2023 Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region
Finding the Best Social Work School for You
Out of all the majors we analyze each year, social work was ranked #13 in the country. In fact 58,326 degrees and certificates were handed out in 2020-2021.
There are so many programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Our analysis looked at 37 schools in the Southwest Region to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region
The following schools top our list of the Best Social Work Colleges.
Top 10 Best Social Work Schools
Our analysis found The University of Texas at Austin to be the best school for social work students who want to pursue a degree in the Southwest Region . UT Austin is a very large public school located in the large city of Austin.
On average, social work graduates from UT Austin take out $20,202 in student loans while working on their degree. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $232, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
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The excellent programs at Texas Christian University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best social work schools in the Southwest Region . Located in the city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
While working on their degree, social work majors at TCU accumulate an average of around $24,000 in student debt.
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A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Austin Community College District is a great place for social work students. Located in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a public school with a very large student population.
After completing their degree, social work graduates from Austin Community College District carry an average student debtload of $13,250.
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You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Houston - Downtown. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region list. UH Downtown is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Houston.
While working on their degree, social work majors at UH Downtown accumulate an average of around $23,616 in student debt.
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Texas State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for social work students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the small city of San Marcos, Texas State is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Social Work majors at Texas State take out an average of $23,000 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $163.
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Lamar University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region list. Lamar University is a fairly large public school located in the midsize city of Beaumont.
After completing their degree, social work graduates from Lamar University carry an average student debtload of $33,658.
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Northeastern State University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best social work programs. Located in the town of Tahlequah, NSU is a public college with a medium-sized student population.
After completing their degree, social work graduates from NSU carry an average student debtload of $30,816.
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Saint Edward’s University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region list. Located in the large city of Austin, St. Edward's University is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
While working on their degree, social work majors at St. Edward's University accumulate an average of around $22,115 in student debt.
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With a ranking of #10, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley did quite well on this year’s best schools for social work students. UT Rio Grande Valley is a fairly large public school located in the medium-sized city of Edinburg.
On average, social work graduates from UT Rio Grande Valley take out $16,032 in student loans while working on their degree.
Request InformationBest Social Work Colleges by State
Explore the best social work schools for a specific state in the Southwest region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Texas | 4,151 |
| Arizona | 1,294 |
| Oklahoma | 340 |
| New Mexico | 418 |
More Social Work Rankings in the Southwest Region
Rankings in Majors Related to Social Work
Social Work is one of 5 different types of programs to choose from.
Most Popular Majors Related to Social Work
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | 16,905 |
| Human Services | 13,238 |
| Public Policy | 6,430 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 3,096 |
| Other Public Administration | 588 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Army Medicine.
More about our data sources and methodologies.