $69,390 | $47,530 to $91,060 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 3,670 | $64,240 | $72,020 | $48,530 to $102,480 |
| Social workers, all other | 860 | $92,930 | $88,840 | $48,460 to $120,790 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages cover all workers in each occupation; BLS does not break wages out by degree, and BSW-level roles typically fall toward the lower end of each range. 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 Virginia; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Virginia
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LBSW | Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
| ASW(provisional) | Associate Social Worker | No ASWB exam required | Yes |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LMSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW, Select One). 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.