New York Schools Compared
From each school's own pages, reviewed October 2026. CSWE status from CSWE's practice doctorate directory, captured September 30, 2026; CSWE doesn't accredit PhD programs. Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Every Social Work Doctorate in New York
- Residency and class meetings
- Monthly on-campus classes at the School of Social Work Manhattan Center, combined with synchronous and asynchronous online classes
- Credits
- 54 credits
- Length
- Three-year, nine-semester part-time program
- Final project
- Yearlong capstone: a written paper or a program proposal with a grant application
- Practice experience
- Two years of post-MSW work experience in the field of social work
- Tuition
- $1,250 per credit hour (DSW hybrid)Program tuition, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
- Estimated tuition
- $67,500$1,250 per credit times 54 credits, before fees.
- Residency and class meetings
- Five or six days of in-person classes each semester and two in-person classes during the summer; fall and spring classes otherwise meet synchronously online on Monday evenings
- Length
- Three years of coursework and approximately two additional years for dissertation research
- Final project
- Dissertation
- Tuition
- $1,740 per credit hour (Social Work, PhD)Program tuition, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
- Funding
- A $16,600 scholarship; every admitted social work PhD student is considered
- Residency and class meetings
- Three semesters of full-time residency are required
- Credits
- Minimum of 49.5 credits for a prototypical student; at least 30 within the Columbia University system, 18 of them within the School of Social Work
- Length
- Approximately two years of full-time coursework; most students finish in 4-5 years
- Final project
- Dissertation, after a comprehensive examination
- Practice experience
- For the Advanced Practice method, a minimum of two years of post-master's direct practice experience is preferred
- GRE
- GRE not currently required
- Tuition
- $62,364 for one full-time year (estimated tuition rate, 2025-26 Doctoral Resource Guide)School-wide graduate rate, per year, 2025-26. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
New York · Public
PhDFunded
- Credits
- 51 credits beyond the master's degree
- Final project
- Dissertation, after First and Second Examinations
- Practice experience
- A minimum of three years of post-master's experience working in the human services
- GRE
- GRE not required
- Funding
- Every applicant is automatically considered for five-year institutional funding packages (fellowships, tuition awards and assistantships), awarded on merit
- Credits
- 48 credits of coursework and a dissertation
- Length
- Can be completed in four years: two years of coursework and approximately two years for the comprehensive examination and dissertation
- Final project
- Dissertation, after a comprehensive examination
- GRE
- GRE required (Verbal, Quantitative and Analytic Writing)
- Tuition
- $1,098 per credit (Graduate School of Social Service tuition)School-wide graduate rate, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
- Residency and class meetings
- Classes scheduled on the Brooklyn campus one evening per week; all classes are synchronous online instruction; the program is also offered fully online
- Credits
- 45 credits
- Length
- Designed to be completed in two years, including one summer session (accelerated)
- Final project
- Capstone: a substantial report on original research or an independent investigation, with an oral defense to a faculty committee
- Residency and class meetings
- Courses and workshops held in person at the Washington Square campus on Wednesday evenings in fall and spring, and Monday and Wednesday evenings in a compressed summer session; all classes contain an online component
- Length
- Three years (19 courses over fall, spring and summer semesters)
- Final project
- Portfolio of two publishable papers and a presentation at a professional conference, defended in a capstone course
- Practice experience
- Minimum of two years post-MSW practice experience
- Tuition
- $1,787 per point, per term, plus registration and services feesProgram tuition, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
- Credits
- 48 credits
- Length
- Coursework over two to three years; dissertation completed no later than seven years after enrollment
- Final project
- Dissertation, after a qualifying exam
- Practice experience
- Post-MSW practice experience not required; at least three years recommended
- Tuition
- $1,787 per point, per term (applies to candidates and students not on tuition scholarship)Program tuition, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
- Estimated tuition
- $85,776$1,787 per credit times 48 credits, before fees.
- Funding
- Full-time students receive a four-year Research Fellowship: full tuition and registration fee waivers for required coursework, dental and comprehensive health coverage, and a nine-month graduate assistantship stipend of $35,995.44
Stony Brook · Public
PhDFunded
- Length
- Typically 4-5 years of study
- Final project
- Dissertation, after a qualifying examination and dissertation proposal
- Funding
- Most admitted students receive a Research Assistantship package, usually lasting three years, that includes a stipend, health insurance and tuition remission, subject to the school budget
- Credits
- 36 credit hours of coursework
- Length
- Coursework in two years of full-time study; up to eight years to complete all degree requirements
- Final project
- Comprehensive essay and written dissertation
- GRE
- GREs are not required
- Funding
- Full-time students may be eligible for a competitive graduate research assistantship with an $18,000 annual stipend and tuition waiver for three years; a fourth year is possible after advancing to candidacy by the end of year three
Buffalo · Public
DSWOnline
- Credits
- 39 credit hours
- Length
- 3 years (7 semesters), part time
- Final project
- Four-semester capstone project implementing and evaluating an intervention in the student's agency, with a final paper and two dissemination products
- Practice experience
- A minimum of two years post-MSW practice experience in a social work setting
- GRE
- GRE not required
- Tuition
- $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 hourProgram tuition, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
- Estimated tuition
- $31,200$800 per credit times 39 credits, before fees.
Buffalo · Public
PhDOn campusFunded
- Length
- Typically four to five years
- Final project
- Dissertation
- GRE
- GRE not required
- Funding
- All PhD students receive full tuition coverage for up to 47 credits and a guaranteed four-year graduate assistantship (10-month, 20 hours per week) with a base stipend of $27,000 per year beginning fall 2027; Presidential and Schomburg Fellowships available
- Residency and class meetings
- Evening classes in a live virtual (Zoom) classroom; in-person attendance not required
- Credits
- 45 credits
- Length
- Three to four years (part-time 3-year or full-time 4-year study, per the FAQ)
- Final project
- Independent Grand Challenge project: two publishable articles, an oral defense and a presentation at a professional conference
- Practice experience
- Minimum of three years of supervised post-MSW clinical experience, currently working in social services or a related field
- GRE
- GRE not required
- Tuition
- $1,400 per credit (Wurzweiler doctoral program)School-wide graduate rate, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
- Residency and class meetings
- Live virtual (synchronous) evening classes, Monday through Thursday; some courses asynchronous
- Credits
- 51 credits
- Length
- Most students finish in about six years; full-time students not employed full time can finish in 3-4 years; eight-year limit
- Final project
- Dissertation (traditional or three-paper), after a comprehensive exam
- Practice experience
- Work experience not required but preferred
- GRE
- GRE not required
- Tuition
- $1,400 per credit (Wurzweiler doctoral program)School-wide graduate rate, per credit, 2026-27. Source: the school's program page, reviewed October 2026.
Online DSW Programs Open to New York Residents
23 online practice doctorates at schools outside New York are open to new students nationwide. These are the 8 with the lowest estimated tuition, one per school; programs without an estimate follow alphabetically. Confirm that the school can enroll New York residents before you apply.
Compare every online DSW program
Online and Hybrid Social Work PhDs for New York Residents
8 social work PhDs at schools outside New York are offered online or in a hybrid format. Funded programs are listed first.
Social Work Doctorates in States Bordering New York
- Southern Connecticut State UniversityNew Haven, CT · DSW
- University of ConnecticutStorrs, CT · PhD
- Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · PhD
- Boston UniversityBoston, MA · PhD
- Simmons UniversityBoston, MA · DSW and PhD
- Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA · PhD
- Monmouth UniversityWest Long Branch, NJ · DSW
- Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick, NJ · DSW and PhD
- Bryn Mawr CollegeBryn Mawr, PA · PhD
- Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PA · DSW
- Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMillersville, PA · DSW
- Penn (University of Pennsylvania)Philadelphia, PA · DSW and PhD
- University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · PhD
- Widener UniversityChester, PA · PhD
Social Work Doctorates in New York: Common Questions
How Many Social Work Doctorate Programs Are in New York?
14 at 10 schools: Adelphi University (DSW and PhD), Columbia University (PhD), CUNY Graduate School and University Center (PhD), Fordham University (PhD), Long Island University (DSW), NYU (DSW and PhD), Stony Brook University (PhD), University at Albany (PhD), University at Buffalo (DSW and PhD) and Yeshiva University (DSW and PhD).
Are New York's DSW Programs CSWE-Accredited?
Adelphi University (pre-candidacy) is in CSWE's practice doctorate directory (captured September 30, 2026). CSWE began accrediting practice doctorates only recently, and PhD programs aren't CSWE-accredited.
Can New York Residents Earn a DSW Online?
Yes. 23 online DSW programs at schools outside New York accept students nationwide; the lowest estimated tuition among them is $19,800 at University of Alabama. Confirm the school can enroll New York residents before you apply. Compare online DSW programs.
Can You Earn a PhD in Social Work Online From New York?
8 social work PhDs at schools elsewhere are offered online or in a hybrid format. The other 67 of the 77 social work PhDs on this site are campus-based, and campus PhDs are the ones most likely to state full funding. Compare online PhD programs.
How Much Does a DSW Cost in New York?
Estimated tuition for New York DSW programs that publish a rate and credits runs from $31,200 at University at Buffalo to $67,500 at Adelphi University, before fees.
Compare Programs Beyond Your State