There are many reasons that you may want to live and study in Ohio. First, the cost of living is fairly low; Sperling’s Best Places reports that the cost of living in Ohio is almost 10% below the national average. In addition, Ohio offers a variety of environments for you to work and study in. It is home to large cities like Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, as well as rural and suburban areas.

In addition to its low cost of living, Ohio also has many affordable housing options. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the average house cost in Ohio is $133,700, almost $50,000 lower than the national average of $181,400.

Ohio is home to 15 MSW programs that have an average tuition cost of $12,946. The average scholarship award is $6,335, which can almost cut your tuition rate in half. MSW programs are spread out through rural, suburban, and urban locations, giving you the chance to study wherever you feel comfortable.

The length of your MSW program depends largely on what Bachelor’s degree you have. If you have a Bachelor’s degree in social work, you may be able to secure Advanced Standing and complete your degree in as little as one year. If you have a non-social work Bachelor’s degree, you can expect to spend about two years in school.

One of the two main parts in your degree is the traditional lecture coursework. In these courses, you’ll learn about social work policies and procedures, treatment techniques, therapeutic interventions, and societal influences that impact your clients. You start with a basic knowledge in your first year and develop a more rounded understanding in your second year.

The second part of your program is your practicum hours. Each semester, you will attend a different practicum site and work with different populations of clients. This allows you to develop your social work skills and figure out what career path you want to pursue.

After you have completed your MSW program, you may be shocked to realize how many different types of settings you can work in. Many places need social workers, which is why the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that social workers are needed in hospitals, schools, substance abuse clinics, and more.

In Ohio, some of the prominent social work employers include Otterbein Hospice, Pinnacle Senior Care, Consulate Health Care, and Robinson Memorial Hospital. Once you have achieved a clinical level of social work licensure, you also have the opportunity to go into private practice. This option allows you to work where and when you want.

Prior to working as a social worker in Ohio, you have to get your license from the Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board. You can pay $260 and take their exam to become a Licensed Social Worker (LSW). You can then begin working towards Licensed Independent Social Worker (LISW) status.

LISW status requires 3,000 hours of supervised work experience. You can then pay a $75 application fee and take the clinical social work exam.

As a social worker, your salary depends on several different factors, including your experience, what you studied in school, and what environment you work in. In general, you may earn more money than Bachelor’s-level social workers.

Family, mental health, and healthcare social workers earn, on average, between $28,500 per year and $40,800 per year (O*Net, 2012). Clinical social workers in the fields of substance abuse and family therapy can expect to earn between $40,000 per year and $47,800 per year (O*Net, 2012).

The passage of the Affordable Care Act has created a nationwide demand for clinical social workers, so the overall job outlook is very good. Family, mental health, and healthcare social workers can anticipate job growth of 13% to 28% between 2010 and 2020 (O*Net, 2012). Substance abuse counselors and family therapists can expect job growth of 14% and 32%, respectively (O*Net, 2012).

Schools in Ohio Offering Masters in Social Work Programs

Case Western Reserve University

(Cleveland, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $40,120 Tuition Cost
  • $24,800 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting

Cleveland State University

(Cleveland, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $9,264 Tuition Cost
  • $5,155 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting

Kent State University at Kent

(Kent, OH)

  • Masters in Community and Social Psychology
  • Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
  • $9,672 Tuition Cost
  • $4,590 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Suburban Campus Setting

Miami University-Oxford

(Oxford, OH)

  • Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
  • $11,270 Tuition Cost
  • $5,966 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Suburban Campus Setting

Ohio State University-Lima Campus

(Lima, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $6,912 Tuition Cost
  • $1,112 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Rural Campus Setting

Ohio State University-Main Campus

(Columbus, OH)

  • Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $9,168 Tuition Cost
  • $6,665 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting

Ohio State University-Mansfield Campus

(Mansfield, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $6,912 Tuition Cost
  • $2,249 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Rural Campus Setting

Ohio State University-Newark Campus

(Newark, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $6,912 Tuition Cost
  • $1,985 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Suburban Campus Setting

Ohio University-Main Campus

(Athens, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $10,282 Tuition Cost
  • $3,923 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Suburban Campus Setting

University of Akron Main Campus

(Akron, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $8,284 Tuition Cost
  • $4,652 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

(Cincinnati, OH)

  • Masters in Public Policy Analysis
  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $9,124 Tuition Cost
  • $5,922 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting

University of Dayton

(Dayton, OH)

  • Masters in Community and Social Psychology
  • $32,000 Tuition Cost
  • $14,765 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting

University of Toledo

(Toledo, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $7,864 Tuition Cost
  • $5,561 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting

Wright State University-Main Campus

(Dayton, OH)

  • Masters in Community and Social Psychology
  • $8,354 Tuition Cost
  • $3,549 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Suburban Campus Setting

Youngstown State University

(Youngstown, OH)

  • Masters in Social Work (MSW)
  • $7,483 Tuition Cost
  • $4,135 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
  • Urban Campus Setting
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