Kentucky State University

With 17 social work graduates in the latest year, Kentucky State University runs a small BSW cohort — #318 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.

39.6% of students complete their degree, below the 50.4% median across BSW-awarding colleges — worth asking the department about directly. Students who finish take a median of 5 years to do it. Unusually, part-time students complete at a higher rate here (45.8%) than full-time students (34.2%) — often a sign of a program built around people already working in the field. Transfer students actually outperform first-time entrants here (57.8% vs 36.3%), which is a good signal if you are coming from a community college.

The average student pays $9,397 a year after grants and scholarships — $5,034 below the $14,431 median across the 14 BSW colleges in Kentucky. 79.0% of first-time students receive Pell Grants, a high share that usually reflects a student body with substantial financial need — and a financial aid office practiced at handling it. 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.