University of Washington School of Social Work

What University of Washington School of Social Work does

The University of Washington School of Social Work is a constituent academic unit of the University of Washington, a public research university, offering the Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare (BASW), Master of Social Work (MSW), and PhD in Social Welfare degree programs. The school provides cohort-based, multi-format instruction including in-person and Part-Time Online MSW options, with student support including advising, financial aid, and traineeships in specialty areas such as child welfare, behavioral health, Latinx communities, oncology/palliative care, and school-based social work. Experiential learning is delivered through a network of over 600 field placement sites across Washington state and beyond, anchored by signature centers including the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (IWRI), the Center for Interdisciplinary Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Research and Practice (IPOPC), the Goldsen Institute, and the Child Welfare Training and Advancement Program (CWTAP).

The school's revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition and fees (BASW at approximately $4,469/quarter for Washington residents and $14,880/quarter for non-residents, with MSW on a cohort-based annual rate), externally sponsored research and training grants totaling $56.8 million from federal agencies (NIJ, NIMH, NCI, SAMHSA), foundations, and state agencies, and charitable contributions through the UW Foundation including endowed professorships and scholarship funds (Changemaker Scholarship, Behavioral Health Conditional Scholarship, Carol LaMare Scholars). The school does not operate proprietary technology platforms or APIs.

Customer segments are predominantly undergraduate and graduate students seeking social work credentials, alongside funded research partnerships with government agencies, healthcare systems, and nonprofit organizations. The school employs 251-500 staff and faculty, has produced 14 fellows of the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare, and is led by Ballmer Endowed Dean Michael S. Spencer, appointed in July 2023 as the first Native Hawaiian dean at the University of Washington. Strategic partnerships include long-running alliances with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF), the Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence, and the Carol LaMare/Ballmer-endowed positions, with global engagement through IWRI's hosting of the INIHKD conference.

Name

University of Washington School of Social Work

Legal name

University of Washington School of Social Work

Website

https://socialwork.uw.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The University of Washington School of Social Work is a public academic institution offering BASW, MSW, and PhD programs, serving undergraduate and graduate students through teaching, research (>$56.8M funding), and 600+ field placement sites spanning healthcare, child welfare, and community practice in Washington and globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Social Work

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities (EDAHABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Schools of Public Health (EDAHAGAD)

Keywords

• Social work education
• Graduate degree programs
• Research training
• Field education
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The school generates primary revenue through student tuition and fees. BASW program charges approximately $4,469/quarter for Washington residents and $14,880/quarter for non-residents. MSW programs follow cohort-based tuition rates. Additional fees include HSIP fees ($76 setup) and course fees for practicum placements ($50 per quarter).
2. Research Grants and Sponsored Programs: The school receives significant external funding through research grants and training grants. The school reports $56.8 million in funding for research and training. Funding sources include federal agencies (National Institute of Justice, National Institute of Mental Health, National Cancer Institute, SAMHSA), foundations, and state agencies.
3. Charitable Contributions and Endowments: The school receives charitable gifts through the UW Foundation, including endowed professorships (Ballmer Endowed Dean, Behar Endowed Professorship) and scholarship funds (Changemaker Scholarship, Carol LaMare Scholars Program).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The University of Washington School of Social Work delivers accredited higher education programs in social work, including the Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare (BASW), Master of Social Work (MSW), and PhD in Social Welfare. The school pairs classroom instruction with experiential learning through a network of 600+ field placement sites and conducts $56.8 million in funded research and training across multiple social welfare research centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• International Network of Indigenous Health, Wellness & Development (INIHKD): Annual week-long international conference convening Indigenous scholars, researchers, practitioners, creatives and community leaders from around the world
• Changemaker Scholarship
• CWTAP Student Institute
• Social Work Practice with Latinx Communities Traineeship

Products and services

• Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare (BASW)
• Master of Social Work (MSW)

Quantifiable outcome

• $56.8 million in research and training funding secured
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Indigenous Wellness Research Institute (IWRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2026Research center hosting INIHKD 2026 conference in Cook Islands. IWRI co-directed by Dr. Michelle Johnson-Jennings and Dr. Tessa Evans-Campbell. Part of shared waters alliance spanning Aotearoa, Australia, Canada, Hawai'i, US, and Pacific Islands.
• International Network of Indigenous Health, Wellness & Development (INIHKD)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2026Annual week-long conference convening Indigenous scholars, researchers, practitioners, creatives, and community leaders from around the world. Established 2002, spans six nations. Focuses on Indigenous Health and Healing, Environmental Systems, and Advanced Technologies/AI.
• Grand Challenges for Social WorkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026National initiative engaging students in developing solutions to pressing social issues including reducing inequality, improving health, ending social isolation, and supporting safe communities. Five interdisciplinary teams presented projects in May 2026.
• Evergreen Recovery CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Partnership for trauma-informed yoga workshops for mothers in substance use treatment. Students led six workshops with 47% decrease in anxiety reported by participants.
• Behavioral Health Conditional Scholarship ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026State-funded conditional scholarship supporting individuals serving in underserved behavioral health areas. Provides up to $41,000 for 2-3 year programs, up to $15,500 for advanced programs. Recipients must serve 3 years at eligible site post-graduation.
• International Anti-Trafficking InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Research partnership contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 16. Community-based child rights education intervention in Ghana contributed to 8% increase in school enrollment (706 students).
• Latinx Community OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership with organizations including The Arc of King County, SeaMar, Casa Latina, Centro de la Raza, Consejo Counseling Services, and 15+ others for Latinx Communities traineeship field placements and community engagement.
• Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWTAP partnership providing child welfare training and advancement for students. DCYF provides tuition assistance (up to 100% in-state), specialized field placements, and employment pathways for graduates. Students commit to equivalent employment post-graduation.
• Alliance for Child Welfare ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-funded partnership linking UW SSW resources with Alliance for Child Welfare Excellence for training Washington state's child welfare workforce. Over 30 years of partnership providing specialized field education focused on casework in select DCYF offices.
• Workforce for Student Well-being (WSW) InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Washington state K-12 schools providing conditional grants up to $30,000 for students pursuing school-based social work in high-need public or tribal schools. Includes practicum placement, training, and career placement support.
• Center for Interdisciplinary Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care (IPOPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternal center focused on psychosocial oncology and palliative care research and education. Oversees Carol LaMare Scholars Program with 175+ alumni. Partners with hospitals, clinics, hospice programs throughout Seattle region.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• University of Michigan School of Social Work: A top-ranked public research university social work school offering BASW, MSW, and PhD programs with similarly strong research output, federal grant capture, and a large field placement network. Michael Spencer, current UW SSW dean, previously held a named professorship and associate dean role at Michigan, indicating direct institutional comparability.
• University of California Berkeley School of Social Welfare: Public research university social welfare school offering BASW-equivalent, MSW, and PhD programs with a comparable research portfolio, public university funding model, and emphasis on social justice and community practice. Direct competitor for top-tier MSW and PhD applicants.
• University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work: A top social work school with one of the largest MSW programs in the country and a strong online MSW footprint. Direct peer on research ranking, federal funding capture, and workforce-aligned traineeships in behavioral health and veteran services.
• Columbia University School of Social Work: Ivy League social work school with comparable research output, a New York-based field placement network, and an emphasis on policy and clinical practice. Direct peer in faculty credentials, PhD program reputation, and federal grant capture.
• University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice: A research-intensive social work school with a strong policy orientation, comparable endowed chairs, and a small, highly selective PhD program. Direct peer in producing top-tier research and placing graduates in research and policy roles.
• University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work: A public research university social work school with comparable federal research funding, an established PhD program, and similar workforce-aligned training in child welfare and behavioral health. Direct peer in public-university social work education.
• New York University Silver School of Social Work: A large, research-active social work school with a multi-site, hybrid MSW delivery model. Comparable in scale of MSW enrollment, online/hybrid program offerings, and research funding capture, particularly in behavioral health.
• Washington University in St. Louis Brown School of Social Work: A leading private social work school with comparable research intensity, endowed professorships, and a large field education network. Direct peer in faculty research output rankings and in recruiting top MSW and PhD applicants.
• Boston College School of Social Work: A top-ranked private social work school with strong research output, a robust field education model, and similar emphasis on clinical and community practice. Direct peer in faculty research credentials and in attracting competitively admitted MSW cohorts.

Broad incumbents

• University of Washington School of Public Health: A sibling school within the University of Washington with overlapping research themes (health disparities, Indigenous health, behavioral health). Indirect peer for joint research collaboration, faculty recruitment, and student cross-registration, but offers MPH/DrPH rather than social work degrees.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uwsocialwork
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/uwsswmedia/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/UWSSW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-washington-school-of-social-work
• Instagraminstagram.com/uwsocialwork

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Washington School of Social Work