Arizona has 3 CSWE-accredited MSW programs, with Arizona State University dominant by every measure: oldest accreditation (1965), broadest concentration menu (five), most dual-degree options (three, including Law and Public Administration), longest online delivery history (since 2015), and the most geographically distributed campus network in the state (Phoenix, Tucson, Glendale, and Yuma). ASU's Social Policy concentration is particularly notable as a standalone MSW specialization, preparing graduates for work in policy analysis, advocacy organizations, legislative social work, and government social policy roles, an area of practice that is rarely organized as a formal MSW concentration.
Northern Arizona University, accredited in 2018, serves a distinctive geographic and demographic context: Flagstaff's position at the edge of the Navajo Nation and in proximity to the Hopi Tribe, White Mountain Apache, and other northern Arizona nations gives NAU's social work program an unusual opportunity and responsibility to train social workers for Indigenous community service, Indian Health Service, and tribal social services roles. The program's Advanced Generalist concentration, available both on-campus and online, serves students across northern Arizona's rural, frontier, and tribal communities. Grand Canyon University, the newest program (accredited 2019), offers both Phoenix campus and online delivery with an Advanced Generalist concentration and a Christian-affiliated institutional context.
Arizona social work licensing is administered by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners (AZBBHE). The LBSW, LMSW, and LCSW credential structure follows the national pattern; the LCSW requires approximately 3,200 hours of supervised post-graduate clinical experience over at least two years. Arizona's social work market is growing substantially with the state's population growth, particularly in the Phoenix metro area, which is among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States.
Which MSW programs in Arizona are CSWE-accredited?
Every CSWE-accredited MSW program in the state is listed here, 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. ASU CSWE locations: Phoenix (1965-present, formerly Tempe 1965-2009), Tucson (1965-present), Glendale (1965-present), Yuma (1965-present), Online (2015-present). GCU converted from for-profit to nonprofit 2018; received CSWE accreditation 2019.
- #1
Arizona State University Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions
Phoenix, AZ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1965
8.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingArizona State University's social work programs, housed in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, have held CSWE accreditation since 1965, the longest continuous accreditation of any Arizona program. Five concentrations are offered: Advanced Generalist, Clinical or Direct Practice, Community Development and Social Systems, Management or Administration, and Social Policy. The Social Policy concentration is uncommon at the MSW level nationally and prepares graduates for policy analysis, legislative advocacy, and public sector leadership roles. Three dual-degree programs are available: Law (JD), Public Administration (MPA), and Other. Online delivery has been available since 2015, making ASU's one of the longest-running online MSW programs in the country. The program operates from Phoenix, Tucson, Glendale, and Yuma, giving it statewide geographic coverage across Arizona's four largest population centers. Advanced Standing is available. ASU is an R1 research university in Phoenix and is consistently recognized as one of the most innovative universities in the United States. The combination of a 1965 accreditation date, five concentrations, a statewide multi-campus model, three dual degrees, and long-established online delivery gives ASU a decisive advantage over all other Arizona programs.
Public (Arizona State University, R1 research university). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Arizona State University Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions - #2
Northern Arizona University Department of Social Work
Flagstaff, AZ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2018
7.0
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingNorthern Arizona University's Department of Social Work offers an Advanced Generalist concentration from both the Flagstaff campus and online delivery. Advanced Standing is available. NAU is a public university in Flagstaff in northern Arizona. Flagstaff's location at the doorstep of some of the largest Native American nations in the United States, the Navajo Nation (the largest land-based tribal nation in the country), the Hopi Tribe, the White Mountain Apache Tribe, and the Havasupai, Hualapai, and other neighboring nations, creates distinctive practicum placement and career opportunities for social work graduates interested in Indigenous communities, Indian Health Service, tribal social services, and rural frontier practice. NAU's service mission to northern Arizona and its commitment to educating students who reflect the diversity of the region make it the primary MSW option for students seeking to practice in tribal, rural, and northern Arizona communities.
Public (Northern Arizona University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Northern Arizona University Department of Social Work - #3
Grand Canyon University College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Phoenix, AZ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2019
6.0
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingGrand Canyon University's MSW program received CSWE accreditation in 2019, the most recent of any Arizona program. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. The program is delivered both on-campus in Phoenix and online. GCU is a private Christian-affiliated university in Phoenix that transitioned from for-profit to nonprofit status in 2018; CSWE accreditation was granted the following year. The social work program's curriculum incorporates a faith-based perspective alongside standard CSWE competency-based social work education. Graduates are prepared for licensure and employment in secular and faith-based social service settings. The 2019 accreditation date and the program's recent CSWE standing account for its lower state ranking relative to ASU (accredited 1965) and NAU (accredited 2018).
Private (Grand Canyon University, Christian-affiliated). Contact the program for current tuition rates.
Grand Canyon University College of Humanities and Social Sciences
How long does an MSW take in Arizona, and what does it cost?
An MSW in Arizona takes two years of full-time study, and what it costs turns mostly on whether the program is public or private. The Master of Social Work here is built on 60 credits and 900 hours of supervised field placement. Every one runs an Advanced Standing track, which finishes the degree in about a year for BSW holders. 2 sit at public universities and one at a private one, which is usually the largest single difference in what you will pay. Each card links to the program's own tuition page. The field-hour rules that apply everywhere are set out in our guide to CSWE accreditation.
What is the job market like for MSW graduates in Arizona?
Phoenix is Arizona's dominant job market for MSW graduates and one of the fastest-growing in the Sun Belt. Banner Health, the largest nonprofit health system in Arizona and one of the largest in the Western United States, employs clinical and medical social workers across Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, Cardon Children's Medical Center, and its extensive hospital and clinic network across the Phoenix metro area. HonorHealth, Dignity Health (now CommonSpirit Health), and Mayo Clinic Phoenix are additional major healthcare employers in the metro area. The Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), the primary state child welfare agency, is headquartered in Phoenix and employs social workers and child protective services specialists across all 15 Arizona counties from its Phoenix-area regional offices.
Phoenix's behavioral health market is large and growing. The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona's Medicaid program, funds behavioral health services through Regional Behavioral Health Authorities (RBHAs) operating in each county. The RBHAs contract with networks of community behavioral health organizations and substance use treatment providers that collectively employ large numbers of MSW-level practitioners. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) also employ social workers across public health, aging, and developmental disabilities programs.
Tucson is Arizona's second social work market. Banner University Medical Center Tucson (an academic health center affiliated with the University of Arizona), TMC Health (part of the Dignity Health system), and Carondelet Health Network are the primary healthcare employers. The Pima County Department of Community Services and Workforce Development, Pima County Behavioral Health, and the Tucson area's nonprofit sector, including the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona, provide additional MSW-level employment. The University of Arizona's student services, counseling, and health sciences programs also employ social workers on campus.
Rural and tribal Arizona present both the most significant social work workforce challenges and some of the most meaningful career opportunities in the state. The Navajo Nation, spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, is one of the largest service areas for the Indian Health Service and employs social workers across its social services, behavioral health, and family assistance programs. The Hopi Tribe, White Mountain Apache, San Carlos Apache, and other nations each operate their own social services departments with ongoing workforce needs. Access to licensed social workers in rural Arizona communities is among the most limited of any state in the country, with some remote counties relying entirely on itinerant or telehealth social work services.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Arizona; Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners.
Which cities in Arizona have CSWE-accredited MSW programs?
Flagstaff, Glendale, Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma have CSWE-accredited MSW programs in Arizona, 5 cities in total across the state's 3 accredited programs, according to the approved teaching locations each records with CSWE.
Location matters more for an MSW than for most master's degrees, because the 900 hours of field education have to happen at an agency that will take you, and programs place students through partnerships built up near their campuses. Studying near where you intend to practice tends to mean placement in the network you will later job-hunt in. Three programs in Arizona also offer online coursework, which widens the choice for students outside those cities.
What can you specialize in with an MSW in Arizona?
You can specialize in Advanced Generalist, Clinical or Direct Practice, Community Development and Social Systems and Management or Administration with an MSW in Arizona, the concentrations recorded with CSWE by three of the state's three accredited programs. Programs across the state record five distinct concentrations in total.
Four concentrations are offered by a single program in Arizona, including Clinical or Direct Practice, Community Development and Social Systems and Management or Administration, so a student set on Clinical or Direct Practice has one option in state rather than a choice of several. Concentration is the part of the curriculum that follows the generalist foundation year the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards require of every accredited program.
How did we rank these Arizona MSW programs?
We ranked these Arizona MSW programs on the same seven-factor model used in the national ranking, applied identically to every accredited program in the state. The state ranking uses identical criteria and weights. No Arizona-specific adjustments are made. Programs are ordered by composite score. For the full methodology, see our ranking methodology page.
Accreditation is 25% of the score because it is the only pass-or-fail factor here: Arizona licenses no graduate of an unaccredited program. Accredited programs in Arizona run from one holding that status since 1965 to one accredited as recently as 2019, and a longer record means more reaffirmation cycles survived.
Weights: CSWE accreditation 25%, program leadership 15%, pathways 15%, delivery format 15%, employer signal 15%, cost 10%, reputation 5%. Each factor is defined in full on our ranking methodology page.
How do you become a licensed social worker in Arizona?
You become a licensed social worker in Arizona by completing a CSWE-accredited MSW, passing the ASWB examination at the level your license requires, and, for a clinical license, logging supervised hours afterwards. Licensing here is administered by the Arizona social work licensing board. Arizona offers more than one route to licensure, pick the branch that matches the kind of practice you want. License names, exams, and supervised-hour requirements come from the ASWB Social Work Regulatory Database.
Master's social work license route in AZ
MSW → LMSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Pass the ASWB Masters exam and apply for the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker).
Clinical social work license route in AZ
MSW → LCSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Complete 3,200 hours of supervised practice over at least 24 months and pass the ASWB Clinical exam, then apply for the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), which authorizes independent clinical practice and clinical diagnosis.
Arizona social work licenses at a glance
Master's license
Licensed Master Social Worker
Clinical license
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Source: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Social Work Regulatory Database, 2026. License requirements change, so always confirm current rules with the Arizona licensing board before applying.
Common questions about MSW programs in Arizona
Common questions about MSW programs in Arizona, on accreditation, cost, format and licensure.
How many CSWE-accredited MSW programs are in Arizona?
What do social workers earn in Arizona?
What are Arizona's social work licensing requirements?
Which Arizona MSW program is best for students interested in working with Native American communities?
Does ASU's online MSW program have the same accreditation as its on-campus program?
Which Arizona cities have MSW programs?
Find CSWE-accredited programs in and near specific Arizona cities, with nearby campuses, online options, and local salary and job-market data.
Where does the data on this page come from?
The data on this page comes from the sources below, and from nothing else: no commercial directories, no other ranking sites.
- CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs covers which Arizona programs hold accreditation, the year each was first accredited, approved campus locations, concentrations, dual degrees and plan-of-study options.
- Individual program pages (.edu) supply curriculum detail, field-hour requirements, delivery format and cohort scheduling. Each program card links to the page it was written from.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Arizona supplies the employment and wage figures in the job-market section, May 2025 release.
- ASWB Social Work Laws and Regulations Database supplies license names, examination levels and supervised-hour requirements, read 2026.
- Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education supplies the research classification used in the ranking model.
What are the best MSW programs near Arizona?
The best MSW programs near Arizona are in the neighboring states below, all CSWE-accredited. Licensure is state by state, so check a program across the border against the rules where you intend to practice.