College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region

38 Colleges in the Southwest Region
6,355 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$36,306 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in social work, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #13 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 38 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 6,355 degrees in social work to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Social Work School

Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region Your choice of social work school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Social Work School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Social Work Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Social Work
Bachelor's Degrees in Social Work
Master's Degrees in Social Work
Doctor's Degrees in Social Work

When choosing the right school for you, it's important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we've created a number of major-specific rankings, including this Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region list to help you make the college decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.


 

Best Schools for Social Work in the Southwest Region

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the social work degree levels they offer.

10 Top Southwest Region Schools in Social Work

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
237 Social Work Degrees Awarded
4.6% Growth in Graduates

It's difficult to beat The University of Texas at Austin if you wish to pursue a degree in social work. Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #36 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UT Austin is a great university overall.

There were about 237 social work students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent year we have data available. Social Work degree recipients from The University of Texas at Austin receive an earnings boost of around $3,803 over the typical income of social work graduates.

More information about a degree in social work from The University of Texas at Austin

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
450 Social Work Degrees Awarded
6.0% Growth in Graduates

Any student who is interested in social work needs to take a look at Arizona State University - Tempe. ASU - Tempe is a fairly large public university located in the city of Tempe. A Best Colleges rank of #119 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means ASU - Tempe is a great university overall.

There were roughly 450 social work students who graduated with this degree at ASU - Tempe in the most recent data year. Those social work students who get their degree from Arizona State University - Tempe earn $4,695 more than the average social work graduate.

More information about a degree in social work from Arizona State University - Tempe

3
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
73 Social Work Degrees Awarded
39.7% Growth in Graduates

Texas Christian University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in social work. Located in the city of Fort Worth, TCU is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #80 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means TCU is a great university overall.

There were approximately 73 social work students who graduated with this degree at TCU in the most recent data year. Social Work degree recipients from Texas Christian University receive an earnings boost of about $11,003 above the typical income of social work majors.

More information about a degree in social work from Texas Christian University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
985 Social Work Degrees Awarded
7.7% Growth in Graduates

The University of Texas at Arlington is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in social work. Located in the large city of Arlington, UT Arlington is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #290 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UT Arlington is a great university overall.

There were approximately 985 social work students who graduated with this degree at UT Arlington in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the social work program state that they receive average early career income of $37,889.

More information about a degree in social work from The University of Texas at Arlington

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
202 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$37,892 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize suburb of Norman, University of Oklahoma is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #140 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means University of Oklahoma is a great university overall.

There were about 202 social work students who graduated with this degree at University of Oklahoma in the most recent data year. After graduating, social work degree recipients generally earn an average of $37,892 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
189 Social Work Degrees Awarded
30.2% Growth in Graduates

Baylor is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Waco. A Best Colleges rank of #123 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Baylor is a great university overall.

There were roughly 189 social work students who graduated with this degree at Baylor in the most recent year we have data available. Social Work degree recipients from Baylor University earn a boost of around $5,173 over the average income of social work graduates.

More information about a degree in social work from Baylor University

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
298 Social Work Degrees Awarded
0.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University is a private for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #272 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Grand Canyon University is a great university overall.

There were about 298 social work students who graduated with this degree at Grand Canyon University in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, social work degree recipients typically make about $35,775 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in social work from Grand Canyon University

8
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
217 Social Work Degrees Awarded
12.4% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Flagstaff, NAU is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #278 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means NAU is a great university overall.

There were about 217 social work students who graduated with this degree at NAU in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the social work program make about $33,882 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in social work from Northern Arizona University

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
232 Social Work Degrees Awarded
$45,906 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Houston, UH is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #211 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UH is a great university overall.

There were approximately 232 social work students who graduated with this degree at UH in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the social work major at University of Houston earn $9,600 above the standard college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in social work from University of Houston

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
281 Social Work Degrees Awarded
26.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Edinburg, UT Rio Grande Valley is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 21st out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 281 social work students who graduated with this degree at UT Rio Grande Valley in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the social work program report average early career wages of $38,014.

More information about a degree in social work from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley


 

Best Social Work Colleges by State

Explore the best social work schools for a specific state in the Southwest Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Texas 317 4,142
Arizona 287 1,284
Oklahoma 257 335
New Mexico 219 351

View All Rankings >

One of 0 majors within the <nil> area of study, Social Work has other similar majors worth exploring.

Social Work Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Social Work 6,305
Other Social Work 35
Child Advocacy & Policy 15

View All Social Work Focus Areas >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options