Top Online Master’s in ABA and Certificate Options for 2025
7 Top Online Schools Offering the Degree or Certificate You Need to Earn the BCBA® or BCaBA®
See what these stand-out universities are doing to make our list of top-recommended social work degrees.
- Last Updated: April 2025
These online options make it easier than ever to get a top-tier education in ABA and become a BCBA® or BCaBA®.
Classes Start August 21, 2025
Classes Start Weekly
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Use our point-by-point comparison to line up the perfect program based on your career goals and the education you already have.
| University | Offered Online *1 | ABAI-Accredited (Pathway 1) *2 | ABAI-Recognized (Pathway 2) *3 | ABAI Verified Course Sequence (VCS) (Pathway 2) *4 | Prepares Graduates for BCBA® *5 | Prepares Graduates for BCaBA® *6 | BCBA® Exam First-Time Pass Rate *7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Simmons University | MS in Behavior Analysis | 74% | |||||
Arcadia University | MEd in ABA | 50% | |||||
Walden University | MS in Psychology in ABA | 21% | |||||
Arizona State University | Graduate Certificate in ABA | 49% | |||||
Pepperdine University | MS in ABA | 58% | |||||
Purdue University | Post-Graduate Certificate in ABA | BS in Psychology in ABA Postbaccalaureate Certificate in ABA | 45% | ||||
George Mason University | Graduate Certificate in ABA | 68% |
Category Definitions:
*1 – Offered Online – Coursework and instruction delivered remotely; hands-on practicum still requires on-site participation and will be arranged with a clinic in your area
*2 – ABAI-Accredited (Pathway 1) – Among the few programs currently accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), the only accrediting agency for degrees designed to prepare candidates for certification through the Behavior Analysis Certification Board (BACB)
*3 – ABAI-Recognized (Pathway 2) – Offers a curriculum in ABA that aligns with ABAI standards for certification through BACB; the program is either eligible to apply for ABAI accreditation or currently in the review process
*4 – ABAI Verified Course Sequence (VCS) (Pathway 2) – Offers approved behavior-analytic coursework validated by a VCS coordinator as meeting the requirements for certification through BACB
*5 – Prepares Graduates for BCBA® – Includes graduate-level coursework and practicum sufficient to qualify you, with additional field experience, to take the BCBA® exam
*6 – Prepares Graduates for BCaBA® – Includes undergraduate coursework and practicum sufficient to qualify you, with additional field experience, to take the BCaBA® exam
*7 – BCBA® Exam First-Time Pass Rate – The percentage of graduates that received a passing score on the national BCBA® exam as of 2023
BCBA® (Board Certified Behavior Analyst); BCaBA® (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst)
Universities Offering the Best Online ABA Degree and Certificate Programs Today
- Next Enrollment Window Begins: September 2025
Simmons delivers a rigorous, practice-based curriculum with a healthy dose of the most current research into new and innovative ABA techniques. The program offers equally intensive training across domains, populations, and different clinical settings, making it an easy match for any career path in ABA.
PROS
- Only fully-accredited program on the list
- No GRE required for admissions
- 9 to 1 student/faculty ratio
- Program may be completed in as little as 20 months
- Includes experiential learning component
CONS
- Campus program BCBA® exam pass rate is 84%, compared to 74% for graduates of the online program
- Program may be more expensive than other options
- Next Enrollment Window Begins: April 16, 2025
Purdue is a well-recognized name in higher education, and Purdue Global makes it easy for students across the country to access the superb online learning environment the school provides. With 99% of faculty holding advanced degrees, more than half with doctorates, bringing real, on-the-ground experience, you’ll get a first rate education with a strong dose of real-world ABA practice.
PROS
- The only option on our list with BCaBA® preparation
- Fully 95% of graduates find employment or continue to a master’s program within 18 months
- A 3-week trial period lets you try before you buy
- Optional internship placement gives you a head-start on real-world practice experience
- Hosts student organizations like the Psychology Club and Autism Speaks U
CONS
- A big-name university that comes with higher tuition costs
- Admission can be denied on the basis of your Career Outcomes Survey
- #1 for International Students – Institute of International Education
- #1 in innovation for ten years running, beating out even Stanford and MIT
- #11 in Social Work Research – National Science Foundation
- Advanced standing track can be completed in one year
- Two internships included, providing 960 hours of field experience
- Meets eligibility requirements for clinical licensure
- Respected faculty at the ASU Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions Include:
- Fellow of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
- Member of the National Academy of Public Administration
- Fellow of the American Psychological Association
- Classes Start August 21, 2025
- Easy application pathway for students who don’t meet standard admissions
- Award-winning faculty includes:
- Fulbright Scholars
- Fellows of the Society for Social Work and Research
- Fellows of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare
- Classes Start May 19, 2025
The Syracuse Falk College Online MSW prepares social workers capable of applying technology-driven solutions to the classic social services domains of economic justice and community advocacy.
- License exam pass rates beat the national average
- 1,000 hours of fieldwork, with support in securing placements
- Accelerated advanced standing option available
- Two concentration options:
- Advanced Integrated Practice for general licensure
- Advanced Clinical Practice for clinical licensure
- With multiple annual start dates, you’ll find classes starting soon.
The DU Graduate School of Social Work is all about social work powered by purpose. Earn your MSW online from a top-ranked school with a serious commitment to social equity.
- Traditional online MSW can be completed in under two years
- Advanced standing option for BSW graduates can be completed in just 12 months
- Faculty hail from diverse backgrounds and practice specialties
- 200 hours of field experience can be completed through a virtual field experience option
- Classes start March 2025
With affordable tuition, military-supportive policies, and transfer-friendly admissions, Liberty shows its commitment to doing the right thing. That’s exactly what makes LU Online the place to earn your social work degree.
- Tuition rates held steady, with no increases for 9 years
- Military-friendly school, offering tuition discounts and support to service members and vets
- Application fee waived this week
- Apply online in just five minutes
- Transfer-friendly admissions, with up to three credit hours accepted
- 100% online
- Two field placements, providing 1,000 total hours of hands-on experience
- Classes start March 17, 2025
- Transfer-friendly admissions, with up to 75% of total credit hours allowed to be transferred in
- One virtual intensive session, with the rest of the program online
- Gain real world experience through two semester-long field placements
- Classes start March 17, 2025
With an 80-year track record of academic excellence and graduates that consistently have the highest social work licensing exam pass rates in the state, the KU College of Social Work delivers for its online graduate students.
- Ranked #1 for social worker license exam pass rates in Kentucky
- Veterans apply for free
- Military-friendly school with dedicated support teams and student advising
- 97% of UK social work students receive financial aid
- Home to six centers and labs where cutting-edge research is taking place
- With multiple annual start dates, you’ll find classes starting soon.
Walden students are a voice for the underrepresented in America’s complex social services systems. Earn your social work degree from a pioneer in online learning with a 50-year track record in remote education, offering dedicated support to keep you on track, and home to a diverse student population from more than 115 countries.
- No application fee or essay required
- Easy credit transfers from other institutions
- Skills Lab and immersive case studies offer hands-on experience
- A field experience partners you with active social workers in the real world
- The Believe & Achieve Scholarship and a $1,500 Graduation Award available
- Classes Start 4/7/2025
- No application fees and easy credit transfers make admissions easy
- All MSW paths are grounded in experiential, hands-on learning
- One of the first MSW degrees offered online to be accredited by CSWE
- The number one granter of MSW degrees in the United States
- Interactive simulations and a virtual Skills Lab help develop your hands-on expertise even online
- Doctorate-prepared faculty bring real-world experience to the classroom
- Embedded certificate options offer a fast way to customize your degree plan
- Concentrations offered in:
- Addictions
- Child and Family
- Healthcare
- Military
- Trauma
- Classes Start 4/7/2025
The strong tradition of academic excellence at Aurora combined with flexible and affordable degrees, offer the right combination for today’s social work students.
- Personal support for every student from enrollment through graduation
- More than 85 percent of faculty hold the highest degree in their fields
- A full suite of career services to assist with job placement
- Internship placements pair students with faculty mentors in the field for instant feedback on job-related questions
- Uses freely available education resources instead of expensive textbooks
- Accepts transfer credits from other four-year institutions
- Complete the BSW and qualify for Aurora’s advanced standing MSW
- Specializations in Addiction or Child Welfare
- Classes Start March 10, 2025
- A premier clinical social work program that prepares students for LCSW licensure
- Uses Simucase for a simulation-based education that puts you in virtual situations for realistic training
- Uses free education resources where possible to keep costs down
- Faculty with extensive real-world experience
- Concentrations in:
- Addictions
- Child Welfare
- Forensic Social Work
- Gerontology
- Health Care
- Leadership Administration
- Military and Veteran Social Work
- Professional Educator License in School Social Work (PEL)
- Dual Degrees Offered:
- MSW/MBA
- MSW/MPA (Master of Public Administration)
- Classes Start March 10, 2025
Guided by the values of the Sister of Mercy, social work programs at Carlow promote personal growth with coursework heavy in compassion and professionalism.
- Yellow Ribbon program participant offers extra support and tuition discounts for vets, service members, and their families
- A diverse community that welcomes and empowers students with support from peers and faculty
- A strong, historical commitment to social justice ensures your social work education draws from a tradition of community service
- Fall and spring field placements with classroom seminar support
- At least 50 hours of volunteer service for extra hands-on experience
- Experienced professors active in their areas of social work expertise
- Complete the BSW and qualify for the Carlow Advanced Standing MSW
- Specializations in:
- Crisis and Trauma
- Forensic Social Work
- Healthcare Social Work
- Restorative Justice
- Classes Start Spring, Summer, & Fall
- Trauma-informed, evidence-based program to prepare for advanced practice
- Personalized coaching to assist each student in achieving individual goals
- World-class faculty active in social work research who publish regularly in professional journals
- Specializations in:
- Direct Practice
- Macro Practice
- School Social Work
- Dual Degrees Offered:
- MSW/MBA
- Classes Start Fall & Spring (Advanced Standing Starts Available in Summer)
Originally established as a teacher’s college, EOU takes the same thorough approach to preparing social workers today, offering a generous credit transfer policy and experienced faculty who deliver real-world expertise.
- No GRE or GMAT required
- Emphasizes hands-on learning, either in your current workplace or in paid placements
- Offers an advanced generalist curriculum with trauma-informed practice
- Integrates rural social work content to prepare students to support underserved communities
- Part-time program can be completed in just 22 months
- Classes Start in Fall & Spring
As one of the first colleges of public health in the US, GMU leads the nation in intersectional, inclusive, inter-professional social work research and practice.
- Recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as one of the top research universities in the US
- Long-established community connections ensure interactive learning
- Social Justice Core emphasizes empowerment and systems transformation in social work
- Faculty research grounds the curriculum in evidence-based practice
- Complete your degree in as few as 10 semesters
- Two available stipend programs in Child Welfare and Behavioral Health offer cash assistance for select students
- Ranked as one of the Top 10 Best Online MSW Programs by Forbes Advisor
- Concentrations in:
- Adults & Health Aging
- Children, Youth, & Families
- Classes Start Spring and Fall (Summer for Traditional and Accelerated options)
With more than 150 years of dedication to rigorous faith-based academics, King comes with a grounding in ethics and professionalism that social work students trust.
- Accelerated programs can be completed in as little as 16 months
- Learn advocacy and intervention strategies to support a range of populations, from individuals to families to communities
- 400 hours of field practicum for hands-on learning
- More than 60 employment and field practicum partners
- Complete the BSW and qualify for King’s advanced standing MSW
- Yellow Ribbon program participant offers extra support and tuition discounts for vets, service members, and their families
- Financial aid is always offered to qualifying students
- Classes Start February 17, 2025
New Mexico Highlands delivers a multicultural, rural focus in social work and a family atmosphere that offers inclusive education in a close-knit environment.
- Offers training in DSM-5 for future clinicians participating in advanced clinical research
- Develop expertise with Hispanic, American Indian, and other cultures of the Southwest
- Cohort-based online degree creates tight bonds among students
- Just 15 students per instructor
- Complete the program in just 24 months full-time, or 36 months part-time
- Concentration available in Clinical Practice
- Classes Start in Spring
With small class sizes and a real sense of community, the University of Montana takes a collaborative approach to education with a commitment to enhancing rural social work.
- No GRE required
- No BSW required
- Part-time enrollment allows flexibility and a three-year path to completion
- 900 practicum hours of fieldwork
- Practice-oriented course builds skills designed for group and community work
- Named one of the Best Schools of Social Work in the country by US News & World Report
- Classes Start May and August 2025
Social work students at UWF get a forward-thinking education from a military-supportive school with expertise in medical and behavioral health social services systems.
- Sixteen week courses offer flexibility and speed
- Meets educational requirements for LCSW licensure
- Comes with clinically focused courses rooted in medical and behavioral healthcare
- Flexible credit transfer policy, recognizing military experience and outside certifications
- Ranked by US News & World Reports as one of the Best Regional Universities, Best Public Universities, and Top Performers on Social Mobility for 2025
- Classes Start May 12, 2025
Winthrop offers a value-oriented education that embraces innovation while remaining rooted in a long tradition of academic excellence.
- Faculty include Fulbright scholars, publishers, and community leaders
- Rated among the Best Colleges in the South by The Princeton Review
- Named a Best Value College by Money Magazine
- Field placement assistance for online students
- Traditional MSW can be completed in as few as three years; advanced standing students can finish in two
- Participate in advanced social work research
- Satisfies education requirements for master’s level licensure
- Licensure exam pass rates exceed the national average
- Classes Start May 12, 2025
At Howard, a premier HBCU, social work is explored through the lens of the Black perspective in a place where faculty affirm lived experiences while challenging students to grow.
- No GRE required
- Graduate in as few as 12 months in the advanced standing track, or 16 months in the traditional track
- Personalized field placement services match students with areas of interest
- Up to four field education courses for more real world experience
- A Top-12 Social Work School as ranked by US News & World Report
- Concentrations available in Direct Practice or Community, Administration, and Policy (CAP)
- Classes Start May and September 2025
As the first school of clinical social work in the country, degrees at Simmons are backed by a 100-year legacy and offer all the flexibility of contemporary online studies.
- Recently awarded the prestigious Carnegie Classification for Leadership For Public Purpose
- Innovative hands-on curriculum emphasizes practical skills
- Two practicum placements total more than 1000 hours
- State-of-the-art Social Work Clinical Simulation Education
- Scholarships available for qualifying students
- Extended and part-time tracks allow as many as 40 months to complete the program
- No more than 20 students per class
- Certificates offered in:
- Mental Health Practice
- Trauma Practice
- Clinical Practice With Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families
- Classes Start May 2025
- Innovative hands-on curriculum emphasizes practical skills
- Two practicum placements total more than 1000 hours
- State-of-the-art Social Work Clinical Simulation Education
- Scholarships available for qualifying students
- Extended and part-time tracks allow as many as 40 months to complete the program
- No more than 20 students per class
- Certificates offered in:
- Mental Health Practice
- Trauma Practice
- Clinical Practice With Active Service Members, Veterans, and Families
- Classes Start May and September 2025
Campbellsville has built its reputation on welcoming diverse perspectives and preparing students with the confidence to both lead and serve using the skills developed here. With flexible attendance and varied programs designed to reach any student, there’s a place for everyone from any background here.
- Recognized by S. News & World Report as a Top Performer in Social Mobility and one of the Best Regional Universities in the South in 2024
- Among the most affordable, with more than 90% of students receiving financial aid
- Recognized by S. News & World Report as a Top Performer in Social Mobility and one of the Best Regional Universities in the South in 2024
- Among the most affordable, with more than 90% of students receiving financial aid
- Classes Start 3/17/2025
- Accepts up to 12 transfer credits from other programs
- Eight-week courses make earning your MSW manageable
- Teaches from a trauma-informed perspective grounded in cultural competency
- Offers a global perspective that gets at the roots of social problems
- Learn psychopathology to boost your clinical social work skills
- Develop leadership and supervisory skills specific to social work
- Classes Start 5/12/2025
Practical learning rooted in a deep understanding of classic liberal arts principles is the magic combination you get as a student here at SMSU. It’s the perfect blend of hands-on skills and global perspective to foster an effective and empathetic approach to social services.
- Application fees waived for qualified students
- In-state tuition rates for students from anywhere in the country
- Engage with distinguished educators through a high-tech virtual learning platform
- 440 field practicum hours helps turn theory into practical understanding and skill
- Accelerated degree option allows you to graduate in as few as two years
- Classes Start 5/16/2025
Earning your BSW from East Central Online gives you a unique cultural and practical perspective from the heart of Chickasaw Nation, a valuable experience you won’t find anywhere else.
- Transfer in up to 94 undergraduate credits
- Accelerated program option allows you to graduate in only two years
- Internships in your area ensure you build valuable field experience even with entirely online classes
- Three specific scholarship awards are available to BSW students each year
- Interactive online classrooms designed to accommodate working adults
- More than 70 student organizations offer networking opportunities with a diverse student body from more than 30 countries
- Small class sizes mean more interaction and better connections with professors and fellow students
- Classes Start 3/24/2025
Utica offers all the advantages of a large university with the intimacy and personality of a small school. And as one of the first private colleges to be granted university status, it’s one of the most respected names in social work education in America today.
- No GRE/GMAT required
- Application fees waived for qualified students
- Offers 900 hours of clinical field experience
- Prepares students for state licensure upon graduation
- Bring your own perspectives and develop innovative solutions for treating mental health issues
- Rooted in recovery-focused principles that assist individuals, families, and communities
- Classes Start Regularly
As a Widener student, you’ll be studying social work at a world class university that puts academics, leadership, and service first. It’s the perfect way to unlock your potential for a meaningful social work career anywhere in the country.
- No GRE/GMAT required
- Almost 90 percent of students receive financial aid
- 96 percent employment rate among graduates
- A unique experiential curriculum rooted in trauma studies prepares you to treat issues at the source
- Widener alumni can receive a twenty percent tuition discount when continuing their education at the university
- The Center for Social Work Education helps build a network of faculty and students for career-long support
- Dual degree available in MSW/Master of Education in Human Sexuality Studies
- Optional graduate certificate in Practices in Trauma Recovery
- Classes Start January, May, or August