Masters in Social Work in USA: Universities, Fees, Scholarships, and Placements

Masters in Social Work in USA: Universities, Fees, Scholarships, and Placements

Masters in Social Work (MSW) is a program that teaches students to provide optimum care to their future clients. It is a full-time course offered by top universities in the USA. The admission requirements are basically a 4-years bachelor’s degree, while some universities also require work experience as a social worker. The range of tuition fees for this course in USA lies between 15,000 USD to 50,000 USD (12 lakhs - 40 lakhs INR). The graduates get hired by government agencies, NGOs, Medical Care facilities and earn up to 50,000 USD (40 lakhs INR)

The aim of a social worker is to provide comfort and support to people during their problems. After completing their MSW degree, a student receives a certificate from the Council of Social Work Education that enables them to work with the public and private sectors of the USA.

Masters in Social Work in USA: Highlights

Course Type MS
Course Duration 1-3 years
Eligibility Criteria Bachelor’s degree
English Proficiency Requirements IELTS/TOEFL iBT/Duolingo
Average Tuition Fees 28,587 USD (23.24 lakhs INR)
Average Salary 50,552 USD (41 Lakhs INR)
Top Recruiters Government agencies, Catholic Charities, DaVita Inc., Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.

Top Universities for Masters in Social Work in USA

Universities Course Deadlines Tuition Fee (USD)
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Master of Social Work 1 March 2023 25,192
University of Chicago Master’s in Social Work 1 December 2022
15 January 2023
49,734
University of Washington Master of Social Work 4 January 2023 35,648
Columbia University Master of Social Work 15 0ctober 2022 (January 2023)
15 February 2023 (September 2023)
22,402
University of North Carolina Master of Social Work 14 February 2023 (2-year MSW)
14 March 2023 (3-year MSW)
16,572
University of Texas Master of Science in Social Work 15 November 2022 (Fall admission)
15 February 2023 (Summer admission)
19,108
Case Western Reserve University Masters of Social Work 1 December 2022 24,785
Boston University Masters of Social Work 22 February 2023 37,838
Ohio State University Master of Social Work 1 June 2023 26,000

What is Masters in Social Work in USA?

Masters in Social Work is commonly known as MSW in USA. It is a course that helps students in enabling them to work in a variety of work environments such ad non-profit organizations.

  • It teaches them about social work history and practice, and making their identity as professionals.
  • Students learn leadership skills and how to bring innovative ideas to the table to solve the social challenges in the world.
  • The program is offered in two more ways
    1. Advanced Standing
    2. Extended Degree
  • It is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Why Study Masters in Social Work in USA?

Here is a list of reasons why international students shall choose to study masters in social work in the USA.

  • The universities in USA providing the MSW degree are ranked among the top universities in the world.
University QS Ranking 2023
University of Chicago 10
Columbia University 22
  • Apart from working as social workers, graduates can also take leadership opportunities by working as nursing home directors, adult protection workers, psychiatrist crisis screeners, and adjunct lecturers at universities.
  • According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, social workers' employment should grow by 9% from 2021 to 2031.
  • There are about 74,700 openings for social workers projected every year over the decade.

Admissions to Masters in Social Work in USA

Social work degrees are slightly different in USA. Though a four-year bachelor's is a requirement, applicants with a 3-year degree and relevant work experience are considered for admission to the program.

Eligibility Criteria for Masters in Social Work in USA

The academic requirements and English language test scores are mentioned in the table below.

University Academic Requirements English Language Proficiency
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Bachelor’s Degree I 20 Academic semester credits in psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, history, political science IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 100
University of Chicago Bachelor’s degree in Social Work IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 104
University of Washington Bachelor’s degree with GPA 3.0 (83-86%) IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 92 I Duolingo - 120
Columbia University Bachelor’s degree IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 100 I Duolingo - 130
University of North Carolina 4 year Bachelor’s degree in any discipline IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 90
University of Texas Bachelor’s degree with GPA 3.0 (83-86%) I GRE Optional IELTS - 6.5 I TOEFL iBT - 79
Case Western Reserve University Bachelor’s degree with 2.7 (80-82%) or higher IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 90
Boston University Bachelor’s degree (No GPA requirements) I GRE optional IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 100 I Duolingo - 115
Ohio State University Bachelor’s degree with 3.0 (83-86%) GPA with 10 semester credit hours in social science IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 79 I Duolingo - 105

Additional Requirements for Masters in Social Work in USA

Some additional documents that are required to complete the documents are listed below

  1. Official transcripts from previous institutions
  2. Statement of Purpose (SOP)
  3. Work Experience
  4. Letters of recommendation (LOR)
  5. CV/Resume

Cost of Studying Masters in Social Work in USA

This section covers the cost of studying MSW degree in USA. It includes the tuition fees of universities for international students and living expenses in the USA.

Tuition Fees for Masters in Social Work in USA for Indian Students

Given below are the fees for Indian students planning to pursue masters in social work in the USA:

University Tuition Fee (USD) Tuition Fee (INR)
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor 25,192 20,43,184
University of Chicago 49,734 40,33,651
University of Washington 35,648 28,91,213
Columbia University 22,402 18,16,903
University of North Carolina 16,572 13,44,063
University of Texas 19,108 15,49,744
Case Western Reserve University 24,785 20,10,175
Boston University 37,838 30,68,832
Ohio State University 26,000 21,08,717

Cost of Living in USA

An estimate of expenses required while living in the USA are tabulated below.

Expense Type Average Cost (USD) Average Cost (INR)
Accommodation 9,800-11,100 8,13,868 - 9,21,831
Food 250 per month 20,668
Transportation 350 per month 28,935
Internet 45 per month 3,720
Books 1,200-1,500 99,207-1,24,008
Health Insurance 700 57,870

Scholarships for Masters in Social Work in USA

In order to bear the huge cost structure of the MSW coursework in the USA, the government and the universities offer some specific scholarship programs for the meritorious fellows. Some of the scholarships for international students in USA are discussed in the following:

Scholarship Eligibility Awards (USD)
The Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Students from developing countries with no other source of financial help for masters in the USA Tuition fees and living expenses Awarded on a 50% grant: 50% loan basis
AAUW International Fellowship Prog ram Non-American women pursuing graduate and post-graduate studies in any subject $20,000-$50,000
P.E.O International Peace Scholarship Non-American women who have applied for graduate studies in any university in USA $5000 can only be renewed twice

Masters in Social Work in USA: Placements

After completing MSW degree, students get employed as social workers, substance use counselors, etc. Given in the table below are their average yearly salaries with some more job roles.

Masters in Social Work in USA: Placements
Job Role Average Annual Salary (USD) Average Annual Salary (INR)
Social Worker 50,552 40,99,994
Substance Use and Recovery Treatment Counselor 40,899 33,17,092
Medical Social Worker 57,768 46,85,244
Child Welfare Social Worker 58,386 47,35,367
Clinical Social Worker 58,652 47,56,941
Human Services Specialist 33,018 26,77,908
School Social Worker 43,777 35,50,511

Masters in Social Work in USA: Comparison by Universities

University Tuition Fees (USD) ELP Requirements LOR/SOP
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor 25,192 IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 100 2 LORs
Columbia University 22,402 IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 100 I Duolingo - 130 3 LORs
University of Chicago 49,734 IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 104 3 LORs
University of Washington 35,648 IELTS - 7.0 I TOEFL iBT - 92 I Duolingo - 120 3 LORs I SOP
University of Texas 19,108 IELTS - 6.5 I TOEFL iBT - 79 3 LORs Required, 5 Preferred ISOP

Masters in social work lead to getting higher remuneration compared to the bachelor passed out students. The growth rate is much faster than the other occupations in the country. Hence, choosing MSW coursework can inevitably open up the career path for the students.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques: Can a foreigner be a social worker in USA?

Ans: By meeting the admission requirements, foreign students can get admission to Masters in Social Work in USA. After graduation, they can get licensed and work as social workers.

Ques: Does MSW have scope in USA?

Ans: MSW students have many options in job roles that they can choose from to pursue their careers in social work. They can work as a medical social worker, substance abuse counselors, child welfare caseworkers, school social workers, and clinical mental health social workers.

Ques: Are social workers well paid in USA?

Ans: The average salary of a social worker is 50,552 USD (40,99,994 INR). This is a better salary than many other professions in USA.

Ques: Is a Masters in Social Work in USA worth it?

Ans: A Masters in Social Work in USA can help you secure a better position such as social work supervisor which also means more income. Therefore, a masters in social work is worth the investment.

Ques: Which state pays social workers in USA the most?

Ans: The most paying states in USA for social work are

  1. Oregon
  2. Alaska
  3. California
  4. Washington
  5. Nevada

Top Institutes To Study
Harvard University
Harvard UniversityCambridge,Massachusetts
Stanford University
Stanford UniversityStanford,California
University of California
University of CaliforniaBerkeley,California
Columbia University
Columbia UniversityNew York City,New York
University of Chicago
University of ChicagoChicago,Illinois

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