Freed-Hardeman University

With 10 social work graduates in the latest year, Freed-Hardeman University runs a small BSW cohort — #415 among 587 programs nationally by size. Worth asking the department how often required practice courses run, since smaller programs sometimes offer them only once a year.

49.6% of students complete their degree, close to the 50.4% median across BSW colleges nationally. Students who finish take a median of 5 years to do it. Unusually, part-time students complete at a higher rate here (53.2%) than full-time students (44.3%) — often a sign of a program built around people already working in the field. First-time entrants complete at 64.0% against 38.2% for transfers — worth checking how transfer credits map onto the practice sequence.

The average student pays $20,178 a year after grants and scholarships — $2,143 above the $18,035 median across the 19 BSW colleges in Tennessee. 27.0% of first-time students receive Pell Grants. Net price is the number that matters when comparing programs, not sticker tuition — and because most social work roles are with government or nonprofit employers, graduates are typically eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.