Shepherd University

Shepherd University graduated 13 social work students in the most recent reporting year, placing it #380 of 587 BSW-awarding colleges. Small programs like this one tend to compete on individual attention and placement relationships rather than breadth.

40.5% 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. Unusually, part-time students complete at a higher rate here (46.8%) than full-time students (33.2%) — often a sign of a program built around people already working in the field.

The average student pays $11,744 a year after grants and scholarships — about the same as the $11,744 median across the 7 BSW colleges in West Virginia. 40.0% 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.