Best colleges for Social Work in Texas
Ranked by graduate earnings
Prairie View A & M University, Texas Woman's University and Midwestern State University are the top bachelor's Social Work programs in Texas by graduate earnings. Prairie View A & M University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,667, College Scorecard. The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and University of Houston award the most Social Work degrees in Texas: 895, 269 and 261 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 49 Texas colleges offer Social Work and award 3,631 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Social Work program prepares students to support individuals and communities in overcoming challenges and improving their well-being. This field focuses on advocacy, education, and resource connection, making it ideal for those…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prairie View A & M University Prairie View Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,667 | 86 | 43% | — | $31,750 |
| 2 | Texas Woman's University Denton Public · Bachelor's degree | $40,340 | 51 | 49% | — | $24,000 |
| 3 | Midwestern State University Wichita Falls Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,215 | 20 | 43% | — | $35,135 |
| 4 | Angelo State University San Angelo Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,771 | 103 | 44% | — | $27,178 |
| 5 | Texas State University San Marcos Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,660 | 173 | 55% | — | $21,500 |
| 6 | Tarleton State University Stephenville Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,506 | 99 | 48% | — | $28,836 |
| 7 | Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $38,209 | 178 | 46% | $18,564 | $27,250 |
| 8 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,174 | 895 | 54% | — | $21,546 |
| 9 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,865 | 76 | 50% | — | $15,500 |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,437 | 204 | 89% | — | $21,506 |
Top 2 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Community College District Austin Public · Associate degree | $34,003 | 45 | 20% | — | $17,922 |
| 2 | South Texas College McAllen Public · Associate degree | $18,336 | 66 | 27% | — | $6,227 |
Colleges awarding the most Social Work degrees in Texas
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington Public | 895 | $38,174 |
| 2 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg Public | 269 | $30,436 |
| 3 | University of Houston Houston Public | 261 | Not reported |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin Public | 204 | $37,437 |
| 5 | Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio Private not-for-profit | 178 | $38,209 |
| 6 | Texas State University San Marcos Public | 173 | $38,660 |
| 7 | Baylor University Waco Private not-for-profit | 151 | Not reported |
| 8 | East Texas A&M University Commerce Public | 117 | $33,149 |
| 9 | Angelo State University San Angelo Public | 103 | $38,771 |
| 10 | Tarleton State University Stephenville Public | 99 | $38,506 |
ShowHide the other 39 Texas colleges offering Social Work
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Healthcare Social Workers (SOC 21-1022).
Top skills
What Healthcare Social Workers earn in Texas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Social Work programs in Texas.
Which Texas colleges award the most Social Work degrees?+
The University of Texas at Arlington (895 graduates a year), The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (269 graduates a year) and University of Houston (261 graduates a year) award the most Social Work degrees in Texas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 49 Texas colleges offer Social Work.
What is the best college for Social Work in Texas?+
By graduate earnings, Prairie View A & M University leads among bachelor's Social Work programs in Texas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $40,667, College Scorecard. Texas Woman's University and Midwestern State University follow. By degrees awarded, The University of Texas at Arlington is the largest, with 895 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Social Work program in Texas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Prairie View A & M University tops the list at $40,667. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Healthcare Social Workers earn in Texas?+
The average annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in Texas is $69,990 (median $69,990), across about 10,880 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Social Work program?+
The Social Work program prepares students to support individuals and communities in overcoming challenges and improving their well-being. This field focuses on advocacy, education, and resource connection, making it ideal for those…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Healthcare Social Workers?+
The national job outlook is about +7.7% growth with around 18,400 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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