Los Angeles, California

USC MSW Programs

University of Southern California

CSWE-accreditedUSC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social WorkPrivate nonprofit

What MSW Options Does USC Offer?

USC offers 2 MSW options, 1 of them online. It is CSWE-accredited. BSW graduates can enter with advanced standing (24 units). Estimated tuition starts at $111,456.

Researched and edited by · Updated

2 MSW Options at USC

Specializations named on USC's pages: Integrative Social Work, Adult Mental Health & Wellness (track), Children, Youth and Families (track), Social Change and Innovation (track), School and Educational Settings (track) and Military Populations and Settings (track).

Admissions, Structure and Cost at USC

ProgramAdvanced standingField educationGREPublished tuition
Master of Social Work (on campus and hybrid; Los Angeles and San Diego Academic Center)Starts: Fall, Spring24 units, 12 months1,200 hours of practicum training$2,322 per unit (1-14 units); $34,823 flat rate per semester (15-18 units); estimated total tuition $111,442
Online Master of Social WorkStarts: SpringOfferedGRE not required$2,322 per unit (1-14 units); $34,823 flat rate per semester (15-18 units); estimated total tuition $111,456

From USC's own program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed September 30, 2026. Blank cells: the school's pages don't state that detail. Tuition changes each year; confirm fees with the school.

How USC Compares

USC's lowest estimated tuition, $111,456 for Master of Social Work (on campus and hybrid; Los Angeles and San Diego Academic Center), is above the national median of $40,180 (345th lowest of 349 programs with an estimate). Its MSW requires 48 credits, against a national median of 60. It awarded 649 MSWs in 2022-23 (IPEDS), 1st of 25 in California and 6th of 309 nationally among schools on this site.

USCCalifornia medianU.S. median
Estimated tuition (lowest option)$111,456$48,600$40,180
Credits486060

Medians across programs on this site that publish the figure, September 2026. The MSW cost and loan calculator adds fees and federal loan limits.

MSW Dual Degrees at USC

Certificates at USC

  • Interprofessional Education Caregiving graduate certificate (open to non-current students)
  • Graduate certificates for current USC students (Advanced Clinical Social Work Practice, Aging and Health, Ending Homelessness, Law and Advocacy, Social Work Administration, Social Work Practice in Addiction, Telebehavioral Health Practice, Trauma-Informed Practices in Educational Settings, Visual Social Work, Youth Advocacy, Evaluation and Research)

Other Social Work Degrees at USC

Is USC's MSW CSWE Accredited?

USC's MSW is listed as accredited in the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) directory (September 2026). CSWE accredits the program, which covers every format the school offers it in. All CSWE-accredited MSW programs

Federal data (IPEDS) show USC awarded 649 MSWs in 2022-23.

From USC's MSW to a California License

  1. Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW2 years full time, or about 1 with advanced standing
  2. Pass the ASWB exam (California Law and Ethics Exam (must be taken annually until passed to renew the ASW registration, and passed to receive a subsequent registration))For the ASW
  3. Log supervised clinical hoursMinimum 3,000 hours over a minimum of 104 supervised weeks, including …
  4. Earn the clinical license (LCSW)Independent clinical practice

California license tiers from its social work board · License pathway planner

Similar MSW Programs to Compare With USC

Online MSW programs at other CSWE-accredited schools, closest in estimated tuition:

USC MSW: Common Questions

Is USC's MSW CSWE Accredited?

USC's MSW is listed as accredited in the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) directory (September 2026). CSWE accredits the program, which covers every format the school offers it in.

Does USC Offer an Online MSW?

Yes. Online Master of Social Work is offered online.

Does USC Offer Advanced Standing?

Master of Social Work (on campus and hybrid; Los Angeles and San Diego Academic Center): 24 units; 12 months; BSW or social welfare degree from a CSWE-accredited school earned within the past 5 years. Online Master of Social Work: BSW or social welfare degree from a CSWE-accredited school earned within the past 5 years.

How Much Does USC's MSW Cost?

Master of Social Work (on campus and hybrid; Los Angeles and San Diego Academic Center): $2,322 per unit (1-14 units); $34,823 flat rate per semester (15-18 units); estimated total tuition $111,442 (about $111,456 for 48 credits, before fees). Online Master of Social Work: $2,322 per unit (1-14 units); $34,823 flat rate per semester (15-18 units); estimated total tuition $111,456 (about $111,456 for 48 credits, before fees). Confirm current rates and fees with the school.

Does USC Require the GRE for Its MSW?

Online Master of Social Work: GRE not required.

How Many Field Hours Does USC's MSW Require?

Master of Social Work (on campus and hybrid; Los Angeles and San Diego Academic Center): 1,200 hours of practicum training.

More MSW Programs in California

Sources

  1. dworakpeck.usc.edu: program, admissions and tuition pages, reviewed September 30, 2026
  2. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), directory of accredited programs (September 2026)
  3. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23
  4. California Board of Behavioral Sciences

Every program on this site was checked against the school's own website. Accreditation status comes only from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) directory, license rules from each state's social work board, and graduate counts from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS). Sponsored listings are labeled and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs