South Dakota has one CSWE-accredited MSW program: the University of South Dakota Department of Social Work, which received CSWE accreditation in 2010. USD is a public research university with its main campus in Vermillion; the MSW program's primary instructional presence is in Sioux Falls, the state's largest city and social work employment hub, per the CSWE directory. Online delivery was added in 2018. The Advanced Generalist concentration prepares graduates for practice across micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Advanced Standing is available for qualified BSW holders.
South Dakota's social work landscape is defined in part by its nine federally recognized tribal nations, which collectively occupy a substantial portion of the state's western territory. The Pine Ridge Reservation (Oglala Sioux Tribe), the Rosebud Reservation (Rosebud Sioux Tribe), and the Standing Rock Reservation (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, shared with North Dakota) have among the highest rates of poverty and social service need of any communities in the United States. The Indian Health Service Aberdeen Area, the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board, and tribal social services departments across South Dakota's reservations depend heavily on USD MSW graduates for their licensed social work workforce. The 2010 accreditation date means USD is a relatively recent entrant to MSW education, but it has rapidly become the essential pipeline for the state's social work workforce.
South Dakota social work licensing is administered by the Board of Social Work Examiners within the South Dakota Department of Health. The state issues an LMSW for MSW graduates and a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) for those who complete post-graduate supervised clinical hours, which is distinct from the LCSW credential designation used in most other states but equivalent in function.
Which MSW program in South Dakota is 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 year is the Initial Accreditation Date from the CSWE directory. USD operates from Sioux Falls and online (2018) per CSWE.
- #1
University of South Dakota Department of Social Work
Sioux Falls, SD · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2010
7.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingThe University of South Dakota Department of Social Work is the only CSWE-accredited MSW program in South Dakota. One concentration is listed: Advanced Generalist. Advanced Standing is available. Online delivery was added in 2018. USD is a public research university. While USD's main campus is in Vermillion, the MSW program operates its primary instructional presence in Sioux Falls, the state's largest city and social work employment center, per the CSWE directory. This placement provides direct access to Sioux Falls' major healthcare employers, including Sanford Health (headquartered in Sioux Falls and the dominant health system in the Dakotas) and Avera McKennan Hospital (a major regional medical center), as well as the state's Department of Social Services offices and behavioral health providers. USD's 2010 accreditation date reflects a relatively recent program establishment; the Advanced Generalist concentration and online delivery broaden access across the state's dispersed population.
Public (University of South Dakota). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
University of South Dakota Department of Social Work
How long does an MSW take in South Dakota, and what does it cost?
An MSW in South Dakota 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. It runs an Advanced Standing track, which finishes the degree in about a year for BSW holders. It is a public university, so in-state residency is the main lever on cost. 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 South Dakota?
Sioux Falls is South Dakota's largest city and by far its most active job market for MSW graduates. Sanford Health, headquartered in Sioux Falls, is the largest rural health system in the United States and the dominant healthcare employer in both the Dakotas. Sanford's Sioux Falls facilities, including its flagship medical center, employ a large concentration of healthcare social workers. Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center, affiliated with the Avera Health system (headquartered in Sioux Falls), is the other major hospital-based employer. The South Dakota Department of Social Services and its contracted behavioral health providers employ the largest share of public-sector social workers in the city. Volunteers of America Dakotas, Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, and other nonprofits serving the Sioux Falls homeless, refugee, and low-income populations are additional field placement and employment sites.
The tribal social services sector is a significant employer of USD MSW graduates across western South Dakota. The Oglala Sioux Tribe's social services programs at Pine Ridge, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe social services at Rosebud, the Indian Health Service Great Plains Area (headquartered in Aberdeen), and the tribal colleges including Oglala Lakota College, Sinte Gleska University, and Sitting Bull College all employ or support social work practitioners. These settings involve not just direct practice but also community organizing, policy advocacy, and program administration, all within the Advanced Generalist framework the USD program uses.
Rapid City, the second-largest city in South Dakota and the primary service center for western South Dakota, is an additional employer market for USD graduates. Regional Health (Monument Health) and Rapid City Regional Hospital, the Pennington County social services, and the Rapid City Indian Health Board are the primary employers. The Black Hills area's growing population and the social service needs of western tribal communities make Rapid City an increasingly important social work labor market.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, South Dakota; SD Board of Social Work Examiners.
Can you earn an MSW online in South Dakota in 2026?
You can earn an MSW online in South Dakota at the state's only accredited program: University of South Dakota. It records an online option in the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs.
Accreditation covers every approved delivery method under the same degree, so an online MSW carries the same standing for licensure as the on-campus version and the ASWB examination does not distinguish between them. Field placement is the part that stays local: coursework is delivered online, but the 900 supervised hours happen at an agency, which for most students means one within commuting distance of home.
Can you work full time while earning an MSW in South Dakota?
You can work full time while earning an MSW in South Dakota at the state's only accredited program, which records a part-time plan of study with CSWE: University of South Dakota.
A part-time plan spreads coursework over three or four years rather than two. It does not, however, make the field placement part time: the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards require 900 hours of supervised field education for a master's degree, most of it during business hours, which is the constraint working students in South Dakota most often have to plan around. One program in the state also offers an online option.
How did we rank the MSW program in South Dakota?
We ranked the MSW program in South Dakota 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 South Dakota-specific adjustments are made. 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: South Dakota licenses no graduate of an unaccredited program. The accredited program here has held that status since 2010.
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 South Dakota?
You become a licensed social worker in South Dakota 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 South Dakota social work licensing board. South Dakota 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 SD
MSW → CSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Pass the ASWB Masters exam and apply for the CSW (Certified Social Worker).
Clinical social work license route in SD
MSW → CSW-PIP
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Complete supervised practice at least 2 years and pass the ASWB Clinical exam, then apply for the CSW-PIP (Certified Social Worker Private Independent Practice), which authorizes independent clinical practice and clinical diagnosis.
South Dakota social work licenses at a glance
Master's license
Certified Social Worker
Clinical license
Certified Social Worker Private Independent Practice
Source: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Social Work Regulatory Database, 2026. License requirements change, so always confirm current rules with the South Dakota licensing board before applying.
Common questions about MSW programs in South Dakota
Common questions about MSW programs in South Dakota, on accreditation, cost, format and licensure.
How many CSWE-accredited MSW programs are in South Dakota?
What do social workers earn in South Dakota?
What are South Dakota's social work licensing requirements?
Is USD's MSW program accessible to students in western South Dakota?
Is USD's MSW program suitable for working with Lakota and Dakota tribal communities?
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 South Dakota 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, South Dakota 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 South Dakota?
The best MSW programs near South Dakota 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.