Washington has 7 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Eastern Washington University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. None of the 7 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.
All 7 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Washington
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 Washington
Tacoma, WA · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
8.4
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 2 campuses 2 certificates Accred. since 1975Why it ranks here
University of Washington has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Tacoma, WA; Seattle, WA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 2 embedded certificates (Gerontology, Other) and 3 dual-degree options. Its home institution holds a Carnegie R1 classification for very high research activity.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $13,406 · Out-of-state $44,460 / year
2026-27 tuition · washington.edu
Locations
Tacoma, WA (2002-present); Seattle, WA (1975-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%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #2
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.5
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks here
Pacific Lutheran University has held CSWE accreditation since 1975, 51 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Tacoma, WA). 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
Tacoma, WA (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%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 6.0
- #3
Eastern Washington University
Cheney, WA · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 3 certificates Accred. since 1974Why it ranks here
Eastern Washington University has held CSWE accreditation since 1974, 52 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Cheney, WA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study. It records 3 embedded certificates (Developmental Disabilities, Other, Administration or Management).
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Cheney, WA (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%) 9.0
- #4
Walla Walla University
College Place, WA · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
6.5
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1979Why it ranks here
Walla Walla University has held CSWE accreditation since 1979, 47 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (College Place, WA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
College Place, WA (1979-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #5
Heritage University
Toppenish, WA · CSWE-Accredited since 1997 · On-Campus
6.0
On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses Accred. since 1997Why it ranks here
Heritage University has held CSWE accreditation since 1997, 29 years of standing as of 2026. The program is offered on 2 approved campuses (Toppenish, WA; Pasco/Tri-Cities, WA). Students can enroll full-time or part-time.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Toppenish, WA (1997-present); Pasco/Tri-Cities, WA (1997-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.6
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6
Seattle University
Seattle, WA · CSWE-Accredited since 2002 · On-Campus
5.0
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2002Why it ranks here
Seattle University has held CSWE accreditation since 2002, 24 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Seattle, WA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Seattle, WA (2002-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA · CSWE-Accredited since 2013 · On-Campus
4.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2013Why it ranks here
Saint Martin's University has held CSWE accreditation since 2013, 13 years of standing as of 2026. The program is delivered on campus (Lacey, WA). The program runs on a full-time plan of study.
Annual tuition (not factored)
Not available. See the program website for current tuition.
Locations
Lacey, WA (2013-present)
Program data sourced from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
The Social Work Industry in Washington
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Washington'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, Washington's 7 accredited programs are based across 7 cities, including Tacoma, Seattle, Cheney, College Place, Toppenish, Pasco/Tri-Cities, and others, 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 Washington 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 Washington, social workers held about 20,180 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 WA | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 10,720 | $74,480 |
| Healthcare social workers | 5,180 | $78,570 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 3,490 | $70,460 |
| Social workers, all other | 790 | $102,520 |
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 Washington; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Washington
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 (LASW, LSWAA), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LICSW, LSWAIC). 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.