Pennsylvania has one of the largest concentrations of CSWE-accredited MSW programs in the country, with 17 programs spread across a state that includes two major metropolitan areas, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, as well as several mid-sized regional cities and extensive rural territory. The state's program landscape reflects two distinct tiers of public institutions: the state-related universities (Pitt, Temple, Penn State) and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) institutions, which include West Chester, Kutztown, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, Commonwealth, and Pennsylvania Western. PASSHE programs generally offer lower in-state tuition than state-related institutions, making them an important access point for students with cost constraints.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh anchor the state's two largest MSW labor markets. Philadelphia's concentration of major health systems, including Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, Temple University Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, alongside the City of Philadelphia's large public human services infrastructure, creates substantial demand for MSW graduates in clinical, healthcare, and child welfare settings. Pittsburgh's labor market is shaped by UPMC's presence as the dominant regional health system and employer, alongside a well-developed nonprofit sector and Allegheny County's human services agencies.
A significant portion of Pennsylvania's accredited MSW programs have transitioned to fully online delivery in recent years following campus closures, including Carlow, Slippery Rock, PennWest, Alvernia, Eastern, and Lancaster Bible. For students in these programs, practicum placements are arranged locally regardless of where the online program is administratively based. Students evaluating these programs should contact individual programs directly to understand their practicum coordination and supervision models before enrolling.
Which MSW programs in Pennsylvania 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. Several programs are now fully online following campus closures; this is noted in each program's rationale.
- #1 National #14
University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work
Pittsburgh, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1934
9.1
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe University of Pittsburgh's School of Social Work is the oldest and highest-ranked MSW program in Pennsylvania, with CSWE accreditation dating to 1934 and a national ranking of fourteenth on our seven-factor scoring model, the only Pennsylvania program in the national top fifteen. Pitt's Oakland neighborhood location places the school adjacent to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) health system, one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the country, providing extensive practicum placement infrastructure in hospital-based, behavioral health, and community health settings. Concentrations include Interpersonal Practice and Community Organization and Social Action, with dual-degree options available alongside Penn's Law, public health, and business programs. Full-time, part-time, and Advanced Standing enrollment options are available. An online track was added in 2025.
Public (state-related university), approx. $24,000 to $28,000/year in-state. Out-of-state tuition is substantially higher. Contact the program for current rates.
University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work - #2
University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice
Philadelphia, PA · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 1919
8.7
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice holds one of the oldest CSWE accreditations in the country, dating to 1919. Penn is an Ivy League research university, and SP2 draws on cross-school partnerships with Penn's Carey Law School, Wharton School, and Perelman School of Medicine for dual-degree and certificate options. The West Philadelphia location provides practicum placement access to Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and the City of Philadelphia's Department of Human Services. Two concentrations are offered: Clinical Practice and Social Policy and Administration. Full-time and Advanced Standing enrollment options are listed. No online delivery is currently offered. Penn's institutional resources, research output, and Philadelphia network position it among the strongest MSW programs in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Private (Ivy League). Contact the program for current tuition rates. Substantial need-based financial aid is available through Penn's financial aid office.
University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice - #3
Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research
Bryn Mawr, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1919
8.2
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingBryn Mawr College's Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research holds a CSWE accreditation dating to 1919, one of the oldest in the country, and operates as a dedicated graduate school within the historically women's liberal arts college. The GSSWSR also houses a doctoral program in social work and social research, giving MSW students access to faculty research engagement beyond what is typical at stand-alone master's programs. The Bryn Mawr campus is located on Philadelphia's Main Line, approximately 11 miles from Center City, with practicum placement access to Philadelphia and its surrounding suburban counties. An online track was added in 2026. Advanced Standing and full-time enrollment options are available.
Private (liberal arts college). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research - #4
Temple University School of Social Work
Philadelphia, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1969
7.8
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingTemple University's School of Social Work is a large public research university with strong urban community ties. Located in North Philadelphia, the school operates in one of the city's most historically underserved neighborhoods, providing direct practicum placement access to community-based organizations, behavioral health agencies, and public school social work settings throughout the city. An online track has been available since 2016, one of the earlier online adoptions among Pennsylvania programs. Three concentrations are offered: Clinical Social Work, School Social Work, and Community Practice. Full-time, part-time, and Advanced Standing enrollment options are available. Temple is a state-related university outside the PASSHE system, with tuition higher than PASSHE institutions but lower than most private programs in Philadelphia.
Public (state-related university), approx. $18,000 to $22,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Temple University School of Social Work - #5
Marywood University School of Social Work
Scranton, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1969
7.1
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingMarywood University's School of Social Work has held CSWE accreditation since 1969, matching Temple's accreditation history and representing one of the two longest records among programs outside Pennsylvania's state-related universities. The program is delivered from the Scranton campus in Lackawanna County, the primary city of Northeastern Pennsylvania. An online track was added in 2025. Two concentrations are offered: Clinical Social Work and Macro Social Work Practice. Marywood operates within a Catholic Institutional Humanistic Education tradition under the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM). Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment are available. A Pocono campus that operated through 2022 has closed; all instruction is now delivered from Scranton or online.
Private (Catholic, IHM), approx. $900/credit. Contact the program for current rates and financial aid information.
Marywood University School of Social Work - #6
Widener University Center for Social Work Education
Chester, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1993
6.9
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingWidener University's Center for Social Work Education is one of the earlier adopters of online delivery among Pennsylvania programs, having offered an online track since 2018. The Chester campus is located in Delaware County, adjacent to Philadelphia, giving students access to the full Philadelphia metro practicum placement network while also serving Chester's historically diverse industrial community. Two concentrations are offered: Direct Practice and Administration, Policy, and Community Practice. Full-time, part-time, and Advanced Standing enrollment are available.
Private. Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Widener University Center for Social Work Education - #7
West Chester University Department of Social Work
West Chester, PA · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 1998
6.8
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingWest Chester University's Department of Social Work is a Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) institution, providing lower in-state tuition than the state-related universities Pitt and Temple. The program is delivered from the West Chester campus in Chester County, with an additional cohort location in Philadelphia, extending access to city-based students without the higher cost of a private Philadelphia program. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment are available. No online delivery is currently offered.
Public (PASSHE), approx. $10,000 to $14,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
West Chester University Department of Social Work - #8
Millersville University and Shippensburg University Collaborative MSW Program
Millersville / Shippensburg, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2006
6.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe Millersville University and Shippensburg University Collaborative MSW Program is a joint offering between two PASSHE institutions. Students may complete coursework at either the Millersville or Shippensburg campus, or online since 2021. The collaborative model is uncommon in social work education and reflects a PASSHE-level strategy to extend MSW access across South-Central Pennsylvania, a region without other accredited MSW programs. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment options are available.
Public (PASSHE), approx. $10,000 to $14,000/year in-state. Contact either university for current rates.
Millersville University and Shippensburg University Collaborative MSW Program - #9
Kutztown University Department of Social Work
Kutztown, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2003
6.3
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingKutztown University's Department of Social Work is a PASSHE institution serving Berks County and the Reading-Allentown corridor in Eastern Pennsylvania. An online track was added in 2025. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered alongside a Social Work in Healthcare specialization. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment options are available. Kutztown's in-state PASSHE tuition rates make it one of the more affordable accredited MSW options in Eastern Pennsylvania.
Public (PASSHE), approx. $10,000 to $14,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Kutztown University Department of Social Work - #10
Carlow University MSW Program
Pittsburgh (Online), PA · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2017
6.1
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingCarlow University's MSW program transitioned to fully online delivery after its Pittsburgh campus location closed in 2024. The program now operates entirely online with an Advanced Generalist concentration. Pennsylvania students arrange local practicum placements regardless of online delivery. Carlow is a Catholic university founded by the Sisters of Mercy, headquartered in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, and maintains alumni and agency-partnership networks across the Pittsburgh metro region. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment are available.
Private (Catholic, Sisters of Mercy). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Carlow University MSW Program - #11
La Salle University MSW Program
Philadelphia, PA · On-Campus · CSWE-accredited since 2021
5.9
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingLa Salle University's MSW program is delivered from the La Salle campus in North Philadelphia, with an additional cohort location in Plymouth Meeting, Montgomery County. La Salle is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition, with a strong community service orientation. The North Philadelphia campus location provides practicum placement access to behavioral health providers, community agencies, and social service organizations throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment options are listed. No online delivery is currently offered.
Private (Catholic, De La Salle). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
La Salle University MSW Program - #12
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania MSW Program
Bloomsburg, PA · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2021
5.8
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingCommonwealth University of Pennsylvania's MSW program is anchored at the Bloomsburg campus in Columbia County, Central Pennsylvania. Commonwealth University was formed through the merger of Bloomsburg University, Lock Haven University, and Mansfield University in 2022. An online track was added in 2026. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. PASSHE in-state tuition rates apply. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment are available. As a recently accredited program within a newly merged institution, the short accreditation record limits its composite score relative to longer-established programs.
Public (PASSHE), approx. $10,000 to $14,000/year in-state. Contact the program for current rates.
Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania MSW Program - #13
Slippery Rock University Department of Social Work
Slippery Rock (Online), PA · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2020
5.7
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSlippery Rock University's Department of Social Work transitioned to fully online delivery after the campus-based location closed in 2026. The program now operates entirely online as a PASSHE institution. Pennsylvania students arrange local practicum placements regardless of online delivery. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment are available. PASSHE in-state tuition rates apply.
Public (PASSHE). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Slippery Rock University Department of Social Work - #14
Pennsylvania Western University MSW Program
Online, PA · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2022
5.6
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingPennsylvania Western University's MSW program received initial CSWE accreditation in 2022 following the merger of California University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro University, and Clarion University of Pennsylvania into a single PASSHE institution. The program is delivered primarily online; Pennsylvania students arrange local practicum placements regardless of delivery format. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing and part-time enrollment options are available. PASSHE in-state tuition rates apply. As the newest PASSHE MSW entity in the state, the short accreditation record as a merged institution limits its composite score relative to longer-established programs.
Public (PASSHE). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Pennsylvania Western University MSW Program - #15
Alvernia University MSW Program
Reading (Online), PA · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2019
5.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingAlvernia University's MSW program transitioned to fully online delivery after its Reading and Philadelphia area campus locations closed in 2025. The program now operates entirely online. Alvernia is a Franciscan university headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment are available. Pennsylvania students arrange local practicum placements regardless of online delivery.
Private (Franciscan Catholic). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Alvernia University MSW Program - #16
Lancaster Bible College MSW Program
Lancaster, PA · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2021
5.3
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingLancaster Bible College's MSW program is delivered entirely online. Lancaster Bible College is a Christian liberal arts institution affiliated with evangelical Christianity, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Advanced Standing, full-time, and part-time enrollment options are listed. Pennsylvania students arrange local practicum placements regardless of online delivery. The program's faith-based mission and evangelical institutional context may shape curriculum emphases and practicum site selection toward faith-based and community organizations.
Private (evangelical Christian). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Lancaster Bible College MSW Program - #17
Eastern University Department of Social Work
St. Davids, PA · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2021
5.1
60 credits 900 field hours No Advanced StandingEastern University's Department of Social Work is delivered entirely online from the St. Davids campus near Philadelphia. Eastern is a Christian university affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA. Eastern is currently the only CSWE-accredited MSW program in Pennsylvania that does not offer an Advanced Standing track, which limits its composite score on the Pathways factor. BSW graduates must complete the full 60-credit curriculum regardless of prior professional preparation. An Advanced Generalist concentration is offered. Pennsylvania students arrange local practicum placements regardless of online delivery.
Private (Christian, American Baptist). Contact the program for current online tuition rates.
Eastern University Department of Social Work
How long does an MSW take in Pennsylvania, and what does it cost?
An MSW in Pennsylvania 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 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania employs a substantial and geographically concentrated job market for MSW graduates. The Philadelphia metro area is dominated by large academic medical centers and health systems, including Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, Temple University Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which together employ large numbers of healthcare and medical social workers. The City of Philadelphia's Department of Human Services and its contracted provider network represent the largest public-sector employer of child welfare and community social workers in the state.
Pittsburgh's social work labor market is anchored by UPMC, which operates dozens of hospitals and outpatient facilities across the region and is consistently one of the largest employers in Western Pennsylvania. Allegheny County's human services system, the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, and a well-developed nonprofit sector round out the regional market. MSW graduates from Pitt's School of Social Work have historically had strong placement connections throughout this network.
Outside the two major metros, Pennsylvania's mid-sized cities and rural regions present a different picture. The Scranton-Wilkes-Barre corridor, Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro, Harrisburg area, and Erie all have functioning social services infrastructures but smaller labor markets than Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Northeastern, Central, and Northwestern Pennsylvania include large rural territories with documented social work workforce shortages, particularly in behavioral health and school social work. Programs like Marywood in Scranton and Millersville-Shippensburg in South-Central Pennsylvania explicitly serve these regional markets.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Pennsylvania; PA Department of State, Board of Social Workers.
Which cities in Pennsylvania have CSWE-accredited MSW programs?
Bloomsburg, Bradford, Bryn Mawr, Chester, Johnstown and Kutztown and other cities have CSWE-accredited MSW programs in Pennsylvania, 14 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. 14 programs in Pennsylvania also offer online coursework, which widens the choice for students outside those cities.
What can you specialize in with an MSW in Pennsylvania?
You can specialize in Clinical or Direct Practice, Advanced Generalist, Macro Social Work and Children, Youth, and Families with an MSW in Pennsylvania, the concentrations recorded with CSWE by 16 of the state's 17 accredited programs. Programs across the state record nine distinct concentrations in total.
Four concentrations are offered by a single program in Pennsylvania, including Behavioral Health, School Social Work and Substance Use Disorders, so a student set on Behavioral Health 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 Pennsylvania MSW programs?
We ranked these Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania-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: Pennsylvania licenses no graduate of an unaccredited program. Accredited programs in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
You become a licensed social worker in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania social work licensing board. Pennsylvania 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 PA
MSW → LSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Pass the ASWB Masters exam and apply for the LSW (Licensed Social Worker).
Clinical social work license route in PA
MSW → LCSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Complete 3,000 hours of supervised practice over 2 to 6 years and pass the ASWB Clinical exam, then apply for the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), which authorizes independent clinical practice and clinical diagnosis.
Pennsylvania social work licenses at a glance
Master's license
Licensed 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 Pennsylvania licensing board before applying.
Common questions about MSW programs in Pennsylvania
Common questions about MSW programs in Pennsylvania, on accreditation, cost, format and licensure.
How many CSWE-accredited MSW programs are in Pennsylvania?
What do social workers earn in Pennsylvania?
What are the LSW and LCSW licensing requirements in Pennsylvania?
Is the University of Pittsburgh the best MSW program in Pennsylvania?
Which Pennsylvania MSW programs offer Advanced Standing?
Which Pennsylvania cities have MSW programs?
Find CSWE-accredited programs in and near specific Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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, Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
The best MSW programs near Pennsylvania 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.