5 Best MSW Programs In Texas Ranked For 2024

Looking to start or advance your career as a social worker in the Lone Star State? Then these rankings of the best MSW programs in Texas is the perfect place to start!

This state is home to about two dozen different Master in Social Work degree programs, which may seem a little overwhelming if you’re not sure where to begin your search.

That’s why, in this article, we ranked every Texas university and college offering an MSW program using official data from the Association of Social Work Boards. We also provide an overview of the top five programs, covering the different learning pathways, formats, and unique aspects of each one.

So, keep reading to discover the top MSW programs and Texas and learn if one of them may be a good fit for you!

Table of Contents

• What Is The Best MSW Program In Texas?
• 5 Best MSW Programs In Texas Ranked
• Is An MSW Program In Texas Right For You?
• Texas MSW Programs FAQs

What Is The Best MSW Program In Texas?

University of Texas at Austin ranks as the best MSW program in Texas, boasting impressive ASWB Master’s and Clinical Exam pass rates.

In fact, of the 162 graduates who took the Master’s Exam, 151 of them passed, giving them a pass rate of 93.2%. Meanwhile, 118 of the 131 graduates taking the Clinical Exam, equating to a pass rate of 90.1%.

However, just because this school came first in our rankings doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right choice for you.

For example, though you can pursue a wide range of specializations at University of Texas at Austin, you may want to enroll in a more affordable school, like Texas Woman’s University.

Ultimately, the right MSW program in Texas for you depends on your unique priorities and goals.

5 Best MSW Programs In Texas Ranked

To rank the best MSW programs in Texas, we compiled official exam pass rate data from the Association of Social Work Boards.

This way, we were able to rank the programs using an objective metric. Since you’ll need to pass the ASWB Master’s Exam to gain your LMSW licensure, these pass rates are a good measure of how well each school prepares you for social work practice.

Additionally, in the table below you’ll find pass rates for the ASWB Clinical Exam. This is the exam you must pass to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

However, since not every social worker decides to pursue clinical practice, and because LCSW licensure requires years of additional supervised training, we used the Master’s Exam pass rate to rank these MSW programs.

So, continue reading to discover how each school ranks, as well as some background information on the top five MSW programs in Texas. 

Note: University of Houston Downtown graduates performed well on the Master’s Exam, but the school only offers a BSW program. This means the data for this school either counted BSW graduates who later gained their MSW at a different school, or the school formerly offered an MSW program but no longer does. Either way, we’ve excluded UHD from our list of top programs after the table.

School	Masters Exam Pass Rate	Clinical Exam Pass Rate
1. University of Texas – Austin	93.2%	90.1%
2. University of Houston – Downtown (BSW only)	75.0%	50.0%
3. Texas Woman’s University	72.7%	75.0%
4. Baylor University	71.5%	72.9%
5. Abilene Christian University	71.4%	77.8%
6. Texas Christian University	70.8%	64.7%
7. Texas State University	69.7%	65.4%
8. University of North Texas	69.2%	75.0%
9. University of Texas – San Antonio	67.6%	61.9%
10. Texas Tech University	65.2%	80.0%
11. University of Houston	62.0%	72.5%
12. University of Texas – Arlington	51.0%	62.3%
13. Texas A&M University – Commerce	50.0%	43.1%
14. Tarleton State University	41.7%	61.5%
15. University of Texas – El Paso	41.7%	55.2%
16. University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley	39.9%	44.9%
17. Angelo State University	37.8%	0.0%
18. Stephen F. Austin State University	36.8%	53.8%
19. West Texas A&M University	36.4%	60.0%
20. Our Lady of the Lake University	34.9%	47.0%
21. Texas A&M University – Kingsville	22.9%	50.0%
22. Midwestern State University	0.0%	N/A
23. Southwestern Adventist University	0.0%	N/A
24. Texas Southern University	N/A	50.0%
25. University of Central Texas	N/A	0.0%
26. University of Texas – Permian Basin	N/A	0.0%

1. University of Texas (Austin)

The Master of Science in Social Work program at University of Texas at Austin features multiple pathways to earn your degree, including:

• One-Year Advanced Standing track: Begins in the summer, and requires four semesters to complete, including two summer semesters. You’ll typically take 6 to 15 credit hours per semester, and can choose from a 42 or 48 credit hour course of study
• Two-Year track: Begins in Fall, and requires four semesters to complete, with no summer semesters required. You’ll typically enroll in 15 credit hours per semester, and must complete 60 total credit hours.
• Three-Year track: Begins in Fall, and requires six semesters to complete, with no summer semesters required. You’ll typically enroll in 9 to 12 credit hours per semester, and must complete 60 total credit hours.
• Three-and-a-half Year track: Begins in Fall, and requires 10 semesters to complete, with multiple summer semesters. You’ll typically enroll in six to nine credit hours per semester, and must complete 60 total credit hours.

This school also offers two concentrations: Clinical Social Work and Administration and Policy Practice (APP). 

Better yet, you have the option to pursue a wide array of social work certificates, such as:

• Military Social Work Practice
• School-Based Social Work Practice
• Health Care Social Work
• Social Work Practice in Substance Abuse Disorders
• Social Work in Disability Studies

We should also note that University of Texas at Austin offers a lot of dual degree options you can add to your MSSW, including:

• Master of Business Administration
• Doctor of Jurisprudence
• Master of Public Affairs
• Master of Arts in Latin American Studies
• Master of Public Health
• Master of Divinity

Finally, to gain entry into this MSW program, you must meet the following admission requirements:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree
• Attain a minimum 3.0 GPA in upper-division undergraduate courses
• C grade or better in an introductory statistics course
• Between three and five letters of recommendation
• Submission of personal narrative statements and current resume

In-State Tuition	Out-of-State Tuition	ASWB Masters Exam Pass Rate	ASWB Clinical Exam Pass Rate
Between $3,776 and $7,054 per semester depending on number of credit hours you enroll in	Between $6,784 and $13,533 per semester depending on number of credit hours you enroll in	93.2%	90.1%

2. Texas Woman’s University

The second school in our rankings of the best MSW programs in Texas is Texas Woman’s University. Of the 22 graduates who took the ASWB Master’s Exam in 2022, 16 of them passed, giving them a 72.7% pass rate.

Meanwhile, three of the four graduates who took the Clinical Exam passed, giving this school a 75% pass rate.

TWU offers multiple pathways to earn your MSW degree, including:

• Two-Year Generalist track: Consists of 12-15 credit hours per semester for four semesters, plus one summer course
• Part-Time Generalist track: Consists of 6-9 credit hours per semester for eight semesters, plus one summer course
• One-Year Advanced Standing track: Consists of two 15 credit hour semesters
• Part-Time Advanced Standing track: Consists of 6-9 credit hours per semester for four semesters

It’s worth noting that this program does not appear to offer any specializations. However, you do get to choose a social work elective in your final year of study. This could give you the opportunity to learn more about a particular aspect of social work you’re interested in.

To gain admission into Texas Woman’s University’s MSW program, you must meet the following requirements:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree; Advanced Standing applicants must have earned their BSW in the last seven years
• Minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate coursework
• Two letters of recommendation; Advanced Standing students have at least one reference from someone involved in their BSW program
• Submission of resume

In-State Tuition	Out-of-State Tuition	ASWB Masters Exam Pass Rate	ASWB Clinical Exam Pass Rate
$338 per semester credit hour (depending on your track, this can fall between $2,028 and $5,070 per semester)	$758 per semester credit hour (depending on your track, this can fall between $4,548 and $11,370 per semester)	72.7%	75.0%

3. Baylor University

Baylor University ranks as the third top MSW program in Texas with an ASWB Master’s Exam pass rate of 71.5%. Of the 165 graduates who took the exam in 2022, 118 of them passed.

Meanwhile, graduates from this school attained a 72.9% pass rate on the Clinical Exam, with 43 out of 59 passing.

This school offers Advanced Standing and Standard MSW tracks. The Advanced Standing track requires between 13 and 17 credit hours per semester for two semesters. Meanwhile, the Stand track requires 13 to 16 credit hours per semester for four semesters.

We should note that Baylor offers an online program. There are three start dates per year, and it’s delivered via Zoom in a synchronous classroom format.

Additionally, while there is no specific program outline for part-time students, you may contact the program manager to learn more about part-time degree plans.

You can also choose from one of two specializations: Clinical or Community. While the Clinical specialization prepares you to work one-on-one with clients, the Community specialization prepares you to work in settings like public and nonprofit organizations.

Furthermore, you can even select a concentration, including:

• Organizational Leadership
• Trauma-Informed Practice
• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Baylor University provides even more ways to customize your MSW by offering several dual degrees, where you can simultaneously degrees such as:

• Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
• Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

To gain entry into this MSW program, you’ll need to meet the following admission requirements:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree
• Three letters of recommendation. For Standard students, at least one must be from an academic professor. For Advanced Standing students, two must be from academic professors, and one of those two must be from the “undergraduate program director, the director of practicum education, or the social work supervisor”
• For Advanced Standing students, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 in all undergraduate coursework
• Minimum 3.0 GPA for all social work coursework, and a B grade of better in all practice and internship courses
• Submission of Final Practicum Evaluation

In-State Tuition	Out-of-State Tuition	ASWB Masters Exam Pass Rate	ASWB Clinical Exam Pass Rate
$825 per credit hour (tuition per semester will generally be between $10,725 and $14,025)	N/A (Private University)	71.5%	72.9%

4. Abilene Christian University

Number four in our rankings of the best MSW programs in Texas is Abilene Christian University. Of the 14 students who took the ASWB Master’s Exam, 10 of them passed, giving this school a 71.4% pass rate.

Meanwhile, seven of the nine students taking the Clinical Exam passed, equalling a pass rate of 77.8%.

This school offers both Standard and Advanced Practice tracks. The Advanced Standing pathway requires a total of 38 credit hours to finish, consisting of two semesters, a six-week summer seminar, and one 500-hour field placement. 

On the other hand, the Standard pathway requires 64 total credit hours to complete, consisting of four semesters and two field placements.

Additionally, part-time pathways are available, but the degree plans and timelines are not listed on their website. The school also offers a dual MSSW degree with a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry. 

Furthermore, Advanced Standing students have the option to complete most of their coursework online. While you’ll need to attend an in-person, six-hour summer seminar, you can do the rest entirely remotely.

Likewise, Standard track students can complete all of their coursework remotely beginning in the second year, when they enter advanced study. However, you must complete the first year on-campus.

To attend the MSW program at this school, you must meet the following admission requirements:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 (for both Standard and Advanced Standing students)
• Two letters of recommendation; for Advanced Standing, one recommendation must be from a former social work professor
• Submission of personal statement
• Submission of a graded senior-level writing sample of at least five pages from undergraduate coursework
• Standard students must demonstrate a liberal arts background, with at least two courses taken in both humanities and communications; a course in statistics is also preferred
• Advanced Standing students must submit a field practicum assessment

In-State Tuition	Out-of-State Tuition	ASWB Masters Exam Pass Rate	ASWB Clinical Exam Pass Rate
$1,242 per credit hour (Advanced Standing track); $1,323 per credit hour (Standard track); You can generally expect to take about 16 credits per semester, which is equal to between $19,872 and $21,168 per semester	N/A (Private University)	71.4%	77.8%

5. Texas Christian University

The last school in our rankings of the top MSW programs in Texas is Texas Christian University. Of the 24 graduates who took the ASWB Master’s Exam, 17 of them passed, giving TCU a pass rate of 70.8%.

Meanwhile, the school boasts a 64.7% pass rate on the Clinical Exam, with 11 of 17 graduates passing the test.

Texas Christian University offers several different pathways to earn your Master in Social Work degree, including:

• Nine-Month Advanced Standing track: Requires 30 credit hours
• Two-Year Traditional track: Requires 60 credit hours
• Hybrid track: During your concentration year, you can complete up to four courses in an online, asynchronous format
• Dual MSW/Divinity Degree track: Allows you to pair your MSW degree with a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry (MATM), Master of Theological Studies (MTS), or Master of Divinity (M.Div.)

Additionally, you can choose to supplement your MSW degree with a Women and Gender Studies (WGST) or Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies (CRES) certificate.

Furthermore, you have the option to choose one of two specializations: Health and Mental Health and Children and Families.

To gain entry into the MSW program at Texas Christian University, you must meet the following admission requirements:

• Hold a Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum 3.0 GPA in last 60 credit hours of undergraduate coursework
• Pass at least one college-level course in Statistics, Sociology, and Psychology
• Three letters of recommendation, with at least one from an academic advisor or instructor
• Submission of resume and personal statement

In-State Tuition	Out-of-State Tuition	ASWB Masters Exam Pass Rate	ASWB Clinical Exam Pass Rate
$2,145 per credit hour; Depending on your course of study, you’ll likely take about 15 credits per semester, which is equal to $32,175 per semester	N/A (Private University)	70.8%	64.7%

Is An MSW Program In Texas Right For You?

Texas offers a diverse array of MSW programs, each with its unique strengths, specializations, and pathways to degree completion. 

Whether you’re drawn to clinical social work, policy and administration, or a specific niche like military social work, there’s likely a program in Texas tailored to your interests.

However, if one of these top MSW programs in Texas didn’t quite pique your interest, you may want to explore online degrees. This is typically a more flexible and more affordable way to start or advance your social work career.

To explore more degree options, fill out this form and we’ll help you get started!

Texas MSW Programs FAQs

What Is The Most Affordable MSW Program In Texas?

Of the top five MSW programs in Texas, the most affordable is Texas Woman’s University.

This school’s tuition is $338 per semester credit hour. So, depending on which course of study you opt for, your cost can fall anywhere between $2,028 and $5,070 per semester for in-state students.

This is significantly cheaper than the most expensive school in the top five, Texas Christian University. TCU costs $2,145 per credit hour, and will generally cost about $23,175 per semester if you enroll in 15 credit hours.

What Can You Do With An MSW In Texas?

An MSW prepares you for a variety of roles in advanced social work practice. Most importantly, it’s the prerequisite to becoming a Licensed Master of Social Work. 

Additionally, it’s a prerequisite to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, though this also entails additional years of supervised clinical practice.

Ultimately, an MSW allows you to take on many different types of social work jobs in Texas, including but certainly not limited to:

• School social worker
• Healthcare social worker
• Child and family therapist
• Social work administrator
• Policy analyst 

Additionally, the state offers opportunities in specialized areas such as military social work, substance abuse counseling, and social work within legal and correctional systems. 

With its diverse population and broad range of social service agencies, Texas is an excellent location for MSW graduates to make a significant difference in the lives of individuals and communities.