Oklahoma has 2 CSWE-accredited MSW programs. The University of Oklahoma Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work, accredited since 1938 under predecessor bodies that merged into CSWE in 1952, holds one of the longest continuous accreditation histories of any graduate social work program in the south-central United States. The Zarrow School operates from its main Norman campus and a Tulsa site, added online delivery in 2018, and offers dual degrees in Public Administration and Public Health alongside an Advanced Generalist concentration. The program's namesake, the Zarrow family, has been among the most significant private supporters of social services and mental health infrastructure in Oklahoma history.
Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, accredited in 2018, is the state's second program and occupies a distinctive geographic and cultural position. Tahlequah is the capital of the Cherokee Nation, the largest federally recognized tribe in the United States, and NSU has historically enrolled one of the highest proportions of Native American students of any university in Oklahoma. The Department of Social Work offers three concentrations, including a Rural Social Work concentration that is directly responsive to the workforce needs of eastern Oklahoma's tribal communities and rural counties. Online delivery was added in 2025.
Oklahoma social work licensing is administered by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers (OBLSW) under the LBSW, LMSW, and LCSW structure. Oklahoma's social work workforce faces notable shortages in rural western Oklahoma, the Cherokee and Creek Nation territories of eastern Oklahoma, and the Choctaw Nation communities in the southeast. Child welfare, behavioral health, and aging services all have documented gaps in licensed practitioners across most of the state outside the two major metro areas.
All 2 CSWE-Accredited MSW Programs in Oklahoma
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. OU accreditation date reflects predecessor accreditation under AASSW before CSWE was established in 1952. NSU online delivery added 2025 per CSWE.
- #1
University of Oklahoma Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work
Norman, OK · On-Campus or Online
8.5
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 1938Why It Ranks Here
The University of Oklahoma Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1938, under predecessor accreditation bodies that merged into CSWE in 1952, giving OU one of the longest continuous accreditation histories of any MSW program in the south-central United States. One concentration is offered: Advanced Generalist, supported by certifications in Public Health and Other. Two dual-degree programs are available, with Public Administration (MPA) and Public Health (MPH). Online delivery was added in 2018. Advanced Standing is available. Multiple cohorts per year and weekend or evening cohort options are offered per the CSWE directory. The program operates from the main Norman campus and a Tulsa site, providing access to both the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and the Tulsa metro, Oklahoma's two largest cities. OU is Oklahoma's flagship public R1 research university. The Zarrow School benefits from the philanthropy and legacy of the Zarrow family, longstanding supporters of Oklahoma social services and mental health infrastructure.
Public (University of Oklahoma, R1 research university). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
View program page → - #2
Northeastern State University Department of Social Work
Tahlequah, OK · On-Campus or Online
5.5
60 credits 900 field hours ? Advanced Standing Accred. since 2018Why It Ranks Here
Northeastern State University's Department of Social Work received CSWE accreditation in 2018 and offers three concentrations: Clinical or Direct Practice, Other, and Rural Social Work. Online delivery was added in 2025. Advanced Standing is available. NSU is a public university in Tahlequah, which is the capital of the Cherokee Nation, the largest federally recognized tribe in the United States. NSU has a historically significant student population of Cherokee Nation citizens and other Native American students, and the Department of Social Work is uniquely positioned to train practitioners for tribally affiliated human services, Indigenous child welfare, and rural social work in eastern Oklahoma. The Rural Social Work concentration is particularly responsive to the workforce needs of the Ozark and Ouachita mountain communities and the rural counties of eastern Oklahoma, where access to licensed social workers is severely limited. The 2018 accreditation date is the primary factor placing NSU second in this ranking.
Public (Northeastern State University). Contact the program for current tuition rates.
View program page →
Job Market for MSW Graduates in Oklahoma
Oklahoma City is the primary social work labor market in Oklahoma. OU Health (the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center health system), SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital, Integris Health (Oklahoma's largest nonprofit health system), and Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City are the primary healthcare employers for clinical and medical social workers in the metro. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS), which administers child welfare, adult protective services, and Medicaid, employs the largest concentration of public-sector social workers in the state and maintains its central office in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) headquarters and its network of community mental health centers across the state are the primary behavioral health employers. The Zarrow Family programs, which operate under the Mental Health Association Oklahoma, reflect the same philanthropic legacy as the OU school and are a significant field placement and employment partner.
Tulsa is Oklahoma's second social work market and a significantly distinct one from Oklahoma City. Saint Francis Health System (the largest private employer in Tulsa), Ascension St. John Medical Center, and Hillcrest HealthCare System anchor the healthcare social work market. The Tulsa Area United Way and a dense network of nonprofit social services organizations serve a metro population with higher rates of poverty concentration, housing instability, and behavioral health need than Oklahoma City. OU's Tulsa site was established to directly serve this market, and the NSU program's online addition in 2025 extends its reach to Tulsa as well.
Rural Oklahoma, particularly eastern Oklahoma in the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, and Chickasaw Nation territories, has among the most acute social work workforce shortages of any region in the south-central United States. Many counties have no licensed clinical social workers in private practice and rely entirely on tribally operated behavioral health programs, community mental health centers, and Indian Health Service facilities. NSU's program in Tahlequah, combined with the new online delivery option, is the primary graduate-level pipeline for practitioners serving these communities.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Oklahoma; Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers.
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 Oklahoma-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.