MSW Programs in Wyoming

Wyoming is a very sparsely populated, mostly rural state famous for wide open plains, breathtaking mountains and many ranches. The state is the nation’s top producer of coal and a leading supplier of natural gas and petroleum. The state is the country’s second largest provider of uranium and the world’s largest repository of sodium carbonate (1).

Tourism is important to the state’s economy, and with good reason. Visitors are drawn to the beautiful national and state parks, the adventure of the old West and the vast hunting grounds.

A Beautiful State

According to the United States Census Bureau, Wyoming only has approximately 583,000 residents inside its borders. About 2.6 percent of the population is Native American, which is double the national average. Just under 93 percent of the population is Caucasian. The state has a low poverty rate (only 11 percent of the population lives in poverty; the national average is 14.9 percent), and a higher than average median household income of $56,573, slightly higher than the national average of $53,046) (2).

Wyoming has the second highest suicide rate per capita in the United States, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. In a report on this problem dated November 2012, suicide is cited as the second leading cause of death for youth in the state. This rate is twice the national average (3).

It is difficult to speculate about the cause of this disturbingly high suicide rate. While unemployment is usually associated with an increased risk for suicide, Wyoming had the 8th lowest jobless rate in the country as of 2012. However, some posit that: alcohol use, easy access to firearms, and what the author of the suicide report refers to as a “cowboy up” mentality may be related environmental risk factors. Other risk factors noted include a low population density, which results in lack of social support, and limited access to mental health services (4).

Wyoming has a higher than average percentage of the population that has been diagnosed with mental illness (19.6 percent diagnosed, 4.23 percent diagnosed with severe mental illness; national averages are 18.19 and 3.97 percent, respectively) (5). It should come as no surprise that the Bureau of Labor Statics predicts that mental health and substance abuse jobs in the state are expected to increase by 30 percent each year between now and the year 2020 (6).

Studying Social Work

If you’d like to get your MSW degree in state, your options are limited. According to the 2014 US News & World Report graduate school search, you can get a MSW degree at the University of Wyoming in Laramie (7). The University of Wyoming’s School of Social Work’s MSW program focuses on work (leadership and supportive roles) in rural human service organizations. You will also learn how to work with Native American populations along with the conventional social work concentrations (8).

Getting your master’s degree can be pricey, but loan forgiveness programs can offset the cost of higher education. After graduation, you will want to look into the Wyoming Healthcare Professional Loan Repayment Program (WHPLRP), a loan repayment program for social workers willing to work in high need areas. You should also apply for acceptance into the National Health Service Corps loan forgiveness program (NHSC), a national program that rewards social workers who work in a “Health Professional Shortage Area” (HPSA).

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projections for growth between 2010-2020 are significant in Wyoming. Child, family and school social work jobs are expected to increase by 25 percent (9). Medical and public health positions should increase by 25 percent (10).

Of the 1,210 social workers employed in the state, 680 of them work as child, family or school social workers. They make a median salary of $46,660. Pay varies by location in the state, with higher pay in Cheyenne (median salary of $50,450) and lower pay in Casper (median salary of $44,410) (11).

Approximately 190 mental health and substance abuse social workers are currently employed in the state. They earn a median salary of $44,850. About 130 healthcare social workers are employed in Wyoming, making a median salary of $52,200. Once again, pay varies by location. Healthcare social workers in Casper make a median salary of $48,650 but make a median salary of $55,440 in Cheyenne. (12)

Licensure and Professional Development Resources

• National Association of Social Workers, Wyoming Chapter
• Wyoming Mental Health Professions Licensing Board

Master of Social Work Programs in Wyoming

• University of Wyoming

Sources Cited

1. Wyoming, 2014. Info Please. http://www.infoplease.com/us-states/wyoming.html
2. State and County QuickFacts, 2014. United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/56000.html
3. Report on Suicide in Wyoming, 2012. The Wyoming Department of Health Public Health Division. http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/2012_report_on_suicide_in_wyo.pdf
4. Report on Suicide in Wyoming, 2012. The Wyoming Department of Health Public Health Division. http://www.sprc.org/sites/sprc.org/files/2012_report_on_suicide_in_wyo.pdf
5. 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
6. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=001000000&soccode=211023&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=56&search=Go#SectionOp3
7. Graduate School Search – Social Work Programs, 2014. US News and World Report. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/search?spp=25&program=top-social-work-schools&name=&zip=wyoming&program_rank=Any&sort=&sortdir=
8. Master of Social Work Program, 2014. University of Wyoming. http://www.uwyo.edu/socialwork/academics-pages/master-social-work/
9. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=001000000&soccode=211021&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=56&search=Go#SectionOp3
10. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=001000000&soccode=211022&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=56&search=Go#SectionOp3
11. Statewide Statistics for Wyoming, 2013. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
12. Statewide Statistics for Wyoming, 2013. Bureau of Labor Statistics.