MSW Programs in Arkansas

Arkansas, named after a Quapaw word, akakaze, which means “land of downriver people” is located in the Southern region of the United States. Arkansas is the 29th largest state in area as well as the 33rd most populous (1). The state capital and most populous city is Little Rock, with approximately 197,958 residents, and is located in the central area of Arkansas (2).

Arkansas is known as the “Natural State” because of its diverse geography, which includes the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, the Arkansas Timberlands, the Mississippi River, and the Arkansas Delta. Furthermore, Arkansas has six national parks, 50 state parks, two-and-a half million acres of national forests, seven national scenic byways and three state scenic byways.

Interestingly enough, North Little Rock contains the nation’s largest municipal parks and the Ouachita National Forest is the oldest national forest in the South. Besides the natural aspects of the state, famous singer Johnny Cash was born in Kingsland and Wal-Mart was founded in Bentonville (3).

A Population in Need of Support

Almost 45 percent of the people in Arkansas live in rural areas, compared to only 19 percent of people in the US. In a state with less than 3 million people, more than half a million Arkansans live in areas of the state that have a shortage of primary medical care, dental and mental health workers according to the “State Health Assessment and Improvement Plan” conducted in 2013. Sixty-nine out of 75 counties in Arkansas are considered Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) for mental health practitioners (4).

Arkansas faces many social issues that are predicted to worsen in the upcoming years. Only 83 percent of Arkansans 25 years and over have finished high school or an equivalency exam, compared to 85 percent nationally (5). The median household income is only $48,952, which is less than the national average median household income of $65,712 (6). The poverty rate in Arkansas is 16.2 percent, compared to a national average of 10.5 percent (7).

Arkansas has a higher-than-average percentage of the population that is over age 65 (15.4 percent are over age 65; 14.1 percent is the national average) (8). It also has a higher-than average rate of youths entering foster care (4.4 per thousand children, whereas the national average rate is under 4 per thousand) and a higher-than-average child maltreatment rate (9).

Mental health and substance abuse are also problematic issues in the state. Arkansas has an above-average percentage of its population diagnosed with mental illness. 19.81 percent are diagnosed with mental illness and 5.07 percent are diagnosed with severe mental illness, whereas the national averages are 18.19 percent and 3.97 percent, respectively (10). Seventeen percent of the population has a disability (the national average is 12 percent), and overall, the state is ranked 48th out of 50 for health, meaning it is the state with the third worst health in the nation (11).

Do You Want to Study to Become a Social Worker in Arkansas?

Do you want to study in state to become a social worker? According the 2019 US News & World Report graduate school search for MSW programs, you have two options in state: the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, and the University of Arkansas in Little Rock. The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville’s School of Social Work is ranked higher than the program in Little Rock, but both schools offer opportunities to get your MSW (12). The program at Fayetteville offers a Masters in Social Work/Juris Doctor (MSW/JD) dual degree that is perfect for anyone who is interested in working with the criminal justice system (13). The program at Little Rock offers two MSW programs, one with a concentration in marriage and family therapy, and the other in gerontology (14). You may want to look into the accredited online MSW programs as well.

Once you graduate, you will want to check into the National Health Service Corps loan forgiveness program (NHSC). This program rewards socials workers who can find work in a “Health Professional Shortage Area” (HPSA). Because 69 out of 75 counties in Arkansas are considered Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) for mental health practitioners, you have a better-than-average chance of finding a position that will qualify for the NHSC program (15).

Working in Arkansas: MSW Careers

Jobs in the field of social work are expected to increase in coming years, according to the 2016-2026 State of Arkansas occupational projections reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Positions for child, family and school social workers are anticipated to increase by 19 percent (16). Healthcare social work jobs should increase by 23 percent (17) and mental health and substance abuse social work positions by 28 percent (18).

The best paying social work positions in the state are in healthcare; healthcare social workers earn a median salary of $48,280. The median salary for a child, family or school social worker in Arkansas is $37,640, and mental health and substance abuse social workers are paid a median salary of $34,900. However, some parts of the state pay better than others. If you can find work around the Tennessee-Mississippi-Arkansas border, you will find the best paying jobs in the state (19).

Licensure and Professional Development Resources

• Social Work License Requirements in Arkansas
• National Association of Social Workers, Arkansas Chapter
• Arkansas Social Work Licensing Board

Master’s of Social Work Programs in Arkansas

• Arkansas State University (MSW Program)
• Henderson State University (MSW Program)
• University of Arkansas School of Social Work (MSW, MSW/MPA)
• University of Arkansas at Little Rock (MSW, MSW/MPA)
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (MSW/MPA)

Sources Cited

1. United States, 2019. PopulationU. http://www.populationu.com/us/arkansas-population
2. USA: Arkansas, 2019. City Population. http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Arkansas.html
3. Arkansas Facts and Trivia, 2014. 50 States.com. http://www.50states.com/facts/arkansas.htm#.U7_1RI1dXgJ
4. Arkansas’ Big Health Problems and How We Plan to Solve Them. 2013. Arkansas Department of Health. http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Documents/Accred/ARHealthReportHealthProblems.pdf
5. Arkansas’ Big Health Problems and How We Plan to Solve Them. 2013. Arkansas Department of Health. http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Documents/Accred/ARHealthReportHealthProblems.pdf
6. State and County QuickFacts, 2019. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/
7. Arkansas’ Big Health Problems and How We Plan to Solve Them. 2013. Arkansas Department of Health. http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Documents/Accred/ARHealthReportHealthProblems.pdf
8. State and County QuickFacts, 2019. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2020/income-poverty.html
9. Child Welfare Outcomes Report Data, 2018. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://cwoutcomes.acf.hhs.gov/cwodatasite/byState
10. State Estimates of Adult Mental Illness, 2012. National Surveys on Drug Use and Health.http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k14/NSDUH170/sr170-mental-illness-state-estimates-2014.htm
11. Arkansas’ Big Health Problems and How We Plan to Solve Them. 2013. Arkansas Department of Health. http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Documents/Accred/ARHealthReportHealthProblems.pdf
12. Graduate School Search, Social Work Programs, 2019. US News and World Report. https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/social-work-rankings?location=Arkansas
13. Master’s of Social Work/Juris Doctor Dual Degree Program, 2021. University of Arkansas. https://fulbright.uark.edu/departments/social-work/graduate-program/js-msw-dual-degree-program.php
14. About the MSW Program, 2021. University of Arkansas at Little Rock. https://ualr.edu/socialwork/#graduate
15. Arkansas’ Big Health Problems and How We Plan to Solve Them. 2013. Arkansas Department of Health. http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/aboutADH/Documents/Accred/ARHealthReportHealthProblems.pdf
16. America’s Career InfoNet -Career Profile, 2019. Career One Stop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Healthcare%20Social%20Workers&onetcode=21102200&location=Arkansas&lang=en
17. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2019. Career One Stop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Healthcare%20Social%20Workers&onetcode=21102200&location=Arkansas&lang=en
18. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2019. Career One Stop. https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Healthcare%20Social%20Workers&onetcode=21102200&location=Arkansas&lang=en
19. Statewide Statistics for Arkansas, 2019. Bureau of Labor Statistics.