Valparaiso University

With 9 social work graduates in the latest year, Valparaiso University runs a small BSW cohort — #449 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.

58.8% 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. First-time entrants complete at 72.7% against 64.3% for transfers — worth checking how transfer credits map onto the practice sequence.

The average student pays $21,766 a year after grants and scholarships — $5,073 above the $16,693 median across the 21 BSW colleges in Indiana. 35.0% 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.