Colorado has 6 CSWE-accredited MSW programs anchored by the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, ranked 12th nationally by U.S. News and World Report and the only nationally ranked program in the state. DU has maintained CSWE accreditation since 1933, the longest continuous accreditation of any Colorado MSW program, and offers a dual-degree portfolio that includes International Affairs, a pairing uncommon among MSW programs nationally that reflects DU's broader international studies strength. DU also serves rural western Colorado communities directly through campus sites in Durango and Glenwood Springs, an unusual commitment for a nationally ranked private school.
Colorado State University in Fort Collins, the state's flagship public MSW program, offers an Advanced Generalist concentration alongside dual degrees in Public Health and Psychology, the latter an uncommon combination applicable to integrated behavioral health and research roles. MSU Denver serves the Denver metro at an accessible public tuition and occupies the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver, shared with CU Denver and the Community College of Denver. Two newer programs, UCCS (accredited 2020) and CSU-Pueblo (accredited 2019), serve the southern Front Range, with UCCS's Trauma concentration particularly aligned to Colorado Springs' substantial military population. Colorado Mesa University, accredited in 2023, is the newest program and the first MSW program based on Colorado's Western Slope.
Colorado social work licensing follows the standard three-tier LBSW, LMSW, LCSW structure with a slight variation: the LCSW requires 3,360 post-graduate supervised clinical hours over a minimum of 24 months, a somewhat higher hour requirement than many neighboring states. The LMSW is the entry-level master's license, earned upon passing the ASWB Master's examination following MSW completion. Licensing is administered by the Colorado Division of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).
All 6 CSWE-Accredited MSW Programs in Colorado
Scored on the same seven-factor model used in the national ranking. All data sourced from the CSWE accreditation directory and official program pages (.edu). Accreditation years are Initial Accreditation Dates from the CSWE directory. DU national ranking (#12) confirmed from socialwork.du.edu, May 2026. DU concentrations listed in CSWE as "Other"; program website lists named concentrations. CSU-Pueblo online delivery launched 2026 per CSWE directory. Colorado Mesa University accreditation date: 2023.
- #1 National #12
University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work
Denver, CO · On-Campus or Online
9.2
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1933Why It Ranks Here
The University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work is ranked 12th nationally by U.S. News and World Report, the highest-ranked MSW program in Colorado and among the top 15 nationally. CSWE accreditation dates to 1933, the longest continuous accreditation history of any Colorado program. The GSSW offers concentrations spanning clinical, community, and policy practice, including tracks oriented to Latinx mental health and integrated health care, the latter an increasingly prominent practice area in Colorado's evolving healthcare landscape. The dual-degree portfolio is among the most distinctive in the Mountain West: joint degrees are available with Business Administration (MBA), International Affairs, Law (JD), Public Health (MPH), and Theology or Divinity, with the International Affairs dual degree being rare among MSW programs nationally. The GSSW operates from its Denver campus, two rural Colorado sites in Durango and Glenwood Springs, and an online platform, providing unusual geographic reach for a nationally ranked private school. The Durango and Glenwood Springs sites serve western Colorado communities with otherwise limited access to graduate social work education. Advanced Standing is available. DU is a private R1 research university in Denver's University Park neighborhood.
Private (University of Denver, R1 research university). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
View program page → - #2
Colorado State University School of Social Work
Fort Collins, CO · On-Campus or Online
7.5
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1987Why It Ranks Here
Colorado State University's School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1987 and offers an Advanced Generalist concentration preparing graduates for practice across direct service, policy, and community systems. Two dual-degree programs are available: Public Health (MPH) and Psychology, with the MSW-Psychology dual degree being unusual nationally and useful for graduates pursuing research careers or integrated behavioral health positions. Online delivery has been available since 2018. Advanced Standing is available. CSU is a public R1 land-grant university in Fort Collins, 65 miles north of Denver in the northern Front Range corridor. The program benefits from proximity to the Denver metro social work labor market as well as the distinct social service needs of Larimer and Weld counties, including agricultural and rural communities, Latino farmworker populations, and military-connected communities near F.E. Warren Air Force Base in neighboring Wyoming.
Public (Colorado State University, R1 research university). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #3
Metropolitan State University of Denver Department of Social Work
Denver, CO · On-Campus or Online
6.5
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2011Why It Ranks Here
Metropolitan State University of Denver's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2011 and offers an Advanced Generalist concentration designed for generalist practice in MSU Denver's urban community. Online delivery has been available since 2018. Advanced Standing is available. MSU Denver is a public four-year university with an access-focused mission serving a high proportion of first-generation students, students of color, and working adults in the Denver metropolitan area. The program's location on the Auraria Campus, shared with the University of Colorado Denver and Community College of Denver in downtown Denver, provides direct access to Colorado's largest social services labor market. Tuition at MSU Denver is among the lowest of any Denver-area MSW program, reflecting the university's access and affordability mission.
Public (Metropolitan State University of Denver). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #4
University of Colorado Colorado Springs School of Public Affairs, Social Work Program
Colorado Springs, CO · On-Campus or Online
5.8
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2020Why It Ranks Here
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs Social Work Program received CSWE accreditation in 2020 and offers a Trauma concentration, one of the few programs nationally to offer a dedicated Trauma specialization at the master's level. The Trauma concentration is particularly aligned with Colorado Springs' large military population, including Fort Carson (one of the largest Army installations in the country), Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and the U.S. Air Force Academy, all in or adjacent to Colorado Springs, generating sustained demand for trauma-informed clinical social workers serving veterans, active-duty service members, and military families. Online delivery is available alongside the Colorado Springs campus option. Advanced Standing is available. UCCS is a public research university and part of the University of Colorado system.
Public (University of Colorado Colorado Springs). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #5
Colorado State University-Pueblo Department of Social Work
Pueblo, CO · On-Campus or Online
5.6
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2019Why It Ranks Here
Colorado State University-Pueblo's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2019 and offers an Advanced Generalist concentration from campuses in Pueblo and Colorado Springs, with online delivery launched in 2026. Advanced Standing is available. CSU-Pueblo is a public regional university in Pueblo, a historically industrial city in southern Colorado with persistent social work workforce needs in child welfare, behavioral health, and aging services across Pueblo County and the surrounding Arkansas Valley communities. The program's Pueblo base and southern Colorado reach, combined with the newer Colorado Springs and online delivery options, position it as the primary accredited MSW provider for the southern Front Range corridor. The 2019 accreditation date accounts for the lower state ranking relative to the older programs.
Public (Colorado State University-Pueblo). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #6
Colorado Mesa University Social Work Program
Grand Junction, CO · On-Campus
5.2
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2023Why It Ranks Here
Colorado Mesa University's Social Work Program received CSWE accreditation in 2023, the most recent of any Colorado MSW program. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. CMU is a public university in Grand Junction in Mesa County on Colorado's Western Slope, the largest city in western Colorado. Before CMU's MSW program launched, western Colorado communities had no on-campus CSWE-accredited MSW program closer than DU's Durango or Glenwood Springs sites. The new program addresses documented social worker shortages in rural and frontier communities across Mesa, Delta, Montrose, and surrounding counties, where child welfare caseloads and behavioral health needs have historically outpaced the available licensed social work workforce. The 2023 accreditation date is the primary driver of its placement at the bottom of the state ranking.
Public (Colorado Mesa University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page →
Job Market for MSW Graduates in Colorado
Denver is Colorado's dominant social work labor market and one of the fastest-growing in the Mountain West. UCHealth, the University of Colorado's academic health system, is the largest healthcare employer in Colorado and employs clinical and medical social workers across University of Colorado Hospital, Children's Hospital Colorado, and its regional affiliate network. SCL Health (now CommonSpirit Health) and HealthOne (an HCA affiliate) employ additional healthcare social workers across the Denver metro. Denver Health, the city's safety-net hospital system, employs medical and behavioral health social workers serving a high proportion of uninsured and Medicaid patients. The Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) is the primary state-level public sector employer, administering child welfare, behavioral health, adult protective services, and county social services through 64 county departments.
Colorado Springs is the second major social work market and has distinctive characteristics driven by its military presence. Fort Carson, one of the largest Army posts in the United States, generates substantial demand for military social workers, veteran services practitioners, and family services social workers. Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and the U.S. Air Force Academy contribute to a military-connected population that creates ongoing demand for trauma-informed and military-specialized MSW practitioners. UCHealth Memorial Hospital and Centura Health's Penrose-St. Francis Medical Center are the primary healthcare employers for clinical social workers in Colorado Springs.
Rural Colorado faces persistent social work workforce shortages. The Western Slope, San Luis Valley, and Eastern Plains all have documented gaps in licensed social workers for child welfare, behavioral health, and aging services. The San Luis Valley, one of the poorest regions in Colorado, has particularly acute workforce needs. DU's rural campus sites in Durango and Glenwood Springs and CSU-Pueblo's southern Front Range focus help address workforce pipelines in underserved regions. Colorado Mesa University's new Grand Junction program directly addresses the Western Slope gap.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Colorado; Colorado DORA, Social Work Licensing.
How We Ranked These Programs
Each program is scored on the same seven-factor model used in the national ranking. The state ranking uses identical criteria and weights. No Colorado-specific adjustments are made. Programs are ordered by composite score. For the full methodology, see our ranking methodology page.
- CSWE Accreditation (25%): Active accreditation status and continuous accreditation history.
- Program Leadership (15%): Faculty credentials, research output, and peer-assessment scores.
- Pathways (15%): Concentration variety, Advanced Standing availability, and dual-degree options.
- Delivery Format (15%): Online, hybrid, and in-person availability; start-term flexibility.
- Employer Signal (15%): Field placement hours required, practicum site depth, and documented placement infrastructure.
- Cost & Affordability (10%): Published tuition per credit or per year, in-state vs. out-of-state differential.
- Reputation (5%): U.S. News peer-assessment scores and institutional recognition.