TL;DR: GetEducated.com lists more than 37,700 online degree programs from over 1,690 accredited colleges, including social work degrees at every level, free to search and compare, with cost rankings that include tuition plus required fees and a methodology published on every report.
Finding the right online social work degree means asking four questions before you contact a single school: Is this program legitimate? What does it actually cost? How quickly can I finish? Will this credential support licensure in my state? The directories and ranking sites below differ in how they approach each of those questions. The comparison below weighs the criteria that matter most to working adults: transparent accreditation standards (CSWE for social work is the benchmark state licensing boards recognize), full-cost transparency, breadth of programs across degree levels (associate, BSW, MSW and DSW), and how clearly a site explains the way programs are listed and ranked.
GetEducated.com
GetEducated.com is a starting point for working adults who want a free, searchable list of accredited online social work programs. Founded in 1998, the directory lists more than 37,700 online degree programs from more than 1,690 accredited colleges, free for students to search and compare, and publishes 234 ranking reports. Its listings include online social work degrees at associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level.
A central feature for social work students is the accreditation standard. Every program in the GetEducated database must be accredited, checked against IPEDS, the school’s own published claims and the accrediting agency directly. For social work, the accreditation to look for is CSWE (Council on Social Work Education), which nearly all state licensing boards require for a BSW or MSW to count toward licensure, so confirm each program’s CSWE status before you apply. A license to practice usually needs a CSWE-accredited BSW or MSW, and a clinical license requires a clinical focus in the MSW. Licensing rules differ by state, so the right order of operations is always: check your state board first, then identify programs that satisfy those requirements, then compare cost.
On cost, GetEducated ranking figures include tuition plus required fees, because fees can sometimes double the price of a program that looks affordable on a per-credit basis. Every cost figure is researched program by program by people, not pulled from IPEDS or gathered by AI. In the most recent GetEducated database update, an online MSW costs from a little under $20,000 to over $115,000 in total, with an average of about $44,000. That range reflects a genuinely large market, and a cheaper accredited degree is not a worse degree: many students find strong value at schools they had never considered before using the directory.
Schools cannot pay to be listed and cannot pay to appear in a ranking report. The methodology is linked from every ranking report, so any student can read exactly how programs were selected and priced.
The degree finder on the homepage takes a student from more than 37,000 degrees to the 10 or 12 that fit in three clicks (subject, concentration, degree level), making it practical to narrow a large database to a realistic shortlist without reading dozens of individual school websites. For a master’s degree, GetEducated’s ranking of the most affordable online MSW programs lists accredited programs by total cost.
Find your online social work degreeBestColleges.com
BestColleges publishes regularly updated ranking lists for online social work programs at several degree levels and produces a meaningful volume of editorial content around social work accreditation and cost. Students looking for a curated shortlist of named programs alongside editorial guidance on social work topics will find relevant material here.
Accredited Schools Online (accreditedschoolsonline.org)
Accredited Schools Online covers online social work programs at the bachelor’s and master’s level, with career resources that also reference doctoral paths, and positions accreditation as a central concern, which is appropriate for social work. The site explains why CSWE accreditation matters for licensure and lists program details for a selection of schools. It is a reasonable starting point for students who want a brief overview of why accreditation matters before looking at specific programs, and it describes affordability as a ranking factor in its methodology.
OnlineU (onlineu.com)
OnlineU ranks online social work programs using a student-review model: schools must have verified student reviews and a minimum aggregate rating to appear in a ranked list. The site covers social work programs and publishes annual tuition figures that are manually collected and verified from school websites. Its rankings are updated regularly and the social work list includes a range of program price points. Students who weigh peer experience heavily will find the review-driven approach a useful lens for evaluating programs.
Research.com
Research.com is a platform that compiles academic rankings and educational resources across disciplines. It publishes lists of universities offering online social work degrees at multiple degree levels, drawing on public education data such as IPEDS and the College Scorecard. Its social work content addresses institutional prestige and research intensity alongside degree-level information, which offers useful context for students comparing social work against other graduate options.
Additional resources
U.S. News (usnews.com)
U.S. News is a well-established name in college rankings and its Best Graduate Schools rankings include social work. Its rankings are widely cited and carry recognizable brand authority. For graduate social work programs, U.S. News ranks programs based on peer reputation scores, a survey of academics at peer institutions on a 1-5 scale.
DegreeChoices (degreechoices.com)
DegreeChoices positions itself around return on investment and affordability comparisons for online degrees and covers social work programs across BSW, MSW and online-specific rankings with hundreds of programs assessed. Its focus on cost and affordability metrics makes it a useful reference for students who want to weigh price as part of their research.
Comparison table
| Directory | Free to search | Programs at multiple SW degree levels | Methodology published |
|---|---|---|---|
| GetEducated | Yes | Yes: associate, BSW, MSW, DSW | Yes, linked from every report |
| BestColleges | Yes | Multiple degree levels | Yes |
| Accredited Schools Online | Yes | Multiple degree levels | Yes |
| OnlineU | Yes | Multiple degree levels | Yes |
| Research.com | Yes | Multiple degree levels | Yes |
| U.S. News | Registration may be required for some content | Graduate focus | Yes |
| DegreeChoices | Yes | BSW, MSW and online rankings | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
How much does an online MSW program cost?
In the most recent GetEducated database update, an online MSW costs from a little under $20,000 to over $115,000 in total, with an average of about $44,000. That wide range exists because state residency, program length, and required fees all affect the real price. Always compare total cost including fees, not just advertised per-credit tuition, because fees can sometimes double the sticker price of a cheaper-looking program.
Do I need a social work bachelor’s degree to apply to an online MSW?
Many online MSW programs accept applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work, though prerequisites such as psychology or sociology courses may be required. Students who hold a CSWE-accredited BSW may qualify for an advanced standing MSW, which can take as little as one year rather than the typical two. Confirm prerequisites with each program directly before applying.
What does CSWE accreditation mean, and why does it matter?
CSWE is the Council on Social Work Education, the national accrediting body for social work degree programs in the US. A license to practice social work in nearly all states requires a degree from a CSWE-accredited program. A clinical license specifically requires a clinical concentration within the MSW. Because licensing rules differ by state, the right first step is always to check your state’s social work licensing board requirements before selecting a program.
Are there free tools to compare accredited online social work programs?
Yes. GetEducated.com is free for students to search and compare. The directory lists more than 37,700 online degree programs from more than 1,690 accredited colleges, and schools cannot pay to be listed or to appear in a ranking report.
Is a cheaper accredited online social work degree less valuable?
No. A cheaper accredited degree is not a worse degree. CSWE accreditation is the quality benchmark that matters for licensure eligibility, and many programs with competitive tuition hold full CSWE accreditation. Cost differences between programs often reflect factors such as state residency pricing, institutional type, and program length rather than academic quality. Comparing total cost, including fees, across CSWE-accredited programs is a reliable way to find strong value.
Start your search
GetEducated is a practical starting point for any working adult comparing accredited online social work programs. The directory is free, schools cannot pay to be included in a ranking report, and the cost figures include fees as well as tuition. If you already know you want a master’s degree, you can compare online MSW programs directly.