MSW Programs in Texas

Texas is known as the Lone Star State to recognize Texas as a former independent republic and to signify the state’s struggle for independence from Mexico. Texas is the second most populous state in the United States after California, the second-largest state after Alaska, and the largest state in the 48 contiguous United States (1).

The largest city in Texas is Houston, which is the fourth-largest city in the United States with over 2 million inhabitants. Furthermore, San Antonio is the second-largest city in the state and seventh largest in the nation with approximately 1,327,500 inhabitants (2).

A Changing Demographic With Many Needs

Texas is located in the southern part of the country, with an international border touching Mexico. It is estimated that 90,000 undocumented minors will try to cross the border from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador in the year 2014 alone (3). This flood of immigrants (and their U.S. born children) will result in a high demand for social services, including facilitation of overcoming language barriers to services, issues that impede education such as immunization issues, and mental health issues.

According to the US Census Bureau, the population of the state is growing at twice the national average (5.2 percent, compared to 2.4 percent). Texas also has double the percentage of Latino population than the national average (38.2 percent, compared to 16.9 percent). Additionally, it has a higher-than-average percentage of the population living in poverty (17.4 percent, compared to 14.9 percent) (4).

The state also has its fair share of problems with substance abuse. The number of people admitted to substance abuse treatment facilities has increased from 30,746 in 2001 to 43,216 in 2011 (5).

Texas is respected nationally for its successful efforts in reducing crime rates. For example, Property crime rates dropped at a rate of ten times as much as the national average in 2011 (6). If you’re interested in working as a social worker in a successful criminal justice reform program, you may find exciting opportunities in Texas.

Studying Social Work

If you’d like to pursue a master’s degree in social work in the state of Texas, you have several excellent options. The University of Texas, Austin School of Social Work has been ranked number seven in the nation by the 2014 US News & World Report school rankings. Three other higher education institutions in the state rank in the top 100 graduate programs (for social work) in the nation. You will want to check out the details of the master’s in social work programs at: the University of Houston (ranked number 37), the University of Texas, Arlington (ranked number 44) and Baylor University (ranked number 60) (7).

While studying in Texas, you can get involved in programs that benefit those living in poverty such as the Transforming Texas initiative. This is a Federally funded program in which Texas A&M AgriLife Extension partnered up with the University of Texas, Austin’s School of Social Work to grow fresh produce in schools as healthy lunch options (8). You can also apply to participate in nationally recognized research in the areas of substance abuse, child welfare, poverty and welfare reform and behavior health (9).

The state of Texas does not sponsor loan forgiveness for social workers, but you might qualify for the National Health Service Corps loan forgiveness program (NHSC). This program identifies “Health Professional Shortage Areas” (HPSA) – areas that need social workers to work with needy communities or specific demographics. If you get a job working in an approved role in a HPSA, you can apply for loan forgiveness for up to $20,000 a year, for two years.

Looking for Employment in Social Work?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most of the social workers in the state work as child, family and school social workers. As of 2013, 15,010 social workers served in this capacity, making a median salary of $36,610. The highest paying regions of Texas for this type of social worker are the Houston-Sugar Land & Baytown area and the city of Longview, where median salaries run in the $42,000-a-year range (10).

Some of the best paid social work positions in the state are in healthcare. Approximately 8,410 healthcare social workers are employed in the state, making a median salary of $55,310 a year. The best paying healthcare social worker jobs in the state are in Tyler, Victoria, and the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington areas, where median salaries are in the $57,000 to $58,000 a year range (11).

Licensure and Professional Development Resources

• Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners
• National Association of Social Workers, Texas Chapter
• Texas Society for Clinical Social Work

Universities Offering Master’s in Social Work Programs in Texas

• Abilene Christian University (MSW)
• Baylor University
• Our Lady of the Lake University – San Antonio (MSW)
• Saint Edward's University (MSW)
• St. Mary's University
• Stephen F Austin State University (MSW)
• Texas A & M International University (MSW)
• Texas A & M University-Commerce (MSW)
• Texas A & M University-Kingsville (MSW)
• Texas Southern University (MSW)
• Texas State University San Marcos (MSW)
• The University of Texas at Arlington (MSW)
• The University of Texas at Austin (MSW)
• The University of Texas at El Paso (MSW)
• The University of Texas at San Antonio (MSW)
• The University of Texas-Pan American (MSW)
• University of Houston (MSW)
• West Texas A & M University (MSW)

Sources Cited

1. State and County Quick Facts, Texas, 2013. US Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48000.html
2. City Population Data: Texas, 2013. City Population. http://www.citypopulation.de/USA-Texas.html
3. “In Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, a Seemingly Endless Surge of Immigrants,” 2014. LA Times. http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-texas-border-chaos-20140614-story.html#page=1
4. State and County Quick Facts, Texas, 2013. US Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48000.html
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2013. http://www.bls.gov/
6. “New National Crime Data Elevates Texas as a Model for Other States on Corrections Reform,” 2012. Texas Public Policy Foundation. http://www.texaspolicy.com/press/new-national-crime-data-elevates-texas-model-other-states-corrections-reform
7. Graduate School Search – Social Work Programs, 2014. US News & World Report. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/search?spp=10&program=top-social-work-schools&name=&zip=texas&program_rank=Any&sort=&sortdir=
8. “A Texas Border County Gets in Shape,” 2014. University of Texas at Austin. http://www.utexas.edu/ssw/featured/texas-border-county-gets-shape/
9. School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin. http://www.utexas.edu/ssw/cswr/about/
10. Statewide Statistics for Texas, 2013. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
11. Statewide Statistics for texas, 2013. Bureau of Labor Statistics.