Massachusetts has 12 CSWE-accredited MSW programs, with an unusually dense concentration of nationally recognized schools in Greater Boston. Boston College, ranked eighth nationally by U.S. News (2024), Boston University, and Simmons University all operate within the city or inner suburbs, joined by Smith College's clinical program in Northampton with accreditation dating to 1919. This concentration of strong programs in one metropolitan area makes Massachusetts one of the most competitive MSW markets in the country, with correspondingly deep practicum placement networks across academic medical centers, research hospitals, and a large nonprofit sector.
For students outside Greater Boston, Massachusetts also has several accessible public and private options. Springfield College and Westfield State serve Western Massachusetts, with Westfield State's Worcester site extending into Central Massachusetts. Bridgewater State serves Southeast Massachusetts. Salem State covers the North Shore corridor with an online track added in 2022. These programs offer more affordable public or moderately priced private tuition while maintaining CSWE accreditation and Advanced Standing availability.
Massachusetts uses a four-tier licensing structure: LSWA, LSW, LCSW, and LICSW. MSW graduates typically pursue the LCSW first, which authorizes clinical practice under supervision of an LICSW, then accumulate the additional supervised experience needed for the LICSW, the independent clinical practice license. Students targeting the LICSW should plan for supervised post-degree hours and factor in employment with a qualified LICSW supervisor alongside program planning.
Which MSW programs in Massachusetts 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. Boston College's six concentrations are verified from the official BC SSW website. Smith College uses a three-summer low-residency model rather than a traditional semester format.
- #1 National #8
Boston College School of Social Work
Chestnut Hill, MA · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 1936
9.3
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingBoston College School of Social Work ranks eighth nationally according to U.S. News and World Report (2024), the highest national ranking of any Massachusetts program. The school offers six distinct practice concentrations: Black Leadership in Social Work, Children, Youth, and Families, Global Practice, Health, Latinx Communities, and Mental Health. This is the broadest and most specialized concentration menu among Massachusetts programs, and the school operates the only dedicated social work library in New England. Three dual-degree programs are available: MSW/MBA, MSW/JD, and MSW/Pastoral Studies. Advanced Standing is available. The program operates entirely on-campus in Chestnut Hill, in Boston's western suburbs, with no online delivery. BC's Greater Boston practicum network spans more than 1,000 field agency partners locally and internationally. Research-active faculty generated $10.5M in grant expenditures in 2025, reflecting substantial research infrastructure.
Private (Jesuit Catholic, Boston College). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid. The school reports 100% of master's students receive some form of financial support.
Boston College School of Social Work - #2
Boston University School of Social Work
Boston, MA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1939
9.1
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingBoston University School of Social Work traces its educational roots to 1918 and received CSWE accreditation in 1939. U.S. News and World Report ranks BU SSW in the top 4% of social work programs nationally. The school offers three delivery formats: an on-campus track in Boston, a fully online track (available since 2011, among the earliest online MSW programs in New England), and a Worcester hybrid format serving Central Massachusetts students. Three dual-degree programs are available: MSW/EdD (Education), MSW/MPH (Public Health), and MSW/MTS (Theology). Advanced Standing is available. BU's Boston campus is embedded in a dense healthcare and nonprofit ecosystem spanning Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Health, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and a wide network of Greater Boston community-based organizations. The program reports more than 10,000 global alumni.
Private (Boston University). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Boston University School of Social Work - #3
Simmons University School of Social Work
Boston, MA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1919
8.8
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSimmons University School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1919, tied with Smith College for the longest continuous accreditation history among Massachusetts programs. Two concentrations are offered: Advanced Generalist and Clinical Practice. The school offers four program pathways: standard MSW, an accelerated 16-month format, an Advanced Standing track for BSW graduates, and a fully online track added in 2014, one of the earliest online MSW offerings in New England. Simmons emphasizes psychotherapy skills within a social justice framework and reports high licensing exam pass rates and strong six-month post-graduation employment outcomes. The Boston campus is adjacent to the Longwood Medical Area, providing access to a concentrated cluster of major academic medical centers and research hospitals for clinical practicums.
Private (Simmons University, Boston). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Simmons University School of Social Work - #4
Smith College School for Social Work
Northampton, MA · On-Campus (Summer Residency) · CSWE-accredited since 1919
8.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSmith College School for Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1919, tied with Simmons for the longest accreditation history among Massachusetts programs, and is nationally recognized for its depth of clinical training. The program follows a distinctive low-residency model: students complete three intensive summers of coursework on the Northampton campus and carry out supervised clinical fieldwork in their home communities between summer sessions, over a 27-month total program. This format offers geographic flexibility while preserving intensive residential learning. The concentration is Clinical Practice, with no macro or generalist track; Smith's reputation is anchored in its clinical orientation and its record of practicum placement, with nearly 90% of students placed in their first-choice geographic location for fieldwork. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is offered during the academic year. Smith College is a highly selective liberal arts college in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts.
Private (Smith College, Northampton). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Smith College School for Social Work - #5
Salem State University School of Social Work
Salem, MA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1977
7.2
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSalem State University School of Social Work is the oldest continuously accredited public MSW program in Massachusetts, accredited since 1977. The program offers an Integrated Practice concentration, combining clinical and macro perspectives within a single curriculum track rather than bifurcating the degree into separate pathways. An online track was added in 2022, expanding access for students beyond the North Shore corridor. Advanced Standing is available. Salem State is a public university in Salem on Massachusetts's North Shore, serving Northeast Massachusetts and the greater Essex County region. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory. The public tuition structure makes Salem State one of the most affordable MSW options in the state, particularly for students in the Northeast Massachusetts and Merrimack Valley areas.
Public (Salem State University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Salem State University School of Social Work - #6
Springfield College Department of Social Work
Springfield, MA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1989
6.9
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSpringfield College's Department of Social Work is based in Springfield, the largest city in Western Massachusetts. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. An online track was added in 2023. A dual MSW/JD degree is available. Advanced Standing is available. Springfield College is a private institution in Springfield with a longstanding focus on health sciences and human services. Western Massachusetts, including the Springfield-Holyoke-Chicopee corridor, has significant social work workforce demand in healthcare, child welfare, and behavioral health settings, particularly in the large Puerto Rican and Latino community served by agencies throughout the Connecticut River Valley.
Private (Springfield College). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Springfield College Department of Social Work - #7
Bridgewater State University Department of Social Work
Bridgewater, MA · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2003
6.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingBridgewater State University's Department of Social Work sits at a public university in Bridgewater in Southeast Massachusetts. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. A dual MSW/JD degree is available. Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. Bridgewater State is the southernmost public MSW program in Massachusetts, drawing practicum placements from Bristol County social services, Southeast Massachusetts health systems including Signature Healthcare and Southcoast Health, and the Greater New Bedford and Fall River areas. The public tuition structure makes it an accessible option for students in Plymouth, Bristol, and Norfolk Counties.
Public (Bridgewater State University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Bridgewater State University Department of Social Work - #8
Westfield State University Department of Social Work
Westfield, MA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2010
6.2
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingWestfield State University's Department of Social Work operates from three locations: the Westfield main campus, a Worcester site, and an online track added in 2021. A Clinical Practice concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. Westfield State is a public university in Westfield in Western Massachusetts. The Worcester site extends access into Central Massachusetts, one of the state's most geographically underserved MSW markets. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory. The multi-site model and public tuition structure make Westfield State one of the more accessible MSW options for students in the Pioneer Valley and Central Massachusetts regions.
Public (Westfield State University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Westfield State University Department of Social Work - #9
Anna Maria College Department of Social Work
Paxton, MA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2017
5.9
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingAnna Maria College's Department of Social Work is a private liberal arts college in Paxton, just west of Worcester in Central Massachusetts. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. An online track was added in 2024. Advanced Standing is available. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory. Anna Maria is a small Catholic institution with close ties to the Worcester-area healthcare and human services community, providing access to practicum placements in UMass Memorial Health, Saint Vincent Hospital, and a network of Central Massachusetts social service agencies.
Private (Anna Maria College). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Anna Maria College Department of Social Work - #10
Regis College Department of Social Work
Weston, MA · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2018
5.7
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingRegis College's Department of Social Work has delivered its MSW entirely online since its initial accreditation. A Clinical Practice concentration is offered. Advanced Standing is available. Three start dates are offered annually. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory. Regis College is a private Catholic institution in Weston, Massachusetts, in the western Boston suburbs. The fully online format, cohort-based learning model, and clinical concentration make Regis a practical option for working professionals seeking licensure-qualifying credentials without campus attendance requirements. Field placements are arranged locally in students' own communities.
Private (Regis College). Tuition approximately $932 per credit hour as of 2025. Contact the program for current rates. Three start dates per year.
Regis College Department of Social Work - #11
Lesley University Department of Social Work
Cambridge, MA · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2020
5.5
60 credits 1,000 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingLesley University's Department of Social Work received CSWE initial accreditation in 2020; the program graduated its first cohort in 2022 and holds accreditation through 2030. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. A dual MSW/MA degree combining social work and expressive arts is available, integrating art therapy and creative modalities with clinical social work practice (uncommon nationally). Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. Field education requires two immersive practicums totaling 1,000 hours. A Scholar Partner Program guarantees practicum placements to all admitted students, eliminating placement competition. One placement partner is Threshold Programs, an on-campus program serving neurodiverse young adults. Lesley University is a private institution in Cambridge, adjacent to Harvard Square and near the Longwood Medical Area, with access to Greater Boston's dense healthcare and nonprofit practicum network.
Private (Lesley University, Cambridge). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Lesley University Department of Social Work - #12
Merrimack College Department of Social Work
North Andover, MA · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2022
5.3
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingMerrimack College's Department of Social Work is the most recently accredited MSW program in Massachusetts, accredited since 2022. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. A dual MSW/MS Criminal Justice degree is available, addressing the intersection of social work and the criminal justice system (uncommon among Massachusetts programs). Advanced Standing is available. No online delivery is currently offered. Merrimack College is a private Catholic Augustinian institution in North Andover, northeast of Boston in the Merrimack Valley. As the most recently accredited program in the state, its short accreditation history limits its composite score relative to programs with longer continuous records, though the Criminal Justice dual degree is a distinctive pathway not offered elsewhere in Massachusetts.
Private (Merrimack College, North Andover, Catholic Augustinian). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Merrimack College Department of Social Work
How long does an MSW take in Massachusetts, and what does it cost?
An MSW in Massachusetts 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 to 1,000 hours of supervised field placement. Every one runs an Advanced Standing track, which finishes the degree in about a year for BSW holders. 3 sit at public universities and 9 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts's job market for MSW graduates is anchored by Greater Boston, which has one of the most concentrated clusters of academic medical centers in the country. Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the UMass Memorial Health system collectively employ a large number of licensed social workers in clinical, case management, and care coordination roles. The Longwood Medical Area alone, adjacent to the Simmons and Harvard campuses, is one of the densest single-campus concentrations of hospital social work positions in the nation.
Outside healthcare, Greater Boston has a substantial nonprofit social services sector and a large network of community mental health centers, community health centers, and integrated behavioral health programs operating under the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership. The Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Department of Mental Health (DMH), and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) represent the major public-sector social work employers in Massachusetts, with positions distributed across all fourteen counties.
Western and Central Massachusetts offer a different labor market profile: Springfield's healthcare and nonprofit ecosystem serves a large Latino community, and Holyoke Medical Center and Baystate Health are the major hospital social work employers in the region. Worcester, the state's second-largest city, is anchored by UMass Memorial Health and Saint Vincent Hospital, and Westfield State's Worcester site and Bridgewater State's Southeast Massachusetts reach specifically serve these regional workforce needs.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Massachusetts; Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Workers.
How long does an MSW take in Massachusetts if you already have a BSW?
An MSW in Massachusetts takes about a year if you already have a BSW, because Advanced Standing is offered at every one of the state's 12 accredited programs: Anna Maria College, Boston College, Boston University and Bridgewater State University among others. A standard MSW runs two years.
Advanced Standing waives the foundation year for graduates of a CSWE-accredited BSW, which is why the route is only open to that degree and not to a bachelor's in psychology or sociology. Every accredited program in Massachusetts offers it.
Which MSW programs in Massachusetts offer an embedded certificate?
Four MSW programs in Massachusetts offer an embedded certificate alongside the degree, covering Child Welfare, Gerontology, School Social Work, Trauma and Research. 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.
How did we rank these Massachusetts MSW programs?
We ranked these Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts-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: Massachusetts licenses no graduate of an unaccredited program. Accredited programs in Massachusetts run from one holding that status since 1919 to one accredited as recently as 2022, 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 Massachusetts?
You become a licensed social worker in Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts social work licensing board. Massachusetts 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 MA
MSW → LCSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Pass the ASWB Masters exam and apply for the LCSW (Licensed Certified Social Worker).
Clinical social work license route in MA
MSW → LICSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Complete 3,500 hours (upon licensure) of supervised practice over at least 2 years and pass the ASWB Clinical exam, then apply for the LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker), which authorizes independent clinical practice and clinical diagnosis.
Massachusetts social work licenses at a glance
Master's license
Licensed Certified Social Worker
Clinical license
Licensed Independent 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 Massachusetts licensing board before applying.
Common questions about MSW programs in Massachusetts
Common questions about MSW programs in Massachusetts, on accreditation, cost, format and licensure.
How many CSWE-accredited MSW programs are in Massachusetts?
What do social workers earn in Massachusetts?
What are the social work licensing requirements in Massachusetts?
How does Boston College's MSW compare to other programs in Massachusetts?
What is Smith College's summer residency MSW model?
Which Massachusetts cities have MSW programs?
Find CSWE-accredited programs in and near specific Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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, Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
The best MSW programs near Massachusetts 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.