Shaw University

With 5 social work graduates in the latest year, Shaw University runs a small BSW cohort — #532 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.

21.5% 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. Transfer students actually outperform first-time entrants here (31.7% vs 19.7%), which is a good signal if you are coming from a community college.

The average student pays $16,445 a year after grants and scholarships — about the same as the $15,045 median across the 23 BSW colleges in North Carolina. 80.0% 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.