Verified October 2026

Online DSW Programs

What Are the Best Online DSW Programs, and How Online Are They?

There are 29 online DSW programs at 28 schools, and many still ask you to travel. The University of Louisville and UT Arlington require no campus visits, while Alabama, Tennessee and Walla Walla hold week-long or multi-day campus residencies. Estimated tuition runs from $19,800 at the University of Alabama to $97,524 at USC, and 3 online DSWs, at Tulane, Walden and Tennessee, are CSWE-accredited.

Researched and edited by · Updated

29programs
28schools
10with campus residencies
11CSWE-accredited or in candidacy
$42,500median estimated tuition (16 priced)
48median credits
A social worker takes notes at her dining table while a classmate speaks on a tablet video call beside her laptop
Photo: Kampus Production / Pexels

How Online DSW Programs Work: Residencies and Live Classes

“Online” on a DSW page rarely means you never see a campus. Of the online DSW programs in this set, only a handful ask for no travel at all. Most add a residency, and many add live class sessions on a fixed evening or weekend. Those two lines, more than the word online, decide whether a program fits around your caseload.

Here is what the online programs with stated residency rules ask of you, from least travel to most.

Program Campus travel Live online sessions Length
University of Louisville None Most finish by spring of year three
UT Arlington (starts 2027) None None required 3 years
Yeshiva University None required Evening Zoom classes 3 to 4 years
University of Kansas None Every other Saturday 2 years full time, 3 to 4 part time
Walden University One virtual residency As few as 21 months
Capella University Two virtual residencies 3.5 to 4.5 years
University of Kentucky One residency week, with an asynchronous alternative 2 to 3 years
University of St Thomas 2.5-day August orientation in St. Paul 3 years, one course at a time
Barry University One two-day hybrid event in year two Wednesday evenings 3 years
University of Memphis Two days each August Usually Monday evenings 3 years
Millersville University One weekend each August, plus two virtual residencies 3 years, part time
Tulane University Optional: monthly weekend class online or on campus Monthly weekends 30 months
University of Alabama 4 days in June of year one, 5 days in year two 2 years plus capstone
Monmouth University One week every summer 3 years
California Baptist University Two four-day intensives each year 24 months
Walla Walla University Two week-long residencies 2 years, full time
University of Tennessee, Knoxville One week in each of the first two summers, plus a three-day June orientation 3 years

A blank cell means no recurring live session is listed with the program’s residency details.

What Online DSW Programs Cost

16 online DSWs publish a per-credit rate and a credit total, so you can estimate the whole degree. Estimated tuition (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees) runs from $19,800 at Alabama to $97,524 at USC, with a middle value of $42,500, the figure for Spalding University’s 50-credit leadership DSW.

Several public universities price their online DSW below private ones. Alabama charges $440 per credit hour, Kentucky $790, Millersville $694 for Pennsylvania residents and Kutztown $768 for Pennsylvania residents including its technology fee. Among private schools, Barry’s $700 per credit (2024-25) and Walden’s $730 per quarter credit are the lowest rates. Capella charges $1,020 per quarter credit across 71 quarter credits, but Capella caps total tuition at $45,000, which puts a long, 3.5 to 4.5 year program in the middle of the range.

Fees sit on top of every estimate. Kentucky adds a $10 per credit hour distance learning fee, Walden a $185 program fee per quarter and Walla Walla a $162 general fee per quarter. Buffalo publishes tuition plus fees of $966.16 per credit hour for New York residents and $1,314.16 for others. Price your own plan in the DSW cost calculator, and see the DSW cost and funding guide for loans and employer support.

Online DSW Programs With CSWE Accreditation or Candidacy

CSWE accredits practice doctorates, including online ones, but only since a pilot that ran from 2021 to 2025; it opened applications to every practice doctorate in August 2025. Three online DSWs are accredited: Tulane, Walden and Tennessee. Eight more are in candidacy: Kentucky, Capella, USC’s DSW and its Doctor of Social Innovation, St Thomas, Memphis, Loma Linda’s clinical leadership DSW and Walla Walla.

Candidacy is a real step toward accreditation. When a program earns initial accreditation, CSWE applies it to students who began in the academic year candidacy was granted and after. Online DSWs not yet on CSWE’s list, including Alabama, Buffalo, Kansas and Louisville, aren’t failing a review; most haven’t been through a process that is barely a year old. Track every program on the CSWE-accredited DSW programs page.

Lowest-Cost Online DSW Programs

How this list is ranked: lowest estimated tuition first. Estimated tuition is the school's published per-credit rate times the credits it states, before fees, or the school's own published program total, for programs that publish those figures (one program per school). Rates were read on each school's site in October 2026; school-wide or general graduate rates are left out.

  1. University of Alabama: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

    $19,800estimated tuition

    University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL, public) offers this online DSW in 45 credits (2 years of coursework followed by a Capstone Project that typically takes a year). At $440 per credit, estimated tuition is $19,800 before fees. Residency: mandatory on-campus residencies in early June: 4 days in the first year and 5 days in the second year, plus a capstone presentation before graduation. Final project: capstone Project: an intervention development, implementation and evaluation; a practice-focused thesis; or a first-authored manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal. Experience: at least 3 years of post-MSW program experience. No GRE required. A part-time plan is offered.

    The school's tuition wording: $440 per credit hour, not including additional fees

    University of Alabama DSW credits, residency and admission · Total cost of University of Alabama's DSW with loans · All 2 doctoral programs at University of Alabama

  2. University at Buffalo: Online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in Social WelfareOnline Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in Social Welfare

    $31,200estimated tuition

    University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY, public) offers this online DSW in 39 credits (3 years (7 semesters), part time). At $800 per credit, estimated tuition is $31,200 before fees. That is the resident rate; the school publishes a different rate for nonresidents. Final project: four-semester capstone project implementing and evaluating an intervention in the student's agency, with a final paper and two dissemination products. Experience: A minimum of two years post-MSW practice experience in a social work setting. No GRE required. A part-time plan is offered.

    The school's tuition wording: $800 per credit hour (New York residents); $1,148 per credit hour (out-of-state/international); tuition plus fees $966.16 and $1,314.16 per credit hour (2026-27)

    What the University at Buffalo DSW asks of applicants · Can federal loans cover the University at Buffalo DSW? · Every doctoral option at University at Buffalo, side by side

  3. University of Kentucky: Online Doctorate in Social Work (DSW)Online Doctorate in Social Work (DSW)

    $33,180estimated tuition

    CSWE candidacy

    University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY, public) offers this online DSW in 42 credits (2-3 years). At $790 per credit, estimated tuition is $33,180 before fees. Residency: one synchronous Residency Week, with an asynchronous alternative available. Final project: capstone project embedded throughout coursework and supervised by a Capstone Mentor. Experience: two years of post-MSW experience in the social work/human services field. No GRE required.

    The school's tuition wording: $790 per credit hour for all online DSW students regardless of residence, plus a $10 per credit hour distance learning fee

    How the University of Kentucky DSW is structured · Monthly payment on a University of Kentucky DSW · University of Kentucky school profile and doctoral awards

  4. Millersville University of Pennsylvania: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

    $33,312estimated tuition

    Millersville University of Pennsylvania (Millersville, PA, public) offers this online DSW in 48 credits (3 years, part-time over 8 semesters (must complete program within 5 years); 4 or 5 year plans may be proposed). At $694 per credit, estimated tuition is $33,312 before fees. That is the resident rate; the school publishes a different rate for nonresidents. Residency: one in-person weekend residency in August each year, and 2 virtual residencies in January and May. Final project: original research project culminating in a dissertation defense. Experience: 2 years post-MSW practice experience. A part-time plan is offered.

    The school's tuition wording: 2025-2026: PA residents $694 per credit ($4,164 per semester plus fees); non-residents $1,041 per credit ($6,246 per semester plus fees) (2025-26)

    Millersville University of Pennsylvania DSW format and final project · Millersville University of Pennsylvania DSW cost with fees

  5. Barry University: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

    $35,000estimated tuition

    Barry University (Miami, FL, private nonprofit) offers this online DSW in 50 credits (3 years). At $700 per credit, estimated tuition is $35,000 before fees. Residency: A one-time, 2-day hybrid event in the second year, held virtually and on the Barry University campus in Miami Shores, FL; weekly mandatory synchronous class on Wednesday evenings. Final project: doctoral Capstone: a Practice Advance manuscript presented and defended before a Capstone Committee and submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. Experience: two years of post-master's social work experience. No GRE required. A part-time plan is offered.

    The school's tuition wording: $700 per credit (2024-2025) (2024-25)

    Admission and length of the Barry University DSW · Loan gap for the Barry University DSW under 2026 limits

  6. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

    $36,864estimated tuition

    Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (Kutztown, PA, public) offers this online DSW in 48 credits. At $768 per credit, estimated tuition is $36,864 before fees. That is the resident rate; the school publishes a different rate for nonresidents. Residency: in-person weekend residencies at the beginning of each term. Final project: applied research culminating in a dissertation; Praxis I and II experiential leadership or teaching projects. Experience: 2+ years of professional practice experience with an MSW.

    The school's tuition wording: 2026-27: $768 per credit for Pennsylvania residents ($728 tuition plus $40 technology fee); $1,145 per credit for non-residents ($1,092 tuition plus $53 technology fee)

    Kutztown University of Pennsylvania DSW credits, residency and admission · Total cost of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania's DSW with loans

  7. University of Kansas: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

    $41,790estimated tuition

    University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS, public) offers this online DSW in 42 credits (two years full time; three or four years part time). At $995 per credit, estimated tuition is $41,790 before fees. Residency: live online classes every other Saturday. Final project: capstone project. Experience: minimum of three years of clinical or macro practice experience beyond the master's degree. A part-time plan is offered.

    The school's tuition wording: $995 per credit hour, including fees (flat rate regardless of residency)

    What the University of Kansas DSW asks of applicants · Can federal loans cover the University of Kansas DSW? · All 2 doctoral programs at University of Kansas

  8. Spalding University: Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in Leadership in Community PracticesDoctor of Social Work (DSW) in Leadership in Community Practices

    $42,500estimated tuition

    Spalding University (Louisville, KY, private nonprofit) offers this online DSW in 50 credits (two years). At $850 per credit, estimated tuition is $42,500 before fees. Residency: low-residency format; all courses taught with online synchronous and asynchronous instruction, with virtual classes on Saturdays. Final project: student-directed capstone that includes an original research project. Experience: minimum of two years of post-MSW practice experience.

    The school's tuition wording: $850 per credit hour (2026-2027) (2026-27)

    How the Spalding University DSW is structured · Monthly payment on a Spalding University DSW

  9. Walden University: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

    $43,070estimated tuition

    CSWE-accredited DSW

    Walden University (Minneapolis, MN, private for-profit) offers this online DSW in 59 credits (as few as 21 months; up to 8 years). At $730 per credit, estimated tuition is $43,070 before fees. Residency: one virtual residency. Final project: capstone project integrated into coursework. Experience: at least 2 years full-time or equivalent practice experience beyond the master's degree. No GRE required. A part-time plan is offered.

    The school's tuition wording: $730 per quarter credit; program fee $185 per quarter

    Walden University DSW format and final project · Walden University DSW cost with fees · Walden University school profile and doctoral awards

  10. Capella University: Doctor of Social WorkDoctor of Social Work

    $45,000published tuition cap

    CSWE candidacy

    Capella University (Minneapolis, MN, private for-profit) offers this online DSW in 71 credits (3.5 to 4.5 years). The school caps total tuition at $45,000. Residency: two intensive virtual residencies. Final project: capstone: an applied research project on a real-world social work problem. Experience: two or more years of post-master's social work practice experience. No GRE required. A part-time plan is offered.

    The school's tuition wording: $1,020 per quarter credit for coursework; capstone $3,060 per quarter; $45,000 tuition cap (2026-27)

    Admission and length of the Capella University DSW · Loan gap for the Capella University DSW under 2026 limits

  11. California Baptist University: Doctor of Social Work (DSW)Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

    $49,344estimated tuition

    California Baptist University (Riverside, CA, private nonprofit) offers this online DSW in 48 credits (2 years (24 months, 6 semesters)). At $1,028 per credit, estimated tuition is $49,344 before fees. Residency: two four-day residency intensives each year. Final project: comprehensive project addressing a local or global social issue.

    The school's tuition wording: $1,028 per unit plus fees (2026-27)

    California Baptist University DSW credits, residency and admission · Total cost of California Baptist University's DSW with loans

  12. Walla Walla University: Doctor of Social Work (D.S.W.)Doctor of Social Work (D.S.W.)

    $51,532estimated tuition

    CSWE candidacy

    Walla Walla University (College Place, WA, private nonprofit) offers this online DSW in 52 credits (8 quarters over 2 years, full time). At $991 per credit, estimated tuition is $51,532 before fees. Residency: two week-long on-campus residencies. Experience: minimum of two years of post-MSW direct practice experience. No GRE required.

    The school's tuition wording: $991 per quarter hour; general fee $162 per quarter (2026-27)

    What the Walla Walla University DSW asks of applicants · Can federal loans cover the Walla Walla University DSW?

All 29 Online DSW Programs

Filter by format, residency, focus, the GRE and state; tick up to three programs to compare them side by side.

29 programs

Program facts come from each school's own pages, reviewed October 2026; a dash marks a detail the school's pages leave out. Estimated tuition is the published per-credit rate times the stated credits, before fees, or the school's published program total; figures marked "general rate", "estimated rate" or "cost-of-attendance estimate" are the school's broader figures, not this program's own tuition. "Campus residencies" means an online or hybrid program with required in-person sessions. Admission shows the years of post-MSW practice the school asks for. CSWE status (DSW programs only) comes from CSWE's practice doctorate directory, captured September 30, 2026.

Synchronous or Self-Paced: The Weekly Rhythm

Your week in an online DSW depends on whether classes meet live. Barry requires a synchronous class every Wednesday evening, Memphis usually meets on Monday evenings, and Kansas holds live classes every other Saturday. Spalding is low-residency, mixing synchronous and asynchronous work with virtual classes on Saturdays. Yeshiva teaches entirely in an evening Zoom classroom. Nebraska Omaha’s upcoming DSW lists a required weekly synchronous component.

Live sessions keep a cohort together, and many students value that. They also fix your schedule, which matters if you work evenings or sit three time zones from the school. UT Arlington sits at the other end: no required weekly meetings at all. If you need full control of your hours, UT Arlington, Walden and Capella, with virtual or no residencies, are the closest fits.

Capstones You Can Complete From Your Agency

24 online DSWs end in a capstone, and the best of them use your workplace as the lab. Buffalo’s four-semester capstone has you implement and evaluate an intervention in your own agency, then write a final paper and two dissemination products. Alabama lets you choose an intervention project, a practice-focused thesis or a first-authored journal manuscript. Barry’s capstone is a manuscript you defend and submit to a peer-reviewed journal.

Kentucky embeds its capstone in coursework under a capstone mentor, and Walden integrates its capstone into coursework too. Yeshiva’s Grand Challenge project asks for two publishable articles, an oral defense and a conference presentation. If you want research depth online, St Thomas ends in a banded dissertation of three linked works, and Millersville in an original research project with a dissertation defense.

Who Gets In: Experience and License Rules

Online programs hold the same bar as campus ones. Two years of post-MSW experience is the most common minimum, at Kentucky, Walden, Capella, St Thomas, Memphis, Walla Walla and others. Alabama, USC, Tulane, Kansas, Simmons and Tennessee ask for three, and Loma Linda asks for four. Simmons is lowering its requirement from three years to two as of January 2027.

Few online DSWs require a license. Yeshiva requires professional licensure, and Loma Linda a clinical license or documented progress toward one. Alabama asks for a current license only on its Advanced Clinical Practice Track, and UT Arlington encourages licensure without requiring it. 11 online DSWs state that the GRE isn’t required. Full rules are in the DSW admission requirements guide.

Keep the license question separate from the degree. Every state licenses clinical social workers on the strength of an MSW and supervised experience; an online DSW doesn’t replace that license, and you don’t need it to keep practicing.

Online DSW or Online PhD in Social Work?

If you want to research full time and compete for tenure-track jobs, look at the PhD instead. 8 social work PhDs are offered online, and the online PhD in social work page compares them. A PhD ends in a dissertation and trains you to run independent research, while the DSW trains you to improve practice.

The online DSW fits when you plan to keep working, lead a program or teach practice courses. 13 online DSWs carry a teaching focus and 21 a leadership focus. Still deciding? The DSW or PhD chooser and the DSW vs PhD guide walk through it.

Which Online DSW Fits Your Goal

  • Clinicians who want advanced practice: Tennessee’s clinical practice and leadership DSW (accredited), Loma Linda’s clinical leadership DSW (candidacy), Yeshiva’s clinical DSW and Alabama’s Advanced Clinical Practice Track. See all clinical DSW programs.
  • Agency leaders: Spalding’s leadership in community practices, Monmouth’s human rights leadership, Walden’s Impact Leadership in Social Work Administration and Alabama’s Organizational Leadership Track. See the leadership and teaching DSW programs.
  • Future practice faculty: Kentucky’s Social Work Education focus, Walden’s Social Work Education specialization, Kutztown and Millersville’s teaching focus, and UT Arlington’s teaching and educational leadership program.
  • Specialists: Kentucky also offers Military Behavioral Health and Sport Social Work, rare focuses among online DSWs.

How to Choose an Online DSW Program

  • Count the travel days. Add up residency days across the whole program, from zero at Louisville to two summer weeks at Tennessee.
  • Check the live-session night. A fixed Wednesday (Barry) or Monday (Memphis) class has to fit your work schedule every week.
  • Compare estimated tuition, then add fees. Alabama’s $19,800 and Kentucky’s $33,180 sit at the low end before per-credit and per-quarter fees.
  • Look at the residency rate. Buffalo, Millersville and Kutztown charge out-of-state students more; Kentucky and Kansas don’t.
  • Match the final project to your goal. Pick a published manuscript, an agency intervention or a dissertation.
  • Weigh CSWE status. If you plan to teach, an accredited or candidacy program is the stronger signal.
  • Shortlist with filters. The program matcher filters online DSWs by residency, focus and cost.

Online DSW Programs Starting in 2027

Three online DSWs are listed but haven’t enrolled a first class. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign starts its first cohort in 2027-28, with 48 credits in eight-week, four-credit modules focused on organizational administration and leadership. UT Arlington starts cohorts in spring and summer 2027. The University of Nebraska at Omaha lists its DSW in the catalog, with clinical and leadership tracks. For every online and campus option side by side, see all DSW programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There a DSW Program Fully Online With No Residency?

Yes. The University of Louisville states that no campus residency is required, and UT Arlington's new DSW, starting in 2027, has no residency, no required weekly meetings and no campus visits. Walden and Capella hold their residencies virtually, and Yeshiva teaches in evening Zoom classes with no in-person attendance required.

What Is the Most Affordable Online DSW?

The University of Alabama, with estimated tuition of $19,800 (published per-credit rate times credits, before fees): 45 credits at $440 per credit hour. Next come Buffalo at $31,200 for New York residents, Kentucky at $33,180 and Millersville at $33,312. Compare all of them on the most affordable online DSW programs page.

How Long Does an Online DSW Take?

Most take about three years part time. Walden says you can finish in as few as 21 months, California Baptist runs 24 months and Tulane 30 months. Capella states 3.5 to 4.5 years.

Can I Work Full Time While Earning an Online DSW?

Many students do. 16 of the 29 online DSWs state a part-time option. St Thomas has you take one course at a time over three years, and Buffalo spreads 39 credit hours over seven part-time semesters.

Do Online DSW Students Pay Out-of-State Tuition?

It depends on the school. Buffalo charges $800 per credit hour for New York residents and $1,148 for others, while Kentucky charges $790 for all online DSW students regardless of residence, and Kansas charges a flat $995 including fees.

Is an Online DSW the Same Degree as a Campus DSW?

Some schools blur the line. Long Island University schedules its DSW on the Brooklyn campus one evening a week with all classes taught synchronously online, and also offers it fully online. Tulane lets you attend its monthly weekend classes online or on campus. Three online DSWs, at Tulane, Walden and Tennessee, are CSWE-accredited.

Related DSW Program Lists

Sources

  1. Official program, tuition and admissions pages of each school listed, reviewed October 2026
  2. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), directory of accredited practice doctorate programs, captured September 30, 2026
  3. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2022-23 completions: doctoral awards in social work (CIP 44.0701)
  4. CSWE: Practice doctorate program accreditation
  5. CSWE: Accreditation process and scope
  6. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social workers

Every program on this site was checked on the school's own website in October 2026. CSWE status for practice doctorates comes only from the Council on Social Work Education's own directory, and program size from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS) doctoral completions. Sponsored listings are labeled as ads and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs