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. 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.
All 14 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Virginia
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
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 here
Virginia Commonwealth University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Richmond, VA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time. Its home institution holds a Carnegie R1 classification for very high research activity.
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)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
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
Radford University
Radford, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1976Why it ranks here
Radford University has held CSWE accreditation since 1976, 50 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Radford, VA; Roanoke, VA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Radford, VA (1976-present); Roanoke, VA (1976-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #3
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
George Mason University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Fairfax, VA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Fairfax, VA (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%) 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 here
Virginia Union University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Richmond, VA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Richmond, VA (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%) 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 here
Ferrum College has held CSWE accreditation since 1977, 49 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Ferrum, VA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Ferrum, VA (1977-Present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
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
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
6.9
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1975Why it ranks here
Virginia State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Petersburg, VA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 1 embedded certificate (Military).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Petersburg, VA (2010-present; 1975-2001)
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%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #7
Longwood University
Farmville, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
6.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Longwood University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Farmville, VA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Farmville, VA (1974-present); Martinsville, VA (1974-2022)
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%) 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 here
Norfolk State University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Norfolk, VA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Norfolk, VA (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%) 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 here
Eastern Mennonite University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Harrisonburg, VA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Harrisonburg, VA (1975-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%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #10
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
6.6
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks here
James Madison University has held CSWE accreditation since 1977, 49 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Harrisonburg, VA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Harrisonburg, VA (1977-Present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #11
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 here
Christopher Newport University has held CSWE accreditation since 1982, 44 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Newport News, VA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Newport News, VA (1982-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #12
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 here
Mary Baldwin University has held CSWE accreditation since 2009, 17 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Staunton, VA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Staunton, VA (2009-present); Online (2018-present); Richmond, VA (2009-22024); Roanoke, VA (2009-2024); South Boston, VA (2009-2024)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.7
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #13
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 here
Liberty University has held CSWE accreditation since 2015, 11 years of standing as of 2026. The Bachelor of Science in Social Work is offered both online and on campus (Lynchburg, Virgina). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Lynchburg, Virgina, (2015-Present); Online (2016-Present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.8
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #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 here
Batten University has held CSWE accreditation since 2011, 15 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Virginia Beach, VA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Virginia Beach, VA (2011-Present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
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, Radford, Roanoke, Fairfax, Ferrum, Petersburg, and others, 3 offering an online option. 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 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.
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. State median annual wages by specialty:
| Occupation | Employed in VA | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 9,410 | $61,330 |
| Healthcare social workers | 3,070 | $66,550 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 3,670 | $64,240 |
| Social workers, all other | 860 | $92,930 |
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 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.