Florida · BSW programs by city
Best BSW Programs near St. Petersburg, FL (2026)
Published · Last updated
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
St. Petersburg, Florida (population 263,553) has no BSW campus within city limits , with 3 more accredited programs within about 60 miles. 4 Florida programs also offer an online option. Every program below is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the requirement for baccalaureate social work education and for Advanced Standing admission to an MSW.
Studying for a BSW in St. Petersburg, FL
St. Petersburg offers BSW students a distinctive setting across the bay from Tampa, in Pinellas County, the most densely populated county in Florida and one with a notably large older-adult population. That demographic shapes much of the city’s social-service work, with a strong emphasis on aging, healthcare, and behavioral health.
St. Petersburg does not have a CSWE-accredited BSW program within the city itself, but several programs sit a short drive away in the Tampa Bay area, and online options let residents study from home. Placements and entry-level jobs span hospitals, behavioral-health agencies, county schools, and a large network of aging and disability services.
Because the city is part of the Tampa Bay region, St. Petersburg students often train and work alongside the wider metro’s hospitals, agencies, and nonprofits.
Best BSW programs in St. Petersburg, FL
No CSWE-accredited BSW program currently lists a campus inside St. Petersburg, FL. See the nearby and online options below.
Best BSW programs near St. Petersburg, FL
Accredited programs whose nearest campus is within about 60 miles of St. Petersburg, FL, ranked by our five-factor model. Each card shows the campus city and straight-line distance from the city center.
- #1 Tampa · ~17 mi
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL, FL · CSWE-accredited since 1976 · Online or On-Campus
8.3
Online option Full-time 1 certificate Carnegie R1Why it ranks here
University of South Florida has held CSWE accreditation since 1976, 50 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Tampa, FL). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 1 embedded certificate (Child Welfare). Its home institution holds a Carnegie R1 classification for very high research activity.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 10.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 6.0
- Program breadth (11%) 5.0
- #2 Tampa · ~17 mi
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo, FL, FL · CSWE-accredited since 1983 · On-Campus
6.9
On-campus Full-timeWhy it ranks here
Saint Leo University has held CSWE accreditation since 1983, 43 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 4 approved campuses (Saint Leo, FL; Spring Hill, FL; East Pasco Education Center; and more). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 8.9
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 6.0
- Program breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3 Lakeland · ~47 mi
Southeastern University
Lakeland, FL, FL · CSWE-accredited since 2003 · On-Campus
5.8
On-campus Full or part-time 1 certificateWhy it ranks here
Southeastern University has held CSWE accreditation since 2003, 23 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Lakeland, FL). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. It records 1 embedded certificate (Child Welfare) and 1 dual-degree option.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 5.7
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 6.5
Online BSW programs available in St. Petersburg, FL
Florida-based CSWE-accredited programs with an online option, which St. Petersburg, FL residents can complete from home. See the full online BSW ranking for national options.
| Institution | Accredited | Format | Natl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Florida | 1974 | Online or On-Campus | #5 |
| University of South Florida | 1976 | Online or On-Campus | #36 |
| Florida Memorial University | 2004 | Online or On-Campus | #348 |
| Warner University | 2010 | Online or On-Campus | #457 |
What can you earn with a BSW in St. Petersburg, FL in 2026?
St. Petersburg, Florida sits within the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area, the labor market that sets pay and demand for its social-service workforce. Across the social-work specialties, the area employs roughly 5,370 social workers , and child, family, and school social workers, the most common BSW-level specialty, earn a $58,540 median. Figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program (May 2025).
| Occupation | Employed | Median wage | Typical range (10th–90th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family & school social workers | 2,160 | $58,540 | $42,530 – $79,670 |
| Social & human service assistants (entry-level) | 3,840 | $45,000 | $34,210 – $59,970 |
| Healthcare social workers | 1,500 | $64,790 | $48,480 – $82,470 |
| Mental health & substance abuse social workers | 930 | $52,730 | $36,500 – $78,210 |
| Social workers, all other | 780 | $68,310 | $47,280 – $113,170 |
| Social & community service managers (macro) | 1,280 | $77,560 | $50,600 – $136,620 |
How local pay compares
Child, family & school social workers around St. Petersburg, FL earn a median of $58,540 versus $56,550 statewide in Florida and $59,550 nationally. That is at or above the Florida median.
Where do social workers work in St. Petersburg, FL in 2026?
St. Petersburg sits across the bay from Tampa in Pinellas County, the most densely populated county in Florida, with a notably large older-adult population that shapes its social-service work. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, based in the city, anchors pediatric social work, while BayCare Health System adds medical and behavioral-health roles across the county.
Community behavioral health is delivered by organizations such as Directions for Living and Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services (PEMHS), and Pinellas County Schools and Pinellas County Human Services anchor school and safety-net roles. Because Pinellas has one of the state’s highest shares of residents over 65, aging, hospice, and disability services are an especially large field for BSW graduates here.
St. Petersburg, Florida sits in Pinellas County. Representative organizations in and around the city that commonly employ social workers and BSW-level human-service staff include:
- Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
- Directions for Living and Personal Enrichment through Mental Health Services (PEMHS)
- BayCare Health System
- Pinellas County Schools
- Pinellas County Human Services
- Aging, hospice, and disability-services providers across Pinellas County
Representative local employers known to operate in the area; illustrative, not an exhaustive or BLS-sourced list.
Nationally, BLS projects social worker employment to grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations, driven by demand in healthcare and mental-health settings. Social and human service assistant roles, a common BSW entry point, are projected to grow alongside them. See pay by role in our salary guides.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) for Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL; employment projections from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Wages are annual medians for all workers in each occupation; BLS does not break pay out by degree, and BSW-level roles typically fall toward the lower end of each range.
Who do social workers serve in St. Petersburg, FL?
St. Petersburg social workers serve a population with one of Florida’s highest shares of residents over 65, so aging, hospice, and disability services are central fields. Older adults navigating health changes, caregiving, and end-of-life needs make up a large part of the caseload.
Beyond aging services, the city has significant need around behavioral health, housing, and pediatric care, anchored by Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and community providers. Pinellas County’s density means services are relatively accessible compared with more spread-out parts of the state.
What are the social work field placements and experience in St. Petersburg, FL?
With CSWE’s 400-hour field requirement, St. Petersburg-area students train across Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, BayCare, Directions for Living, PEMHS, Pinellas County Schools, and the county’s many aging and disability-services providers.
Because no BSW program sits inside the city, students typically enroll at a Tampa Bay-area or online program and complete placements locally. Aging- and hospice-focused field sites are especially abundant here and often lead into first jobs.
Can I work in micro social work in St. Petersburg, FL?
Micro social work, direct practice with individuals and families, is the heart of St. Petersburg’s BSW job market, with a strong aging-services focus. Micro roles include case management for older adults, hospice and palliative support, hospital and pediatric case management, and benefits and resource navigation, and the county’s aging-services providers and hospitals hire steadily for this one-on-one work.
A BSW is the standard qualification for these non-clinical micro roles. Clinical micro practice, meaning therapy and diagnosis, requires a master’s and an LCSW in Florida, so BSW-level work in St. Petersburg centers on support, coordination, and connecting older adults and families to care.
Can I work in aging and older-adult services with a BSW in St. Petersburg, FL?
Yes, and St. Petersburg is one of the best places in Florida to do it. Pinellas County has one of the state’s largest concentrations of older adults, so aging-services organizations, hospice and palliative programs, hospitals, and area agencies on aging all hire social workers and case managers for older-adult care.
A BSW qualifies you for case-management, care-coordination, and family-support roles in this field, helping older adults and their caregivers navigate health, housing, and benefits. It is a growing area nationally as the population ages, and St. Petersburg offers unusually deep experience in it.
Can I earn a BSW online while living in St. Petersburg, FL?
Yes, and for St. Petersburg residents it is a practical option, since the city has no CSWE-accredited BSW program of its own. Several Florida programs, including the nearby University of South Florida and others statewide, offer online or hybrid BSW options that residents can complete from home.
Online CSWE-accredited programs carry the same accreditation as on-campus ones and still require at least 400 hours of in-person field education, which is arranged locally, often at the Tampa Bay-area hospitals, aging-services providers, and agencies where many graduates later work.
Can I get a Social Work license with a BSW in St. Petersburg, Florida?
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 (CMSW), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW, RCSW-I). A CSWE-accredited BSW also qualifies graduates for Advanced Standing admission to a master's program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CSWE-accredited BSW programs are in St. Petersburg, FL?
How much do social workers earn in St. Petersburg, FL?
Can I earn a BSW online from St. Petersburg, FL?
Does Florida license social workers at the bachelor level?
BSW programs in other Florida cities
Sources
- CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs for program accreditation, campuses, and structure.
- U.S. Census Bureau 2023 Gazetteer (city coordinates) and Population Estimates Program (population).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2025) for metro wages; ASWB regulatory database for Florida license requirements.
Published 2026-06-29; last updated 2026-07-24. "Near" means a program campus within 60 straight-line miles of the city center.