Illinois has one of the most geographically concentrated MSW program markets in the country. Seven programs are based in Chicago itself, and several more operate from the city's suburbs, making the Chicago metro the center of the state's social work education landscape. The University of Chicago, Loyola, UIC, and DePaul represent a cluster of private and public programs within close proximity on Chicago's North Side and Near West Side. Chicago State and Northeastern Illinois serve Chicago's South and Northwest Sides, extending access to communities that the more centrally located programs serve less directly.
Outside Chicago, programs at UIUC, SIU Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville, Illinois State, and Aurora serve distinct regional labor markets. SIU Edwardsville's St. Louis metro location gives Illinois graduates access to a bistate social work employment market. SIU Carbondale and ISU Normal serve downstate Illinois communities, including rural and small-city markets where licensed social work practitioners are consistently undersupplied. UIUC's fully online iMSW delivers a flagship university program to students anywhere in the state.
Illinois's licensing structure (LSW followed by LCSW) mirrors several other Midwestern states. The 3,000-hour supervised practice requirement for LCSW means that post-degree clinical supervision planning should begin before or at graduation, not after. Students enrolled in programs with strong practicum-to-employment pipelines, particularly the Chicago-based programs with deep agency relationships, tend to be better positioned to begin supervised hours immediately after degree completion.
Which MSW programs in Illinois 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. Aurora University's current continuous accreditation began in 1987; Dominican University is fully online following 2020 campus closures.
- #1 National #5
University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
Chicago, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 1919
9.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at the University of Chicago ranks fifth nationally on our seven-factor scoring model and is the only Illinois program in the national top fifteen. CSWE accreditation dates to 1919. The school was renamed in 2018 following a $100 million gift from the Crown family, reflecting sustained philanthropic investment in the institution. Located in Hyde Park on Chicago's South Side, the school provides practicum placement access to the University of Chicago Medical Center, Cook County Health, and Chicago's dense network of nonprofit and public social service agencies. Two concentrations are offered: Clinical Practice and Management or Administration. Advanced Standing is available.
Private (research university). Contact the program for current tuition rates. Need-based financial aid is available through the University of Chicago Office of Financial Aid.
University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice - #2
Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work
Chicago, IL · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1921
8.7
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingLoyola University Chicago's School of Social Work is among the oldest continuously accredited social work programs in Illinois. Loyola is a large Jesuit research university on Chicago's Near North Side. The program offers two delivery formats beyond the standard campus track: an online MSW available since 2022, and an Online Bilingual (Spanish-English) MSW track available since 2018, one of a small number of bilingual online social work programs in the country. The bilingual track addresses a documented workforce need in Chicago's large Spanish-speaking communities, particularly in neighborhoods like Pilsen, Little Village, and Humboldt Park. Advanced Standing is available. Chicago campus students have direct access to the full Cook County and City of Chicago practicum placement network.
Private (Jesuit). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work - #3
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work
Urbana (Online), IL · Online · CSWE-accredited since 1946
8.4
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's School of Social Work offers the iMSW, a fully online MSW program delivered by the flagship land-grant research university of the University of Illinois System. CSWE accreditation dates to 1946. Two concentrations are offered: Clinical Practice and Leadership. Advanced Standing is available. As a flagship R1 research university, UIUC provides an MSW within an institutional context that includes substantial research infrastructure, peer-reviewed faculty scholarship, and access to interdisciplinary programs across Illinois's largest public research campus. Illinois students arrange local practicum placements regardless of the program's online delivery format.
Public (flagship, University of Illinois System). Contact the program for current online tuition rates. In-state and out-of-state rates apply.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work - #4
University of Illinois Chicago Jane Addams College of Social Work
Chicago, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 1946
8.2
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe University of Illinois Chicago's Jane Addams College of Social Work is named after Jane Addams, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning social worker who founded Hull House one mile from UIC's campus. The school's Near West Side location places it adjacent to the Illinois Medical District, providing direct practicum placement access to Rush University Medical Center, University of Illinois Hospital, and Cook County Health, as well as the community social services infrastructure of Chicago's West and Near West Side neighborhoods. Four concentrations are offered: Children, Youth, and Families; Community Development and Social Systems; Criminal Justice; and Mental Health. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered.
Public (University of Illinois System), approx. $15,000 to $20,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
University of Illinois Chicago Jane Addams College of Social Work - #5
Aurora University School of Social Work
Aurora, IL · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1987
7.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingAurora University's School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1987 (following a break from an earlier 1974 to 1982 accreditation) and is one of the longer-established programs among Illinois's private universities. The program operates from multiple locations: Aurora, Illinois; Williams Bay, Wisconsin; and Woodstock, Illinois, extending access across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. An online track has been available since 2018, one of the earlier online adoptions among Illinois programs. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. The multi-campus and online delivery model makes Aurora one of the more geographically accessible private MSW options in Northern Illinois.
Private. Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Aurora University School of Social Work - #6
Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Social Work
Carbondale, IL · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1988
7.3
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSouthern Illinois University Carbondale's School of Social Work is a large public research university in Southern Illinois, a region with distinct social work workforce needs compared to the Chicago metro. Three concentrations are offered: Children, Youth, and Families; Healthcare; and Mental Health. An online track was added in 2021. Advanced Standing is available. SIU Carbondale's practicum network spans Southern Illinois Healthcare hospital systems and community agencies throughout a large rural region. The program's three concentrations cover the major practice areas without requiring students to choose between clinical and macro pathways.
Public, approx. $12,000 to $16,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Social Work - #7
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Social Work
Edwardsville, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 1998
7.0
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville's Department of Social Work is located in Edwardsville, Illinois, in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area on the Illinois side. SIUE's Metro-East location provides practicum placement access to both Illinois and Missouri social services agencies, St. Louis-area hospital systems, and community organizations across the bistate metropolitan area. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. SIUE is a public institution within the SIU System.
Public, approx. $12,000 to $16,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Social Work - #8
Chicago State University School of Social Work
Chicago, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2001
6.8
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingChicago State University's School of Social Work is the only HBCU (Historically Black College and University) with an accredited MSW program in Illinois. Located on Chicago's Far South Side, CSU serves a predominantly African American student body and community, with practicum placement access to South Side community organizations, public agencies, and health systems. Three concentrations are offered: Advanced Generalist, Program Evaluation, and School Social Work. The Program Evaluation concentration is uncommon in Illinois and addresses a distinct practice area in organizational and policy settings. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered.
Public (HBCU), approx. $10,000 to $14,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Chicago State University School of Social Work - #9
Dominican University MSW Program
River Forest (Online), IL · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2001
6.6
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingDominican University's MSW program transitioned to fully online delivery after its River Forest and Grayslake campus locations closed in 2020. The program now operates entirely online with an Advanced Generalist concentration. Dominican is a Catholic university in the Dominican tradition located in River Forest, in Chicago's western suburbs. Illinois students arrange local practicum placements regardless of online delivery. Advanced Standing is available. Dominican's 2020 online transition positions it among the earlier fully online adopters in Illinois.
Private (Dominican Order Catholic). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Dominican University MSW Program - #10
Illinois State University School of Social Work
Normal, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2002
6.4
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingIllinois State University's School of Social Work is a large public university in Normal, Illinois, approximately 120 miles south of Chicago. Two concentrations are offered: Children, Youth, and Families and School Social Work. The School Social Work concentration prepares students for Illinois PPS (Pupil Personnel Services) certification in school social work, a distinct licensure pathway beyond the LSW and LCSW. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. ISU is the oldest public university in Illinois and serves the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area, with practicum placements across McLean County agencies and regional health systems.
Public, approx. $12,000 to $16,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Illinois State University School of Social Work - #11
Governors State University MSW Program
University Park, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2002
6.3
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingGovernors State University's MSW program is a public university located in University Park, Illinois, in the south suburban Chicago corridor. Two concentrations are offered: Children, Youth, and Families and School Social Work. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. GSU primarily serves a commuter and adult student population and is known for its high proportion of transfer and first-generation students, reflecting the demographics of the Chicago South Metro region. GSU's south suburban location extends MSW access to an area of the Chicago metro that is underserved by other accredited programs.
Public, approx. $10,000 to $14,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Governors State University MSW Program - #12
University of St. Francis MSW Program
Joliet, IL · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2006
6.1
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe University of St. Francis's MSW program has held CSWE accreditation since 2006 and is a private Franciscan university in Joliet, Illinois, in Will County southwest of Chicago. Two concentrations are offered: Advanced Generalist and School Social Work. An online track was added in 2021. Advanced Standing is available. St. Francis is associated with the Franciscan Sisters of Mary Immaculate and serves students in the Will County and Southwest Chicago Suburbs corridor, a region with limited MSW program access relative to the Chicago city core.
Private (Franciscan Catholic). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
University of St. Francis MSW Program - #13
DePaul University Department of Social Work
Chicago, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2007
6.0
60 credits 900 field hours No Advanced StandingDePaul University's Department of Social Work is a large Vincentian Catholic university in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Two concentrations are offered: Community Development and Social Systems, and Forensic Social Work. The Forensic Social Work concentration addresses social work practice in criminal justice, legal, and correctional settings and is one of the few such concentrations offered at any Illinois MSW program. No online delivery is currently offered. DePaul is currently the only CSWE-accredited MSW program in Illinois that does not offer Advanced Standing, which limits its composite score on the Pathways factor. Students who hold a CSWE-accredited BSW will need to complete the full MSW curriculum. Chicago's practicum placement depth is a genuine strength for students enrolled in the campus program.
Private (Vincentian Catholic). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
DePaul University Department of Social Work - #14
Erikson Institute MSW Program
Chicago, IL · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2013
5.8
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingErikson Institute's MSW program is delivered from a specialized graduate school in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood that focuses exclusively on child development and children from birth through age eight. Two concentrations are offered: Children, Youth, and Families and Clinical Practice. An online track has been available since 2020. Advanced Standing is available. Erikson's MSW is highly specialized for clinical practice with infants, toddlers, and young children, including infant mental health, early childhood behavioral health, and early intervention settings. Students specifically oriented toward early childhood social work will find Erikson a uniquely deep preparation, while students seeking general clinical or macro social work practice may find the specialization narrowing.
Private (standalone graduate school). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Erikson Institute MSW Program - #15
Northeastern Illinois University Department of Social Work
Chicago, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2016
5.6
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingNortheastern Illinois University's Department of Social Work is a public minority-serving institution in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood on the city's Northwest Side. Three concentrations are offered: Children, Youth, and Families; School Social Work; and Leadership. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. NEIU primarily serves a commuter student population and is known for its high proportion of first-generation college students and students of color, reflecting the demographics of its Northwest Side Chicago location. The urban campus provides practicum placement access to Chicago's Northwest Side community organizations and public agencies.
Public (minority-serving institution), approx. $10,000 to $14,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Northeastern Illinois University Department of Social Work - #16
Lewis University MSW Program
Romeoville, IL · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2017
5.4
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingLewis University's MSW program is delivered from the Romeoville campus in Will County, southwest of Chicago. A Clinical Practice concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. Lewis is a Catholic university in the De La Salle Christian Brothers tradition. Romeoville's location in the Southwest Chicago Suburbs provides access to the Will County and DuPage County social services practicum network. Full-time and part-time enrollment options are available.
Private (De La Salle Christian Brothers). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Lewis University MSW Program - #17
Chamberlain University MSW Program
Online, IL · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2019
5.1
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingChamberlain University's MSW program is delivered entirely online. Chamberlain is a for-profit institution owned by Adtalem Global Education, primarily known for nursing and healthcare education. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. Illinois students arrange local practicum placements regardless of online delivery. As a for-profit institution with the most recent accreditation date among Illinois MSW programs, Chamberlain's composite score reflects both the short accreditation record and the institutional context differences from the nonprofit universities and public institutions listed above. Students should review the program's outcomes data and accreditation history on the CSWE directory before enrolling.
For-profit (Adtalem Global Education). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Chamberlain University MSW Program
How long does an MSW take in Illinois, and what does it cost?
An MSW in Illinois 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. 16 run an Advanced Standing track, which finishes the degree in about a year for BSW holders. 8 sit at public universities and 8 at private ones, 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 Illinois?
Illinois employs a large and diverse job market for MSW graduates, with the Chicago metropolitan area accounting for the vast majority of the state's MSW-level positions. Chicago's concentration of major hospital systems, including Northwestern Memorial, Rush University Medical Center, University of Illinois Hospital, Advocate Aurora Health, and the University of Chicago Medical Center, creates substantial demand for healthcare and medical social workers. Cook County Health, the City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) represent major public-sector employers for child welfare and community social workers.
Chicago's nonprofit sector is among the largest in the country, with hundreds of community-based organizations, behavioral health providers, and advocacy organizations employing MSW graduates. Mental health social work demand is particularly strong in the wake of expanded Medicaid behavioral health coverage in Illinois, which has increased the number of billable mental health positions in community mental health centers and private practice settings.
Downstate Illinois presents a persistent social work workforce shortage, particularly in rural and semi-rural counties. Programs at SIU Carbondale, SIU Edwardsville, and Illinois State University primarily serve these regional markets, and graduates from these programs often find strong placement rates in areas where competition for licensed social work positions is lower than in the Chicago metro.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Illinois; Illinois IDFPR, Social Work Licensing.
Which MSW programs in Illinois offer an embedded certificate?
Nine MSW programs in Illinois offer an embedded certificate alongside the degree, covering Addictions, Child Welfare, School Social Work, Gerontology and International Social Work. These are recorded in the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs.
An embedded certificate is completed inside the MSW rather than after it, so it usually adds no extra semesters. It is worth checking what the certificate actually is before it sways a decision: some are a formal credential recognized by employers or a state agency, others are simply a named set of electives on the transcript.
Which cities in Illinois have CSWE-accredited MSW programs?
Aurora, Carbondale, Chicago, Edwardsville, Joliet and Normal and other cities have CSWE-accredited MSW programs in Illinois, 11 cities in total across the state's 17 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. Eight programs in Illinois also offer online coursework, which widens the choice for students outside those cities.
How did we rank these Illinois MSW programs?
We ranked these Illinois 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 Illinois-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: Illinois licenses no graduate of an unaccredited program. Accredited programs in Illinois run from one holding that status since 1919 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 Illinois?
You become a licensed social worker in Illinois 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 Illinois social work licensing board. Illinois 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 IL
MSW → LSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Apply for the LSW (Licensed Social Worker 1).
Clinical social work license route in IL
MSW → LCSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Complete 3,000 hours of supervised practice and pass the ASWB Clinical exam, then apply for the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker 1), which authorizes independent clinical practice and clinical diagnosis.
Illinois social work licenses at a glance
Master's license
Licensed Social Worker 1
Clinical license
Licensed Clinical Social Worker 1
Source: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Social Work Regulatory Database, 2026. License requirements change, so always confirm current rules with the Illinois licensing board before applying.
Common questions about MSW programs in Illinois
Common questions about MSW programs in Illinois, on accreditation, cost, format and licensure.
How many CSWE-accredited MSW programs are in Illinois?
What do social workers earn in Illinois?
What are the LSW and LCSW licensing requirements in Illinois?
Is the University of Chicago the best MSW program in Illinois?
Which Illinois MSW programs do not offer Advanced Standing?
Which Illinois cities have MSW programs?
Find CSWE-accredited programs in and near specific Illinois 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 Illinois 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, Illinois 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 Illinois?
The best MSW programs near Illinois 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.