Degree Guide
Social Work Degree Levels: BSW, MSW and DSW Explained
What Are the Social Work Degree Levels, and Which One Do You Need?
A social work degree comes in three professional levels: the bachelor's (BSW) for entry-level generalist jobs, the master's (MSW) for clinical practice and the clinical license, and the doctorate (DSW or PhD) for advanced practice, leadership, teaching and research. BLS says the BSW is the most common requirement for entry-level nonclinical jobs, while clinical social workers need an MSW, supervised experience and a state license. Of the 404 schools with a verified MSW on this site, 328 also offer a BSW and 95 offer a social work doctorate.
Which Social Work Degree Do You Need?
It depends on the work you want to do. Social work has three professional degree levels, and each one opens a different set of jobs and licenses:
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW): generalist, entry-level practice. BLS calls it the most common requirement for entry-level nonclinical social work jobs.
- Master of Social Work (MSW): specialized practice and the clinical path. BLS says clinical social workers need a master’s degree, supervised clinical experience and a state license.
- Doctorate (DSW or PhD): advanced practice and leadership (the DSW) or research and university teaching (the PhD).
If you want to be a therapist or a licensed clinical social worker, the MSW is the degree that matters. The BSW is a faster start and can shorten your MSW later. The doctorate is optional for practice.
The Social Work Degree Ladder Side by Side
| BSW | MSW | DSW | PhD in social work | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it prepares you for | Generalist practice | Generalist and specialized practice | Advanced practice and leadership | Research and teaching |
| CSWE accreditation | Yes, baccalaureate standards | Yes, master’s standards | Yes, practice doctorate standards | No, CSWE doesn’t accredit PhDs |
| Minimum field education | 400 hours | 900 hours | Set by each program | Set by each program |
| ASWB exam it usually leads to | Bachelors | Masters, then Clinical after supervised practice | None of its own | None of its own |
| Schools offering it, among 404 with a verified MSW | 328 | 404 | 95 schools offer a DSW or PhD | 95 schools offer a DSW or PhD |
The field hour minimums and accreditation levels come from CSWE. The 2022 standards (EPAS) require baccalaureate programs to prepare students for generalist practice, and master’s programs to prepare them for both generalist and specialized practice.
Bachelor of Social Work: The Entry Degree
A bachelor of social work is an undergraduate major built around generalist practice and at least 400 hours of supervised field education. It qualifies you for entry-level roles, and in states with a bachelor’s-level license it’s the degree behind it; ASWB’s Bachelors exam costs US$230.
BSWs go by several names. Auburn University and Alabama A & M University award a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, the University of Alabama at Birmingham awards a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, and most of the schools listed here simply say Bachelor of Social Work. For licensing and advanced standing, what matters is CSWE accreditation, not the letters.
Online BSWs exist: the University of Alabama, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt all list online or hybrid options alongside campus study. Field hours still happen in person.
For a full comparison of BSW programs, admissions and online options, see the sister site bswdegree.com.
Can You Start With an Associate Degree in Social Work?
You can take an associate degree in social work or human services, but it isn’t a professional social work degree. CSWE’s Board of Accreditation accredits baccalaureate, master’s and practice doctorate programs, plus post-master’s fellowships; associate degrees aren’t on that list.
An associate degree can still be a sensible first step if its credits transfer into a CSWE-accredited BSW. Treat it as the first half of a bachelor’s, and check transfer agreements with the BSW program you plan to finish at before you enroll.
Master of Social Work: The Clinical Degree
The MSW is the degree most social workers who want clinical or specialized careers aim for. This site verifies 530 MSW program options at 404 schools in 53 states and territories. The median program is 60 credits with 900 field hours, and estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees) runs from $11,070 to $138,900, with a median of $40,180.
You don’t need a BSW to start. A traditional MSW accepts bachelor’s degrees in other fields and spends its first year on the same generalist content a BSW covers. The second year is specialized: clinical and mental health, child and family, macro practice, medical social work and others. The MSW specializations guide compares them.
Format is flexible at this level. 261 programs run online, 266 on campus and 88 hybrid, and 349 list a part-time plan. Browse all of them on the MSW programs directory, or narrow to online MSW programs.
The MSW is also the degree that leads to the clinical license. After graduation you get a master’s-level license, complete your state’s supervised practice and pass the ASWB Clinical exam (US$260). The LCSW requirements guide covers each state’s hours.
The Social Work Degree Ladder in Numbers
| Degree | What it leads to | Verified here |
|---|---|---|
| BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) | Generalist practice; the bachelor's license in states that issue one; advanced standing into an MSW | 328 schools |
| MSW (Master of Social Work) | The master's license (LMSW or similar) and, with supervised experience, clinical licensure | 530 programs at 404 schools |
| MSW with advanced standing | The same MSW in fewer credits for BSW graduates | 474 programs |
| DSW or PhD in social work | Advanced practice leadership (DSW) or research and teaching (PhD) | 95 schools |
Counts are schools that also offer a verified MSW, from each school's own pages, September 2026.
How Advanced Standing Links the BSW and MSW
Advanced standing is what makes the BSW-to-MSW route efficient. CSWE’s standards say master’s programs offer advanced standing to graduates of CSWE-accredited BSW programs so they don’t repeat generalist content.
On this site, 474 of the 530 MSW programs offer it, at 378 schools. The median advanced standing plan is 33 credits, against 60 for the full program.
The catch is eligibility. Schools often limit how old your BSW can be and set a GPA floor. Test your degree date and grades with the advanced standing checker, then compare options on the advanced standing MSW programs page.
Doctorate in Social Work: DSW or PhD?
The two doctorates answer different questions. CSWE describes the practice doctorate, typically the DSW, as preparing practitioner-scholars to advance practice at the micro, mezzo or macro level. The PhD is a research degree, and CSWE doesn’t accredit PhDs at all; they’re covered by the university’s institutional accreditation.
Among the 95 schools here with a social work doctorate, 114 doctoral programs are listed: 77 PhDs (in social work or social welfare), 36 DSW programs, and USC’s Doctor of Social Innovation. 18 schools offer both a DSW and a PhD.
| DSW (practice doctorate) | PhD in social work or social welfare | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Practitioners moving into advanced practice, leadership or teaching | Researchers and future faculty |
| CSWE accreditation | CSWE began accepting applications in August 2025 after a 2021 to 2025 pilot | Not accredited by CSWE |
| Online availability here | 22 of 36 list an online format | 4 list an online format |
| Example | University of Kentucky online DSW: 42 credits, 2-3 years, two years of post-MSW experience required | UNC Chapel Hill PhD: requires a master’s in social work or a similar designation |
Doctorate of Social Work Programs
DSW programs are built around practice. Examples include the online DSWs at Tulane University, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and UT Arlington, and campus-based DSWs at Rutgers University and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Some are clinical by name: Penn’s Doctor of Clinical Social Work, NYU’s DSW in Clinical Social Work and Angelo State’s Clinical Social Work D.S.W. Others focus on leadership, such as the University of Illinois DSW in organizational administration and leadership and Monmouth University’s DSW in Human Rights Leadership.
The University of Kentucky’s online DSW gives a sense of scale: 42 credits over 2 to 3 years at $790 per credit hour, with an MSW from a CSWE-accredited program and two years of post-MSW experience required. The sister site dswdegree.net compares DSW programs in depth.
Social Work PhD Programs
PhD programs are mostly campus-based: 4 of the 77 list an online format (Simmons, Walden, Yeshiva and a Texas university). Some carry distinctive focuses, such as San Diego State University’s PhD in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use and Wayne State University’s dual-title options in Gerontology and Infant Mental Health. Several are titled social welfare rather than social work, including those at UC Berkeley, UCLA and the University of Washington. Admission usually builds on a master’s; UNC Chapel Hill asks for a master’s in social work or a similar designation and will consider a closely related field.
Licensing at Each Degree Level
Licensing is set by each state, and requirements vary. ASWB offers four exam categories that map roughly to degree levels: Bachelors, Masters, Advanced Generalist and Clinical. Each has 122 questions and a 4-hour limit.
The key link to your degree is accreditation. CSWE says most state and territory licensing rules require a degree from a CSWE-accredited program to sit for the exam. A doctorate doesn’t create a separate license tier; clinical licensure still rests on your MSW and supervised practice.
The Social Work Licensure Compact covers bachelor’s, master’s and clinical social workers, though its site says multistate licenses aren’t being issued yet. The social work license guide and license pathway tool show your state’s tiers.
What Each Degree Level Leads to in Pay
BLS counts 775,920 social workers across four occupations (May 2025). National medians run from $59,550 for child, family and school social workers to $67,880 for healthcare social workers and $71,900 for social workers in all other categories. BLS doesn’t split pay by degree, but the degree decides which jobs you qualify for: clinical roles require the MSW. The social work careers guide covers settings and pay by occupation.
How to Choose Your Starting Point
- You’re finishing high school or early in college and sure about social work: a CSWE-accredited BSW, then an advanced standing MSW, is the shortest route to the MSW.
- You already have a bachelor’s in another field: go straight to a traditional MSW. The median is 60 credits, and 349 programs list a part-time plan.
- You have a BSW: check advanced standing windows now, since many schools limit how old the BSW can be.
- You have an MSW and want to lead or teach practice: compare DSW programs and their experience rules; the University of Kentucky’s asks for two years after the MSW.
- You want a research career: look at PhD programs, most of which are campus-based.
The program matcher narrows the MSW options by format, price and advanced standing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Get an MSW Without a BSW?
Yes. A traditional MSW accepts bachelor's degrees in any field and has a median of 60 credits. The BSW only matters for advanced standing, which cuts the median to 33 credits at the 474 programs that offer it.
Is a DSW the Same as a PhD in Social Work?
No. CSWE describes the practice doctorate (usually the DSW) as preparing practitioner-scholars to advance practice, and it began accrediting these programs after a 2021 to 2025 pilot. CSWE does not accredit PhDs, which are research degrees.
What Can You Do With a Bachelor of Social Work?
Entry-level generalist and case management roles; BLS says the BSW is the most common requirement for entry-level nonclinical social work positions. Clinical work, such as diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, requires an MSW and a clinical license.
Can You Earn a Social Work Doctorate Online?
Yes. 22 of the 36 DSW programs listed here offer an online format, including those at the University of Kentucky, Tulane University and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Online PhDs are rarer: Simmons University, Walden University, Yeshiva University and one Texas university list one.
Do You Need a Doctorate to Be a Clinical Social Worker?
No. The MSW is the degree for clinical licensure. A DSW may add advanced clinical training; the University of Kentucky's online DSW, for example, requires two years of post-MSW experience to apply.
Keep Reading
- MSW SpecializationsThe main MSW specializations, how many verified programs offer each, and the jobs and licenses each one leads to
- MSW Admission RequirementsWhat MSW programs require for admission, with counts from verified program pages
- MSW Cost and Financial AidMSW tuition from verified programs, advanced standing savings, federal aid and loan forgiveness for social workers
- MSW Dual DegreesEvery verified dual degree paired with the MSW, by school
- Social Work LicensingHow social work licensing works, the license tiers, the ASWB exams and where to find each state's rules
- How to Become an LCSWThe steps from MSW to clinical licensure, supervised experience requirements by state and the ASWB Clinical exam