University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

With 73 social work graduates in the latest year, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign runs one of the country's higher-volume BSW programs, ranking #55 among 587 colleges awarding the degree. Program size matters more than it first appears: larger cohorts usually mean more field placement partnerships and a deeper alumni network in local agencies.

77.1% of students here finish their degree, against a national median of 50.4% across the BSW colleges in this directory — a meaningful margin. Students who finish take a median of 5 years to do it. Unusually, part-time students complete at a higher rate here (81.6%) than full-time students (68.8%) — often a sign of a program built around people already working in the field. First-time entrants complete at 84.3% against 65.2% for transfers — worth checking how transfer credits map onto the practice sequence.

The average student pays $13,973 a year after grants and scholarships — $5,033 below the $19,006 median across the 21 BSW colleges in Illinois. 24.0% 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.