Louisiana has 5 CSWE-accredited MSW programs anchored by Tulane University School of Social Work, which has held continuous accreditation since 1927 under predecessor bodies that merged into CSWE in 1952, giving Tulane one of the longest accreditation histories of any graduate social work program in the United States. Tulane offers a Clinical or Direct Practice concentration alongside dual degrees with Law and Public Health, and is consistently recognized among the top-ranked schools of social work nationally. Louisiana State University's School of Social Work in Baton Rouge, accredited since 1940, is the state's flagship public program and offers an Advanced Generalist concentration with dual degrees in Law and Public Health, online delivery since 2015, and direct proximity to the state's central social services agencies.
Louisiana is notable for having two HBCU-based CSWE-accredited MSW programs. Southern University at New Orleans, accredited since 1985, offers three concentrations covering Children, Youth, and Families; Healthcare; and Mental Health, with a Child Welfare certification and online delivery added in 2025. It serves one of the most socially complex urban environments in the country. Grambling State University, accredited since 1998, is the only CSWE-accredited MSW program serving north Louisiana, covering communities in the Shreveport-Bossier City corridor, Monroe, and rural north Louisiana parishes where social work workforce shortages are acute. Grambling is also the only Louisiana program without online delivery, operating solely from its campus in Grambling.
Louisiana social work licensing is administered by the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners (LABSWE) and follows the LBSW, LMSW, and LCSW structure. Louisiana additionally recognizes the LCSW-BACS (Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board Approved Clinical Supervisor), an advanced supervisory credential uncommon among U.S. states. Louisiana's high poverty rate, consistently among the top three states nationally, high rates of child maltreatment, and significant behavioral health challenges across both urban and rural parishes create strong structural demand for MSW-level practitioners across all five programs' geographic service areas.
All 5 CSWE-Accredited MSW Programs in Louisiana
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. Tulane and LSU accreditation dates reflect predecessor accreditation under AASSW before CSWE was established in 1952. Grambling State University has no online option per CSWE directory. SUNO online delivery added 2025 per CSWE.
- #1
Tulane University School of Social Work
New Orleans, LA · On-Campus or Online
9.2
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1927Why It Ranks Here
Tulane University School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1927, under predecessor accreditation bodies that merged into CSWE in 1952, giving Tulane one of the longest continuous accreditation histories of any MSW program in the United States and the longest in Louisiana by 13 years. One concentration is offered: Clinical or Direct Practice. Three dual-degree programs are available, with Law (JD), Public Health (MPH), and Other, a combination that positions graduates for clinical, public health, and interdisciplinary practice roles. Online delivery was added in 2018. Advanced Standing is available. Multiple cohorts per year are offered per the CSWE directory, providing more flexible entry points than most Louisiana programs. Tulane is a private R1 research university in New Orleans and is consistently recognized among the top-ranked graduate schools of social work nationally. Tulane's New Orleans location provides access to one of the most complex social work environments in the country, shaped by high poverty rates, post-Hurricane Katrina rebuilding, and the city's distinctive healthcare, child welfare, and community development infrastructure.
Private (Tulane University, R1 research university). Contact the program for current tuition rates.
View program page → - #2
Louisiana State University School of Social Work
Baton Rouge, LA · On-Campus or Online
7.8
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1940Why It Ranks Here
Louisiana State University's School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1940, the second-longest continuous accreditation history in Louisiana, reflecting predecessor accreditation under the American Association of Schools of Social Work. LSU began graduate social work education in 1910, with the degree designated as a Master of Arts until 1947 when the MSW degree was formally established. One concentration is offered: Advanced Generalist, preparing graduates for versatile practice across Louisiana's diverse social services sectors. Dual-degree programs are available with Law (JD) and Public Health (MPH). Online delivery was added in 2015. Advanced Standing is available. Multiple cohorts per year are offered. LSU is Louisiana's flagship public R1 research university in Baton Rouge, the state capital. The program's Baton Rouge location provides access to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services central office, the Office of Behavioral Health, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and the state's primary legislative and regulatory social services infrastructure.
Public (Louisiana State University and A&M College, R1 flagship research university). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #3
Southern University at New Orleans School of Social Work
New Orleans, LA · On-Campus or Online
6.8
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1985Why It Ranks Here
Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1985 and is one of two HBCU-based MSW programs in Louisiana. Three concentrations are offered: Children, Youth, and Families; Healthcare; and Mental Health, covering the primary practice domains relevant to New Orleans's social work labor market. A Child Welfare certification is available. Online delivery was added in 2025. Advanced Standing is available. SUNO is a public HBCU in New Orleans and part of the Southern University System. As an HBCU, SUNO plays a distinct role in training social workers from Black and underrepresented communities for practice in New Orleans's neighborhoods, where historical and structural inequities continue to shape demand for culturally competent social work services. The concentration in Children, Youth, and Families is particularly relevant to the high rates of child poverty in New Orleans and across Louisiana.
Public (Southern University at New Orleans, HBCU). Contact the program for current tuition rates.
View program page → - #4
Grambling State University School of Social Work
Grambling, LA · On-Campus
5.5
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1998Why It Ranks Here
Grambling State University's School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1998; a prior accreditation period of 1989 to 1996 is also noted in the CSWE directory. One concentration is offered: Clinical or Direct Practice. No online option is currently listed in the CSWE directory, making Grambling the only Louisiana program operating solely from a physical campus. Advanced Standing is available. Grambling is a public HBCU in north Louisiana and the only CSWE-accredited MSW program serving the northern half of the state, covering communities in the Shreveport-Bossier City corridor, Monroe, and rural north Louisiana parishes where social work workforce shortages are acute. The Clinical concentration prepares graduates for licensure and practice in a region where access to licensed behavioral health services is significantly limited relative to population need.
Public (Grambling State University, HBCU). Contact the program for current tuition rates.
View program page → - #5
Louisiana Christian University Department of Social Work
Pineville, LA · On-Campus or Online
5.0
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2017Why It Ranks Here
Louisiana Christian University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2017 and offers three concentrations: Advanced Generalist, Healthcare, and Mental Health. A Behavioral Health certification is available. Online delivery was added in 2023. Advanced Standing is available. LCU (formerly Louisiana College) is a private Baptist-affiliated university in Pineville in central Louisiana, adjacent to Alexandria. The social work program does not mandate a theological curriculum and graduates are fully prepared for secular licensure and employment. LCU's central Louisiana location serves a region where social work workforce shortages are significant in both healthcare and child welfare settings. The 2017 accreditation date is the primary factor placing LCU fifth in this ranking.
Private (Louisiana Christian University, Baptist-affiliated). Contact the program for current tuition rates.
View program page →
Job Market for MSW Graduates in Louisiana
New Orleans is Louisiana's largest social work labor market and one of the most structurally complex in the South. Ochsner Health System, the largest nonprofit health system in Louisiana, and LCMC Health operate multiple hospitals and outpatient facilities across the metro and are primary employers of healthcare and medical social workers. LSU Health New Orleans, Tulane Medical Center, and Children's Hospital New Orleans anchor the academic medical and pediatric social work market. The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Region 3 office and the Metropolitan Human Services District, which administers behavioral health services across Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes, employ the largest concentrations of public-sector social workers in the city. Post-Hurricane Katrina recovery and the ongoing work of community development and housing organizations continue to sustain demand for macro and community social work practitioners.
Baton Rouge, the state capital, is the second major Louisiana social work market. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (OLOL), Baton Rouge General Medical Center, and the Baton Rouge-area facilities of Ochsner and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System are the primary healthcare employers for clinical and medical social workers. The Louisiana DCFS headquarters, the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH), the Department of Corrections, and the Governor's Office of Elderly Affairs are all based in Baton Rouge, generating substantial public-sector MSW employment across child welfare, adult services, behavioral health, and corrections policy. LSU's School of Social Work, located on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge, maintains deep practicum relationships with these agencies.
North Louisiana, anchored by Shreveport-Bossier City, is the third major market and the service area most dependent on Grambling State University's pipeline. LSU Health Shreveport (a major academic medical center), Willis-Knighton Health (the largest private health system in north Louisiana), and the Caddo and Bossier parish human services and child welfare systems employ the majority of MSW practitioners in the region. Rural north Louisiana parishes, including Claiborne, Lincoln, Union, Morehouse, and others adjacent to Grambling's campus, have among the most acute social work workforce shortages in the state, with limited access to licensed clinical social workers in private practice and reliance on community mental health centers that struggle to recruit MSW-level staff.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Louisiana; Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners.
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 Louisiana-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.