Texas is one of the most popular southern states to live in because of its unique blend of cultures and living environments. You could live in one of the many big cities in Texas, including Houston, San Antonio, or Dallas, or you could settle down in a suburban or rural area. With a cost of living that is 11% below the national average, you should be able to find affordable student housing wherever you go.
As a social worker, you may have an advantage over your peers if you speak Spanish and are able to deliver culturally sensitive care. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 38.2% of Texas residents identify as Hispanic, compared to the national average of 16.9%. In addition, 34.6% of Texans speak a language other than English at home, compared to the national average of 20.5% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012).
There are 25 schools in Texas with MSW programs, offering you educational opportunities no matter where you live in the state. The average cost of tuition is $11,896, although there are obviously a wide range of tuition costs in the state. Tuition is as low as $1,366 at Texas Southern University. Because of the many different scholarships available in Texas, the average scholarship in the state is $6,014.
MSW programs are laid out in a specific way to help you meet your educational objectives. This means that there are two core components to every program: classroom courses and field hours. In your classroom courses, you learn all that you need to know about the practical and theoretical applications of social work. Since much of this is the same as what you would learn in a Bachelor’s degree program, you may be able to complete your degree in one year if you have a Bachelor’s degree in social work.
You begin your field hours in your first semester and continue them through all four semesters. This is because it is essential that you feel comfortable working with a variety of clients in order to be prepared for any career path you choose. Your site supervisor and instructor will assess your ability to apply what you’ve learned, in addition to judging your progress from semester to semester.
While the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most social workers work for healthcare organizations or government agencies, you can use your MSW to work in a huge variety of fields and industries. In Texas, some of the main social work employers are CoreMedical Group, Humana, New Century Hospice, and Brookdale Senior Living.
You can work independently as a clinical social worker after earning the highest level of licensure in Texas. This option allows you to open a private practice wherever you want. Many social workers report strong feelings of satisfaction while working independently, since you may be able to offer services to underserved communities.
As a Texas social work graduate, your practice is governed by the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners. You can apply to take the LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker) exam. Passing this exam gets you your license.
To become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, you must complete 3,000 hours of supervised work experience and pass an advanced clinical social worker exam.
Social work salaries in Texas vary significantly depending on your experience level and what social work field you work in. Social workers earn average salaries of $34,600 per year to $53,400 per year, with healthcare social workers on the high end of that scale (O*Net, 2012). Social workers in clinical careers earn, on average, between $35,000 and $43,700 per year (O*Net, 2012).
Like most parts of the country, Texas is going through a huge demand for social workers in various fields. Social workers in different fields can anticipate job growth of 18% to 35% between 2010 and 2020 (O*Net, 2012). Social workers that take on clinical duties should expect job growth of 21% to 37% in the same time frame (O*Net, 2012).
Schools in Texas Offering Masters in Social Work Programs
Abilene Christian University
(Abilene, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $26,770 Tuition Cost
- $10,169 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Baylor University
(Waco, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $30,586 Tuition Cost
- $15,500 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Lamar University
(Beaumont, TX)
- Masters in Community and Social Psychology
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- $5,940 Tuition Cost
- $2,261 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Lubbock Christian University
(Lubbock, TX)
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- $16,350 Tuition Cost
- $5,355 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Our Lady of the Lake University-San Antonio
(San Antonio, TX)
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $22,920 Tuition Cost
- $11,007 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Prairie View A & M University
(Prairie View, TX)
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- $4,314 Tuition Cost
- $6,314 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting
Saint Edward’s University
(Austin, TX)
- Masters in Social Work and Public Administration Policy
- $30,710 Tuition Cost
- $16,050 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
St. Mary’s University
(San Antonio, TX)
- Masters in Social Work and Public Administration Policy
- $23,600 Tuition Cost
- $12,580 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Stephen F Austin State University
(Nacogdoches, TX)
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $4,605 Tuition Cost
- $3,642 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Rural Campus Setting
Texas A & M International University
(Laredo, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $3,504 Tuition Cost
- $2,237 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Texas A & M University-Commerce
(Commerce, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $4,790 Tuition Cost
- $5,058 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting
Texas A & M University-Kingsville
(Kingsville, TX)
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $4,366 Tuition Cost
- $3,367 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting
Texas Southern University
(Houston, TX)
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- Masters in Social Work and Public Administration Policy
- $1,399 Tuition Cost
- $8,383 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Texas State University-San Marcos
(San Marcos, TX)
- Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $5,642 Tuition Cost
- $3,412 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting
Texas Tech University
(Lubbock, TX)
- Masters in Housing and Human Development
- $4,862 Tuition Cost
- $3,481 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Texas Woman’s University
(Denton, TX)
- Masters in Family and Consumer Sciences
- Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
- $4,124 Tuition Cost
- $2,385 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
The University of Texas at Arlington
(Arlington, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $8,878 Tuition Cost
- $5,022 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
The University of Texas at Austin
(Austin, TX)
- Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
- Masters in Public Policy Analysis
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $9,790 Tuition Cost
- $4,326 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
The University of Texas at Dallas
(Richardson, TX)
- Masters in Public Policy Analysis
- $10,666 Tuition Cost
- $10,437 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
The University of Texas at El Paso
(El Paso, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $5,565 Tuition Cost
- $3,553 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
The University of Texas at San Antonio
(San Antonio, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $4,742 Tuition Cost
- $2,185 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
The University of Texas-Pan American
(Edinburg, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $4,168 Tuition Cost
- $2,581 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
University of Houston
(Houston, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $7,176 Tuition Cost
- $5,031 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
University of North Texas
(Denton, TX)
- Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
- $6,187 Tuition Cost
- $3,816 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
West Texas A & M University
(Canyon, TX)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $4,370 Tuition Cost
- $2,190 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting