Today’s Most Affordable Online MSW Programs

Affordability is made up of tuition, fees, and related costs for things like books, supplies, transportation, etc. There are a variety of factors that impact program cost. The biggest include:

• Public vs. private school: In most cases, public colleges and universities charge lower (often significantly lower) tuition rates compared with private institutions.
• In-state vs. out-of-state student residency: Many public schools charge higher (often substantially higher) tuition rates to students who legally reside outside the school’s state borders. However, there is a growing trend to charge the same tuition rates to all online students, regardless of state residency.
• Availability of funding opportunities: These include scholarships, grants, work-study, assistantships, and so forth.
• Credit transferability: Some programs allow students to transfer a generous number of previously earned credits, resulting in fewer credits to be paid for in the MSW program.

Depending on your goals, the ROI can vary with your MSW degree. For example, if you plan to become a licensed clinical social worker, work in a school or healthcare facility, or take on higher management roles in an organization, then an MSW is a must-have. Taking on higher-level roles also means a jump in salary, and the ROI will be higher. Wages vary quite a bit by state, so compare salaries to see what your personal ROI could be. A quick search on Salary.com shows that the average salary of a LCSW, which requires an MSW, is around $74,000 per year. The average salary for a social worker with a BSW is around $60,000 per year. That’s a huge jump in annual salary for a master’s degree, meaning your affordable online MSW program will pay for itself quickly.

The foundational element of any degree program’s quality is accreditation. There are two types of accreditations to look for: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation of U.S. colleges and universities is administered by a number of independent accrediting agencies recognized by the Department of Education. Programmatic accreditation of MSW programs in the U.S. is provided by the CSWE. You definitely want to confirm both types of accreditation for any affordable online MSW program you consider.

Another criteria that speaks volumes about program quality is the percentage of graduates employed in their chosen field within a year of graduation. If graduates are getting snapped up, you’ll know that they have the skills to be successful in the social work field.

That depends on a number of factors specific to both you and the program you’re considering. Some programs, for example, charge an extra per-credit or per-class fee for online courses. Others offer a discounted tuition rate for their online degrees. And, as mentioned earlier, some public schools charge higher tuition rates to students residing outside their state’s borders. You’ll also want to factor in savings on such things as the cost of transportation to and from campus and the time you’ll save with no commute.

The short answer is “no,” but an explanation is required. Internships or field experiences play a major part in MSW programs, including all of the affordable online MSW programs mentioned in this guide. Their purpose is to provide students with an environment in which they develop new skills and grow professionally. This won’t happen in a job you already know how to do. That’s why prior or continuing experience in a current job is not counted toward your MSW degree. The one possible exception is if you are allowed to take on new and expanded duties in your current job. Overall though, it’s highly unlikely that your MSW program will allow prior work experience to be counted toward your degree requirements.

The truth is that only you can decide if an MSW degree is right for you or, beyond that, if a particular MSW program is the right program for you. Start by answering these two questions:

• What do I want from my career, both professionally and personally?
• Will earning an MSW degree help me reach my career goals?

If the answer to the second question is “yes,” then make a list of the program features you want. These might include:

• A total program cost of $20,000 or less
• Fully online coursework
• A program length of two years or less

You get the idea. Then apply your features list to the affordable online MSW programs to find the one that comes closest to meeting your needs and preferences.