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2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

43 Ranked Colleges
6,090 Degrees Awarded
$7,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Social Work is the 12th most popular major in the country with 57,618 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, social work graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $36,459 and had an average of $30,084 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 6,090 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,551 and $25,822 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 43 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social work. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social work programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the social work program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Social Work Schools

The social work school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Social Work (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is a public institution located in Edinburg, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 207 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UT Rio Grande Valley, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $2,993 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Work at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Austin Community College District landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Austin, Texas, and it awarded 36 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Austin Community College District also made our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for Austin Community College District is $3,134 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Austin Community College District

#3

South Texas College

McAllen, Texas

Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, South Texas College landed the #3 spot on the list. South Texas College is a large public school situated in McAllen, Texas. It awarded 119 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

South Texas College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend South Texas College is $904 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at South Texas College

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas Woman’s University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Denton, Texas, and it awarded 69 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

TWU also took the #17 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas Woman’s University is $6,706 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at TWU

#6

San Juan College

Farmington, New Mexico

San Juan College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Juan College is a medium-sized school located in Farmington, New Mexico that handed out 27 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SJC is $5,586 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at SJC

#7

Amarillo College

Amarillo, Texas

Amarillo College landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Amarillo, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social work degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $4,740 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Amarillo College.

Full Amarillo College Social Work Report

University of North Texas ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Texas is a public institution located in Denton, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 85 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNT also made our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #22. It costs about $8,521 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNT.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Social Work at UNT

The University of Texas at San Antonio did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. UTSA is a large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 76 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio is $10,516 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full The University of Texas at San Antonio Social Work Report

#10

MSU Texas

Wichita Falls, Texas

MSU Texas ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Wichita Falls, Texas, and it awarded 12 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for MSU Texas is $7,703 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full MSU Texas Social Work Report

#11

Northeastern State University

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

With a ranking of #11, Northeastern State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. NSU is a public institution located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 71 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for NSU is $7,614 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at NSU

#12

Angelo State University

San Angelo, Texas

Angelo State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Angelo State is a fairly large school located in San Angelo, Texas that handed out 39 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Angelo State also made our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for Angelo State University is $9,799 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Social Work at Angelo State

The University of Texas at Austin ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UT Austin is a public institution located in Austin, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 226 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend The University of Texas at Austin is $12,203 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin

#14

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

University of Houston came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UH is located in Houston, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 232 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

UH also took the #6 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $10,203 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Houston.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Work at University of Houston

#15

Tyler Junior College

Tyler, Texas

Tyler Junior College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tyler Junior College is a public institution located in Tyler, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 38 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Tyler Junior College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Tyler Junior College is $7,977 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Tyler Junior College Social Work Report

#16

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Texas Tech University is a public institution located in Lubbock, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech also took the #24 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $12,317 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Texas Tech University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Social Work at Texas Tech

With a ranking of #17, University of Houston - Clear Lake did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. UH Clear Lake is a medium-sized school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 12 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, UH Clear Lake has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $4,517 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Houston - Clear Lake.

Read full report on Social Work at UH Clear Lake

#18

Lamar University

Beaumont, Texas

Lamar University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Lamar University is a fairly large school located in Beaumont, Texas that handed out 47 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,200 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Lamar University.

Read full report on Social Work at Lamar University

#19

Texas State University

San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in San Marcos, Texas, and it awarded 260 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas State also took the #12 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $11,125 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Texas State.

Read more about Social Work at Texas State

The University of Texas at El Paso did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. The University of Texas at El Paso is a large school located in El Paso, Texas that handed out 85 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UTEP is $7,092 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full UTEP Social Work Report

Stephen F Austin State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. SFASU is a public institution located in Nacogdoches, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 125 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,650 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SFASU.

Full Stephen F Austin State University Social Work Report

#22

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Northern Arizona University is a large school located in Flagstaff, Arizona that handed out 190 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

NAU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NAU is $9,251 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full NAU Social Work Report

#23

Western New Mexico University

Silver City, New Mexico

Western New Mexico University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Western New Mexico University is located in Silver City, New Mexico and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 238 ’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Western New Mexico University also took the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Western New Mexico University is $12,306 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full Western New Mexico University Social Work Report

New Mexico State University - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. NMSU Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Las Cruces, New Mexico that handed out 98 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $6,896 for Southwest Region Social Work students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend NMSU Main Campus.

Read full report on Social Work at NMSU Main Campus

The University of Texas at Arlington landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Arlington, Texas, and it awarded 909 ’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k list, UT Arlington has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Social Work Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UT Arlington is $11,811 for southwest region social work students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full The University of Texas at Arlington Social Work Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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