The Best Online Doctorate in Social Work Programs

If you want help make a positive impact on the lives of others, then consider pursuing a doctoral degree in social work online.

A social work degree can lead to specialized and high-level careers in social work, nonprofit management, community leadership, research, and academia.

Professionals with a Ph.D. or doctor of social work (DSW), state licensure, and many years of experience have a wide variety of career options available to them. They qualify for management positions within a company or organization, top research opportunities, and teaching jobs at postsecondary schools. Additionally, a strong demand for health and social services employees is driving employment in this sector. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that job growth for social workers will grow 7% between 2023-2033 — faster than the economy as a whole.

The school and/or program descriptions below were drafted using natural language generation technology and have been edited for clarity and accuracy. The data is primarily sourced from government databases such as IPEDS – see sources section for more details.

The difference between a social work Ph.D. and a doctor of social work (DSW) is that social work Ph.D. programs tend to be oriented toward research, while DSW programs tend to be oriented toward clinical practice. However, both degrees share significant overlap when it comes to their curricula and educational requirements. Regardless of which degree is earned, the holder of the degree has a doctorate in the field of social work. If you are interested in the research side of social work, you might want to look at social work Ph.D. programs. If you are interested in leading social workers in a clinical setting, consider a DSW.

When researching online social work degrees, you may find that they are as unique as the schools that offer them. However, most curricula feature courses and topics common across all DSW and online Ph.D. in social work programs. Generally, Ph.D. students explore advanced theoretical concepts, while those earning a DSW online pursue more practical objectives through applied learning coursework.

Most students complete a doctorate in social work in 2-3 years. However, several factors can affect completion times, including whether a student attends full-time or part-time, how often classes are available, and how a program is structured.

Programs also differ by format. Students seeking maximum flexibility may prefer a self-paced program they can complete in their own time. Others may benefit from a cohort arrangement, which assembles students into groups to facilitate a collaborative learning environment.

Students enrolled in social work Ph.D. programs online typically complete 48-72 credit hours, culminating in a graduate thesis or dissertation. Like other doctoral programs, students may be eligible for independent study opportunities or can work with an advisor to customize their social work curriculum.

Students should begin the financial aid process by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is used by most schools and private lenders to determine eligibility for scholarships, grants, and loans. While many doctoral programs, including the online Ph.D. in social work, offer financial aid to graduate students, the FAFSA is still required to assess all funding options.

Among the nation’s fastest-growing employment sectors, social workers need an advanced education to gain a competitive edge and qualify for top jobs in the marketplace. The demand for social workers increasingly requires scholarships, loans, grants, and work-study awards to fund a student’s degree. The field often directs funding opportunities to students in various specialty areas of social work — such as school or healthcare — or targets underserved demographics.

Prospective students wanting to enroll in a social work Ph.D. program online should first ensure their selected schools are accredited. As with any college degree, the school should hold accreditation from a institutional accreditor, such as the Higher Learning Commission, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, or the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Transfer students should pay attention to the credit-transfer policy of their college of choice. Institutionally accredited colleges might only accept transfer credits from other institutionally accredited colleges.

The accreditation process in the United States is overseen by institutional accreditors that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), both of which oversee all postsecondary accreditation in the country. Some bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work may also receive programmatic accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education. Be sure to look for your school on the ED or CHEA website.

Graduates of social work Ph.D. programs online are eligible for the field’s most advanced employment opportunities. While many entry-level jobs in social work require only a bachelor’s degree, Ph.D. or DSW graduates with licensure and experience qualify for executive positions that span social work, education, and management fields. Depending on whether a candidate holds a Ph.D. or DSW, they may also pursue a career in research or practice social work in various professional settings. Below are some of the most common careers for social workers:

Graduates from Ph.D. in social work online programs can earn a range of salaries depending on their area of focus. While both Ph.D. and DSW holders are highly qualified in the basic principles of social work and its services, there are a wealth of job options across a variety of fields that offer ways for graduates to apply their skills. Licensed clinical social workers with a doctoral degree possess an edge on their competitors for social work jobs, while graduates with a doctor of social work may be uniquely prepared to apply their social work skills to a teaching or managerial position. As shown in the table below, most jobs in social work offer attractive compensation to students with advanced qualifications, especially nonprofit managers and college professors.