Texas has 34 CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work programs, the authoritative count from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs. The longest-accredited is Our Lady of the Lake University, which has held CSWE accreditation since 1974. 6 of the 34 record an online option; the rest are campus-based. 6 are hosted at a Carnegie R1 (very high research) university and 12 at a Carnegie R2 (high research) university.
Each program below is scored on the same five-factor model used in our national ranking, so the order reflects accreditation longevity, delivery and schedule flexibility, program breadth, and the institution's Carnegie research tier, all applied identically nationwide. A program marked National # ranks among the top 20 of all 535 accredited BSW programs in the country, per our five-factor scoring method.
Texas BSW programs at a glance
34
CSWE-accredited BSW programs
1974
Oldest, Our Lady of the Lake University, accredited since
6
Offer an online option
18
At an R1 or R2 research university
Texas's 34 programs span CSWE accreditation from 1974 to 2022, and the highest-scoring on our five-factor model is Our Lady of the Lake University at 8.8 out of 10. The newest, Texas College, earned accreditation in 2022. Among the Texas programs we have verified tuition for, published in-state tuition runs from $4,416 to $57,130 a year. A child, family, and school social worker in Texas earns a median of $55,680 a year, 6% below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
All 34 CSWE-Accredited BSW Programs in Texas
Every one of these BSW programs in Texas holds current CSWE accreditation. Status, dates, campus locations and online options come from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs, and each card cites its own sources inline. Tuition is shown for reference only and is not factored into the score.
- #1 National #10
Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · Online or On-Campus
8.8
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 2 campuses + online 2 certificates Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Texas
Based in San Antonio, Our Lady of the Lake University is a private university offering a BSW in Texas. The placement requires a minimum of 450 agency-based clock hours under the supervision of a licensed master's level social worker. Students cannot enroll until they have completed 27 hours of social work courses with a 2.5 major GPA, and the placement is graded pass or fail rather than by letter. Students declare the major through the registrar and may take up to 18 semester hours of social work before formal admission, which is processed once six hours are done. It requires a 2.0 overall GPA, a 2.5 social work GPA, a personal statement, one faculty letter and a signed Worden Student Code of Conduct. Published tuition is $32,356 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$32,356 / year (private, one rate for all students)
2026-27 tuition · ollusa.edu
Locations
San Antonio, TX (1974-present); La Feria, TX/Rio Grande Valley (1974-present); Online (2021-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #2
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · Online or On-Campus
8.4
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Arlington, University of Texas at Arlington is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Three tracks run in parallel. The Arlington campus schedules weekday morning, afternoon and evening sections with multiple sections each semester and summer term, an asynchronous online track serves Texas residents and military families, and an out-of-state online track lets many students save 40 to 50 percent on tuition and fees. Every undergraduate logs a minimum of 400 practicum hours through a social work internship, which the school calls the signature experience of the degree. BSW students also earn credit toward the master's while finishing the bachelor's. In-state tuition runs $12,208 a year against $27,494 for nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $12,208 · Out-of-state $27,494 / year
2026-27 tuition & fees · uta.edu
Locations
Arlington, TX (1982-Present); Online (2022-Present); Fort Worth, TX (1982-2022)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #3
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1978 · Online or On-Campus
8.3
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 2 campuses + online Accred. since 1978Why it ranks in Texas
Texas State University teaches the BSW in San Marcos, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Phase III is one block internship, SOWK 4975 at nine credits and 420 contact hours, taken with the three-credit SOWK 4374 integrative seminar across roughly fifteen weeks. The Office of Field Education arranges every placement and asks students not to contact partner agencies themselves. The school runs a Title IV-E Child Welfare Partnership with a separate track for people already working at CPS, and keeps a virtual reality technology lab and the Richter Research Institute in house. Graduation requires a 2.50 university GPA plus a 2.75 average in social work and supportive courses. In-state tuition runs $8,606 a year against $20,366 for nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,606 · Out-of-state $20,366 / year
Locations
San Marcos, TX (1978-present); Online (2018-present); Round Rock, TX (2023-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.7
- Delivery (22%) 8.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
8.1
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus 2 certificates Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Texas
Texas Christian University teaches the BSW in Fort Worth, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Practicum runs across the senior year as a paired sequence, Practicum Seminar 1 in the fall and Practicum Seminar 2 alongside Practicum Education 2 in the spring. Students are judged on an integrative paper scored by the Director of Practicum Education and seminar instructors, plus a skills evaluation completed by the practicum instructor on a four-point scale. Social work sits inside the Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences rather than a liberal arts unit, and the department frames its teaching around trauma-informed practice and the analysis of structural inequities. Faculty carry active research agendas, including a 2026-27 Fulbright award for work in India. Published tuition is $57,130 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$57,130 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Fort Worth, TX (1977-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 8.5
- #5
Abilene Christian University
Abilene, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1982 · Online or On-Campus
8.0
Online or On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus + online 1 certificate Accred. since 1982Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Abilene, Abilene Christian University is a private university offering a BSW in Texas. A fully online version of the degree runs 120 credit hours over roughly 3.5 years at $395 per credit hour plus a $310 resource fee each part of term, with several start dates a year. Its coursework includes Foundations of Social and Economic Justice and Practice III: Communities and Organizations. Students apply to the major only after reaching junior standing, at least 60 semester hours, with a 2.75 GPA and satisfactory completion of SOCW 230, 245 and 250. The application also requires two academic recommendations and a signed acknowledgement of the NASW Code of Ethics. Published tuition is $42,100 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$42,100 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Abilene, TX (1982-present); Online (2025-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #6
Tarleton State University
Bryan, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1980 · On-Campus
7.9
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 4 campuses Accred. since 1980Why it ranks in Texas
Tarleton State University teaches the BSW in Bryan, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Coursework pairs a liberal arts base with professional classes in human behavior, crisis intervention, client case management, interviewing strategies, race and ethnic relations and cultural anthropology, plus a service learning research project. Students pick between a general track and a child welfare concentration. The bachelor's program has held full accreditation since 1980, reaffirmed most recently in 2020. That matters practically in Texas, where social worker is a restricted title and only graduates of an accredited social work program can sit for the licensing exam under the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. In-state tuition runs $4,416 a year against $14,496 for nonresidents, below the Texas median of $7,773. It carries the lowest published in-state tuition among the BSW programs in Texas.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,416 · Out-of-state $14,496 / year
Locations
Bryan, TX (2020-present); Fort Worth, TX (2012-present); Stephenville, TX (1980-present); Waco, TX (2012-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.4
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #7
Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1974 · On-Campus
7.8
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1974Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Denton, Texas Woman's University is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Practice courses are split explicitly by system level, starting with a micro Practice 1 course built around recorded video interviews and assessment writing, then separate mezzo and macro courses covering group work, families and community-level practice. Social Research, a Social Issues, Policies and Programs course and a course on grieving fill out the major. The Orien Levy Woolf Division reports more than 20,000 hours of student community service in a single year, and a federally funded Title IV-E child welfare training program places students with CPS. Student life centers on the Beta Sigma chapter of Phi Alpha and the Child Abuse Prevention Society. In-state tuition runs $5,712 a year against $15,792 for nonresidents, below the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $5,712 · Out-of-state $15,792 / year
Locations
Denton, TX (1974-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #8
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
7.7
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1979Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Students spend 400 hours at a community agency, usually in the final semester, enrolling in SW 4611 alongside the SW 4340 field seminar. Applications open the long semester before placement, and after meeting the Field Director students interview with agencies while the director negotiates the final match. The placement roster leans into West Texas public systems and correctional work, with recent sites including Montford Psychiatric Correctional Facility, Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, the Lubbock Private Defenders Office and the Office of Dispute Resolution. Hospice, foster care and school-based agencies fill out the list. In-state tuition runs $8,935 a year against $21,534 for nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,935 · Out-of-state $21,534 / year
Locations
Lubbock, TX (1979-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #9
University of North Texas
Denton, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.7
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Denton, University of North Texas is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Undergraduates can pair the major with a Trauma-Informed Care certificate or a Human Services minor, both run out of the same department. Faculty advise students toward one of four practice areas, medical and public health, mental health and substance abuse, child and family, or school social work. A Title IV-E grant from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services funds a final-semester stipend, paid for a field placement inside a Child Protective Services conservatorship unit and a signed contract to work for the agency after graduation. Participants take SOWK 4700, Child Welfare Theory, and clear Child Abuse Registry and driving record checks. In-state tuition runs $8,319 a year against $18,399 for nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $8,319 · Out-of-state $18,399 / year
Locations
Denton, TX (1975-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #10
Baylor University
Waco, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.7
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Waco, Baylor University is a private university offering a BSW in Texas. Undergraduates intern 215 hours a term across two terms, 430 hours in total. The settings reach past hospitals and schools into congregations, veteran services, homeless outreach, adoption and foster care agencies, grief and hospice work and skilled nursing care. The Garland School holds students to a tenth competency beyond the nine CSWE requires, covering the role and influence of religion, spirituality and philosophical perspectives in ethical, anti-oppressive practice and research. Its minors and electives extend that into human diversity, peacebuilding, and mental health and the aging process. Published tuition is $54,844 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$54,844 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Waco, TX (1976-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #11
Texas Southern University
Houston, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.5
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1977Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Houston, Texas Southern University is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. The major requires 56 credits of social work coursework, with a C or better demanded in every core course and in the psychology and sociology cognates. The senior year splits into two concurrent blocks, SOCW 440, 443, 444 and 450 in the first half, then SOCW 439, 441 and 446 in the second. Three student groups organize life in the department, the Social Work Student Organization, a National Association of Black Social Workers student chapter and Phi Alpha honor society. Members mentor through the NABSW Houston chapter, volunteer at the NASW Texas conference, and hold seats on the department search committee and advisory board. In-state tuition runs $6,941 a year against $18,701 for nonresidents, below the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,941 · Out-of-state $18,701 / year
Locations
Houston, TX (1977-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #12
University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1976 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1976Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Edinburg, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Applying to the major takes a 2.7 cumulative GPA, 30 hours of core curriculum, and a C or better in Intro to the Social Work Profession, composition and college algebra, plus a personal statement and one letter of recommendation. Deadlines are April 1 for fall and October 1 for spring, and the field internship later requires a 3.0 GPA. The Social Work Student Association is open to pre-social work students as well as declared majors and runs through six standing committees with elections every semester. Dues and fundraising pay for student trips to NASW conferences and Social Work Legislative Day in Austin. In-state tuition runs $7,637 a year against $17,707 for nonresidents, in line with the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,637 · Out-of-state $17,707 / year
Locations
Edinburg, TX (1976-present)
Visit the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 6.5
- #13
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Austin, University of Texas at Austin is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. The practicum lands in the final semester, 400 clock hours in a community agency under a licensed social worker, taken alongside a practice course and a practicum seminar for debriefing. Placements come from partnerships with hundreds of agencies in Austin and beyond. First-year students can join the Social Work Education Enhancement Program, which pairs them with staff and student mentors, and an honors track lets undergraduates run their own social work research. Minors are there for students who want the subject without practicing professionally. In-state tuition runs $11,678 a year against $42,778 for nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $11,678 · Out-of-state $42,778 / year
Locations
Austin, TX (1975-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #14
East Texas A&M University
Commerce, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1978 · On-Campus
7.4
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 2 campuses 1 certificate Accred. since 1978Why it ranks in Texas
East Texas A&M University teaches the BSW in Commerce, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. The program runs fully online and also as a hybrid mixing online work with face-to-face classes in Commerce, where students advance together as a cohort. Tuition and fees at a 12 credit hour load come to $4,212 for Texas residents and $9,108 for nonresidents. The Commerce schedule is set rather than chosen: four courses a semester, two face-to-face and two online, with the in-person classes meeting only on Tuesdays in a nine to noon block and a one to four block. Applicants who fall short of the criteria can be admitted conditionally on a readiness plan. In-state tuition runs $4,790 a year against $17,390 for nonresidents, below the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,790 · Out-of-state $17,390 / year
Locations
Commerce, TX (1978-present); Dallas, TX (2022-present); Mesquite, TX (1978-2023); Frisco, TX (1978-2023)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.7
- Delivery (22%) 5.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #15
West Texas A&M University
Canyon, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.2
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Texas
West Texas A&M University teaches the BASW in Canyon, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Two degree paths exist: a BA carrying a foreign language requirement and a BS that substitutes an additional science course for it. The core requirements include two classes in biology or anatomy. The degree cannot be completed online, and not all classes are offered at night. The internship runs 450 hours, taken either as a block placement in the final semester at 32 hours a week during the standard workday, or part time across two semesters at 16 hours a week. A semi-annual Field Fair, organized by the graduating class, is where students meet agency representatives and line up placements. In-state tuition runs $6,372 a year against $8,267 for nonresidents, below the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,372 · Out-of-state $8,267 / year
Locations
Canyon, TX (1975-Present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #16
Midwestern State University
Wichita Falls, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1991 · On-Campus
7.0
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1991Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Wichita Falls, Midwestern State University is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. The bachelor's is the only social work degree offered here, with no MSW above it and no social work minor beneath it, and the department awards no credit for life experience. Its accreditation was reaffirmed for a full eight-year term that runs through June 2031. The department maps the Texas LBSW route in detail: the ASWB bachelor's exam, a jurisprudence exam, a National Practitioner Data Bank self-query and fingerprinting before the license issues. It also publishes that the curriculum meets educational requirements in every state, while noting six, including Illinois, Michigan and Virginia, that add post-degree supervised hours. In-state tuition runs $5,877 a year against $7,827 for nonresidents, below the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $5,877 · Out-of-state $7,827 / year
Locations
Wichita Falls, TX (1991-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 10.0
- #17
Stephen F. Austin State University
Nacogdoches, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
6.9
On-Campus Full-time 3 campuses Accred. since 1979Why it ranks in Texas
Stephen F. Austin State University teaches the BSW in Nacogdoches, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Two practicums are required. The junior placement runs eight hours a week for 100 hours in a community setting with a co-requisite seminar, and the senior placement jumps to 32 hours a week in a social service agency under a professional social worker, paired with the two-hour SWK 490 seminar and gated on a 2.25 GPA and C or better in every professional course. Everyone starts in pre-practice status, including freshmen, transfers and students changing majors, and cannot file the degree plan until they clear a set of benchmarks: a 2.25 SFA GPA, grades of C or better in specified social work, biology and English courses, college-level math finished, and nine or fewer core hours left. The degree totals 120 credit hours. In-state tuition runs $7,842 a year against $17,922 for nonresidents, in line with the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,842 · Out-of-state $17,922 / year
Locations
Nacogdoches, TX (1979-present); The Woodlands, TX (1979-present); Tyler, TX (1979-present); Online (2018-2021)
Visit the Stephen F. Austin State University BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 6.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #18
St. Edward's University
Austin, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
6.9
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus 1 certificate Accred. since 1975Why it ranks in Texas
St. Edward's University teaches the BA in Austin, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Professors run active research on human trafficking, immigration detention and LGBTQIA+ youth in foster care, and undergraduates work alongside them on it. The program also hosts continuing education for licensed practitioners on Texas specific issues such as Operation Lone Star and SB 4, and offers a standalone minor in Social Welfare. Graduates have taken social work roles at Integral Care, Communities in Schools, Austin Independent School District, Lifeworks, Jolt and Con Mi Madre, while others served with the Peace Corps or as Fulbright English teaching assistants. Alumni have gone on to graduate study at Washington University, Columbia and UT Austin. Published tuition is $50,484 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$50,484 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Austin, TX (1975-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 5.0
- #19
Lamar University
Beaumont, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
6.9
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1979Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Beaumont, Lamar University is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Entering students are all placed in a pre-major designation and only move into the major after reaching a 2.5 cumulative GPA and earning recommendations from social work faculty. Competency is verified at the other end by a Social Work Exit Exam students must pass in their final semester. The Child Welfare Professional Development Project runs on Title IV-E money from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and pays selected students up to $5,000 during field placement while preparing them for child protection work. In-state tuition runs $6,228 a year against $16,020 for nonresidents, below the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,228 · Out-of-state $16,020 / year
Locations
Beaumont, TX (1979-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #20
Hardin-Simmons University
Abilene, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1986 · On-Campus
6.8
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 1986Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Abilene, Hardin-Simmons University is a private university offering a BSW in Texas. Students log 30 volunteer hours inside regular coursework, spread across Introduction to Social Work, Social Work Practice I and the two Field Education courses. Placements draw on a long roster of Abilene-area partners including Hendrick Hospital, state child and adult protective services, the Noah Project and the Abilene Independent School District. Students apply for formal admission to the major after finishing the Human Behavior and the Social Environment courses in sophomore year, then apply again for Field Education during Social Work Practice III. Staying in requires a 2.0 GPA and a C or better in every social work course, and no credit is given for life or work experience. Published tuition is $30,694 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$30,694 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Abilene, TX (1986-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 8.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 6.0
- #21
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1980 · On-Campus
6.8
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1980Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Prairie View, Prairie View A&M University is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Placements run through the university's affiliations with social service agencies locally and nationally, and instruction during the practicum comes from qualified social workers working with clinical faculty. The practicum office sits on the second floor of W.R. Banks and takes its own separate field application. Three upper-level electives let students angle the degree, with choices in gerontological social work, minority aging, social work with at-risk juveniles, generalist crisis intervention, multicultural issues in mental health, and intervention with the addicted family. The department sponsors a Social Work Action Club alongside the Phi Alpha and Alpha Delta Mu honor societies, and administers the Marianna Pollard and Flossie Byrd scholarships. In-state tuition runs $7,387 a year against $22,590 for nonresidents, in line with the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,387 · Out-of-state $22,590 / year
Locations
Prairie View, TX (1980-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 9.4
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #22
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1994 · On-Campus
6.3
On-Campus Carnegie R1 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1994Why it ranks in Texas
Based in El Paso, University of Texas at El Paso is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Entering the major takes its own application, with an experience summary sheet, a personal statement and letters of recommendation filed separately from the university application. Students already admitted to the BSW can apply each January to an accelerated pathway into the MSW. The department sits on the US-Mexico border across from Ciudad Juarez, in a combined metroplex of more than two million people, and builds that binational context into the degree. Teaching pairs classroom work with simulation technology and practicum hours in El Paso agencies, and the BSW stays small at 70 to 75 students enrolled. CSWE accreditation dates to 1994, 32 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,704 · Out-of-state $23,472 / year
Locations
El Paso, TX (1994-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 10.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #23
Angelo State University
San Angelo, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2010 · Online or On-Campus
5.6
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2010Why it ranks in Texas
Based in San Angelo, Angelo State University is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Coursework can be taken online, and the Ram Ready partnership with San Antonio College is built so SAC students finish the Angelo State bachelor's fully online while carrying over the maximum transfer credit. Field hours still have to be done in person, with the field director helping locate a placement. The department runs an annual summer study abroad program that travels across Europe with social work faculty and students. Stops include partner universities in the Netherlands, meetings with practitioners in the Czech Republic, and work with the Ronald McDonald Foundation in Bucharest, Romania. CSWE accreditation dates to 2010, 16 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $4,495 · Out-of-state $14,575 / year
Locations
San Angelo, TX (2010-present); Online (2018-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.6
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #24
University of Houston-Clear Lake
Houston, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2001 · On-Campus
5.6
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2001Why it ranks in Texas
University of Houston-Clear Lake teaches the BSW in Houston, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Internships run through regional social service agencies and nonprofits around the Houston and Galveston area, and students are encouraged into faculty research projects. The program keeps a Phi Alpha Honor Society chapter, a Social Work Student Organization, an alumni organization and a standing advisory board. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Texas Licensed Social Worker exam through the state Board of Social Work Examiners. The program points students toward adoption and foster care, criminal justice, disability services, immigrant and refugee services, veterans and military affairs, and substance use and addiction care. CSWE accreditation dates to 2001, 25 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,600 · Out-of-state $20,784 / year
Locations
Houston, TX (2001-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.0
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #25
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Belton, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1994 · On-Campus
5.5
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1994Why it ranks in Texas
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor teaches the BSW in Belton, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Majors complete a 450-hour field placement in a local agency, with course-based service learning and community volunteering running alongside it. Recent placements include Family Promise of East Bell County, and the program frames its training inside what it calls a Christ-centered learning community. Six of every ten graduates go on to a graduate degree program, and the department reports average to significantly above average scores on the SWEAP Foundation Curriculum Assessment Instrument. Alumni have gone to Baylor Scott and White Medical Center, the Bell County Mental Health Indigent Defense Program and the Menninger Clinic in Houston. Published tuition is $30,600 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$30,600 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Belton, TX (1994 - present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 7.1
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #26
University of Texas of the Permian Basin
Odessa, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2003 · On-Campus
5.4
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2003Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Odessa, University of Texas of the Permian Basin is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Placement fills the senior year, two sequential semesters at 240 hours each and roughly 15 to 16 supervised hours a week working with clients across the Permian Basin. A weekly field practicum seminar runs alongside the placement, and students are matched to agencies by interest. Competency gets measured twice over, through a field evaluation the agency instructor completes at midterm and again just before finals each semester, and through a class assignment in the practice with individuals and families course each spring. The benchmark is 80 percent of students reaching the target score on all nine competencies. CSWE accreditation dates to 2003, 23 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,577 · Out-of-state $18,817 / year
Locations
Odessa, TX (2003-present)
Visit the University of Texas of the Permian Basin BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.7
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #27
Howard Payne University
Brownwood, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 1997 · On-Campus
5.3
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 1997Why it ranks in Texas
Howard Payne University teaches the BSW in Brownwood, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Admission to the university is separate from admission to the BSW program, and the second gate has to be cleared before any upper-division social work course. Applicants need Introduction to Social Work passed with a C or better, the program GPA minimum, and good academic and disciplinary standing. Howard Payne holds a memorandum of understanding with Angelo State University to smooth the path into its MSW, with advising support built around it, though admission is still Angelo State's decision. A Community Advisory Board of local practitioners and alumni reviews curriculum relevance and field partnerships. Published tuition is $29,522 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$29,522 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Brownwood, TX (1997-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 6.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #28
Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2004 · On-Campus
5.3
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2004Why it ranks in Texas
Texas A&M University-Kingsville teaches the BSW in Kingsville, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. The 120 hour degree carries 54 hours in social work, with the junior year built as four paired sequences: human behavior I and II, social welfare policy and advocacy I and II, micro then mezzo and macro practice, and research design then program evaluation. Senior electives include youth and family, mental health, forensic, geriatric and school social work. Two six credit practicums fill the senior year, each requiring 200 clock hours on site at 16 hours a week plus a weekly two hour seminar, for 400 hours in total. Entry requires the full junior sequence and permission from both the program director and the practicum education coordinator. CSWE accreditation dates to 2004, 22 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $5,137 · Out-of-state $18,493 / year
Locations
Kingsville, TX (2004-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 5.5
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #29
Nelson University
Waxahachie, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2018 · Online or On-Campus
5.1
Online or On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus + online Accred. since 2018Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Waxahachie, Nelson University is a private university offering a BSW in Texas. Coursework covers research methods, policy analysis and human behavior theory alongside clinical skills assessment and diagnostic techniques, which is further toward the clinical end than most bachelor's sequences go. The program frames all of it around ethical integration of Christian faith with practice. The degree is 120 credit hours over four years and runs both on campus and fully online, with flexible scheduling for students working alongside classes. Online students get the same support and career services as residential ones. Published tuition is $17,650 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the Texas median of $7,773.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$17,650 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Waxahachie, TX (2018-present); Online (2018-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.3
- Delivery (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #30
University of Houston-Downtown
Houston, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2008 · On-Campus
5.1
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2008Why it ranks in Texas
University of Houston-Downtown teaches the BSW in Houston, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Getting into practicum runs on its own calendar, with a mandatory orientation the semester before, an eligibility application by February 28 for a fall start, an interview with the Director of Field Education by March 30 and a formalized placement by April 30. Students must also buy NASW liability insurance and upload proof before day one. Students cannot declare the major on their own. Admission is competitive, runs through Tk20 with an essay, two professional references and transcripts showing a 2.5 GPA across the last 30 hours, and applicants must disclose every misdemeanor and felony conviction plus any abuse or neglect investigation, which does not automatically disqualify them. CSWE accreditation dates to 2008, 18 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,080 · Out-of-state $16,016 / year
Locations
Houston, TX (2008-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 4.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #31
Texas A&M University-Central Texas
Killeen, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2014 · On-Campus
4.7
On-Campus Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2014Why it ranks in Texas
Texas A&M University-Central Texas teaches the BSW in Killeen, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. The program sits in the College of Arts and Sciences at the Killeen campus, with faculty housed in the Humanities department and a small student to instructor ratio. Advising emphasizes the transition from lower to upper division coursework, and Transferology lets incoming students check course equivalencies against a database of more than 46,000. The department partners with Region 7 of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on a Title IV-E child welfare stipend, funding five awards of $6,000 each year, two in fall, two in spring and one in summer. Taking the money commits the student to eight months of work with Texas CPS immediately after graduation. CSWE accreditation dates to 2014, 12 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $6,593 · Out-of-state $16,385 / year
Locations
Killeen, TX (2014-present)
Visit the Texas A&M University-Central Texas BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.9
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #32
University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2021 · On-Campus
4.7
On-Campus Carnegie R2 Full & part-time 1 campus Accred. since 2021Why it ranks in Texas
Based in Tyler, University of Texas at Tyler is a public university offering a BSW in Texas. Practicum I and II pair with Integrative Seminars I and II, all four running at once for block students or one practicum and seminar pair per semester for split students. Most partner sites pay nothing, though an existing social services job can be vetted as a placement. The baccalaureate program is new, granted initial CSWE accreditation in February 2024 and accredited through February 2032. Its small faculty is made up of practicing licensed clinicians with backgrounds in refugee resettlement, child welfare, hospice, corrections and special education. CSWE accreditation dates to 2021, 5 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
In-state $7,020 · Out-of-state $22,320 / year
Locations
Tyler, TX (2021-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 2.8
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 7.5
- Schedule (12%) 10.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #33
Jarvis Christian University
Hawkins, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2016 · On-Campus
4.1
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2016Why it ranks in Texas
Jarvis Christian University teaches the BSW in Hawkins, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. The Social Work Student Association marks Social Work Month each March with a food pantry drive, a child abuse awareness day and a workshop run with a professional organization nearby. A Phi Alpha honor society chapter takes new members once a year from students carrying a 3.0 in social work courses across 18 credit hours. Graduates are pointed toward work with vulnerable populations across adolescent services, child and family services, mental health, healthcare, substance use, schools, HIV/AIDS services, aging programs and the criminal justice system. The program pushes students to sit for the licensure exam right after graduation and earn the LBSW credential. CSWE accreditation dates to 2016, 10 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$10,400 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Hawkins, TX (2016-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 3.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
- #34
Texas College
Tyler, TX · CSWE-Accredited since 2022 · On-Campus
3.7
On-Campus Full-time 1 campus Accred. since 2022Why it ranks in Texas
Texas College teaches the BSW in Tyler, one of the CSWE-accredited BSW programs in Texas. Required social work courses total 66 hours inside a 125 hour degree, and several subjects that sit among electives elsewhere are mandatory here: medical social work, services to children and youth in institutional settings, cultural competence and an introduction to human trafficking. Statistics and six hours of upper-division sociology round out the major. Program goals name rural, urban and military social work as the three contexts graduates are prepared for, and treat rural lifestyles as a diversity issue students must be able to practice around. Evaluating one's own practice and recognizing the global context of the work are stated as undergraduate outcomes. CSWE accreditation dates to 2022, 4 years of unbroken standing, below the Texas median of 45 years.
Annual tuition (not factored)
$8,208 / year (private, one rate for all students)
Locations
Tyler, TX (2022-present)
Five-factor score breakdown
- Longevity (40%) 2.6
- Delivery (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (15%) 5.0
- Schedule (12%) 6.0
- Breadth (11%) 3.0
How Much Does a BSW Cost in Texas in 2026?
The spread between the cheapest and most expensive BSW in Texas is wider than almost anywhere else. Tarleton State charges $4,416 a year in state, while Texas Christian University lists $57,130, which means four years at the cheapest public costs less than a single semester at the priciest private. Texas has kept public in-state tuition unusually low by national standards, and six accredited BSW publics, including Angelo State, East Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas Woman's, and Midwestern State, price a full year under $6,000 before aid. If you qualify for in-state rates and pick from that group, tuition for the whole degree can land under $20,000, a figure many states cannot touch at any public campus.
Sticker price is a starting point, not a bill. Private universities discount heavily through institutional aid, so Baylor's $54,844 or Abilene Christian's $42,100 is rarely what an admitted student actually pays, and a strong aid offer can pull a private surprisingly close to a public. The reverse is also true. Publics discount less, so their low stickers sit closer to real cost. Watch the outliers as well. Jarvis Christian, a private HBCU, lists $10,400, below the all-in cost of many publics, and West Texas A&M charges out-of-state students $8,267, less than UT Austin charges Texans at $11,678. If you are applying from outside Texas, that one quirk can save you tens of thousands compared to UT Austin's $42,778 nonresident rate.
Weigh all of this against what the job pays. The Texas median for child, family, and school social workers is $55,680, and that figure covers every degree level and experience band, so a new BSW graduate should expect to start below it. A degree financed at Tarleton or Angelo State prices is easy to service on that income. Four years at TCU's sticker price tops $228,000, and that is not, unless aid rewrites the math. For online students, confirm how each public prices distance enrollment, because residency rules and online rates vary by institution and the answer can change your total cost more than any ranking will.
Bachelor of Social Work Field Placements in Texas: What to Expect in 2026
CSWE's 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards require at least 400 hours of supervised field education in every accredited BSW, and in practice most Texas programs concentrate those hours in the final year, placing you inside a working agency under a credentialed supervisor while you take a companion seminar on campus. Those 400 hours are the closest thing social work education has to a residency, and they are usually the deciding factor in your first job offer. That is why the placement network a program actually maintains matters more than almost anything in its brochure, and why it deserves more scrutiny than applicants usually give it.
Texas offers a range of settings few states can match. Students place with the Department of Family and Protective Services, which runs child protective services statewide, with large county hospital and health systems in Houston and Dallas, and with school districts nearly everywhere. Programs in Edinburg, El Paso, and the Rio Grande Valley put students into border and colonia communities where bilingual practice is the daily norm. Campuses in San Angelo, Lubbock, Canyon, and Odessa anchor placements across rural West Texas, where a student may be the only social work intern for miles. In Killeen and Belton, agencies serve a heavily military population, useful experience if you are eyeing federal or veteran-serving work.
Multi-campus programs quietly widen your options. Tarleton State operates in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, and Bryan, Stephen F. Austin reaches from Nacogdoches to The Woodlands and Tyler, Texas State spans San Marcos and Round Rock, and East Texas A&M covers Commerce and Dallas, so each maintains agency relationships across several labor markets at once. Before you commit anywhere, ask the field office direct questions. Where did last year's students actually go, who arranges the placement, how far will you drive, and can working students complete an employment-based placement at their current agency? Vague answers to those questions are a warning sign, whatever the program's reputation.
What Can You Do With an LBSW in Texas in 2026?
Many states do not license social workers at the bachelor's level at all, which makes the Texas LBSW a genuine credential rather than a formality. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, through the State Board of Social Worker Examiners, grants the Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker title to graduates of CSWE-accredited BSW programs who pass the ASWB Bachelors exam. That means your degree converts into a state-recognized professional license within months of graduation, with title protection and a regulatory board behind it. In states without bachelor's licensure, the same graduate is simply a person with a degree.
Be clear about the boundaries. The LBSW carries no diagnostic authority, so you cannot diagnose mental health conditions or practice clinical therapy independently. That territory belongs to the LCSW. What the license does open is the front line of the profession: case management with DFPS and other child-welfare and human-services agencies, care coordination in hospitals and clinics, school-based family support, aging and disability services, and community agency work across a state that employs roughly 43,650 social workers. For generalist practice roles, a license on your resume separates you from applicants holding unlicensed human services degrees, and some public agencies treat it as a hiring preference or requirement.
The ASWB Bachelors exam also does quiet work for your future. It is your first standardized licensure test, and passing it while your coursework is fresh is far easier than returning to it years later. Ask programs directly how their curriculum maps to the exam and how graduates fare on it. An LBSW then becomes a strategic bridge: you can practice under your own license, bank supervised experience, and enter an MSW program later through Advanced Standing with both a credential and a professional track record that a fresh applicant cannot show.
Bachelor of Social Work Salaries in Texas: What the 2026 Numbers Mean
Two facts about Texas look like a contradiction until you think about scale. The state employs one of the largest absolute social work workforces in the country, yet its location quotients sit between 0.51 and 0.68 across every specialty, meaning social workers make up a markedly smaller share of Texas jobs than they do nationally, about 1.54 child, family, and school positions per 1,000 jobs statewide. There is no mystery here. The Texas economy is enormous and diverse, so the denominator swamps the numerator. For you, the practical reading is that opportunity is real but unevenly spread, concentrated in metros and public systems, thinner in between.
That thinness cuts both ways. In smaller markets you may face less competition per opening, since fewer credentialed social workers live there, but you will also find sparser supervision networks, which matters if you plan to pursue an MSW and eventually clinical licensure. The specialty spread deserves your attention too. Healthcare social workers in Texas earn a median of $69,990, slightly above the national figure, while mental health and substance abuse social workers earn $46,630, well below the national $60,280. The lesson is blunt: in Texas, your setting choice moves your income more than your zip code does, and hospital systems currently pay a meaningful premium over behavioral health agencies.
The headline medians need honest framing. The child, family, and school median of $55,680 runs about 6.5% under the national figure, but Texas has no state income tax, which its constitution now prohibits outright, and living costs outside Austin and the biggest metros run modest, so take-home purchasing power closes much of that gap. Remember also that BLS wage data pools every degree level, from new LBSWs to veteran LMSWs in the same occupational codes, so bachelor's-level roles sit toward the lower end of each range and the upper percentiles mostly reflect advanced licenses and experience. Read the $37,230 end of the child and family range as your realistic entry neighborhood, and the ladder above it as what licensure progression buys.
BSW vs. MSW in Texas: Which Should You Start in 2026?
Texas structures social work licensure as a ladder: LBSW at the bachelor's level, LMSW and the LMSW-AP at the master's level, and LCSW for independent clinical practice. Because the state licenses at every rung, the BSW versus MSW question plays out differently here than in states where nothing happens until the master's. In Texas, a BSW is not a waiting room. It is a working credential, and that changes the calculus for anyone deciding where to enter.
Starting with a BSW makes sense if you are early in your education and want income and experience sooner. A CSWE-accredited BSW qualifies you for Advanced Standing admission to an MSW, which can cut the master's to as little as one year, so the BSW route often reaches the same endpoint in similar total time while letting you practice, earn, and confirm the career fits before you commit to graduate school. Many students work as LBSWs while completing an MSW part time, and an employer, especially a public agency, may help fund it. Field education compounds the advantage, since your 400 undergraduate hours plus paid LBSW practice give you a deeper base than a career changer entering an MSW cold.
Skip straight to the master's if you already hold a bachelor's degree in another field. A second bachelor's rarely pays, a traditional two-year MSW gets you to the LMSW faster from where you stand, and Advanced Standing is closed to you anyway without a BSW. The same logic applies if you are certain your destination is clinical practice and you want the shortest runway to the supervision hours an LCSW requires. But if you are choosing a major right now, in a state with 34 accredited BSW options, public tuition among the lowest anywhere, and a real bachelor's-level license waiting at graduation, the BSW is an unusually strong opening move.
The Social Work Industry in Texas
A Bachelor of Social Work is the entry credential for Texas's front-line social-service workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET, social workers are employed across public human-services and child-welfare agencies, hospitals and health systems, K-12 schools, community mental-health and substance-use programs, aging and disability services, and nonprofit and faith-based organizations. BSW-level roles are generalist and direct-practice: case manager, child and family caseworker, community and behavioral-health worker, and social and human-service assistant. Supervisory, therapeutic, and independent clinical positions generally require a master's. If you plan to pursue graduate education, BestMSWPrograms.org covers the best MSW programs to help you take that next step.
Per the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs, Texas's 34 accredited programs are based across 33 cities, including San Antonio, La Feria, Arlington, San Marcos, Round Rock, Fort Worth, and others, 6 offering an online option. 18 are hosted at a Carnegie research university (R1 or R2), which adds research and teaching-hospital placements to the local training pipeline. CSWE standards require supervised field education, so programs build placement partnerships with local agencies, hospitals, schools, and nonprofits, which makes the state's campuses a training and hiring pipeline into the surrounding Texas social-service economy. Online-capable programs extend that access to students in rural and remote parts of the state, areas the federal government (HRSA) frequently designates as mental-health workforce shortage areas.
Nationally, the BLS projects social-worker employment will grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations, with about 67,300 openings projected each year, many from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. The BLS projects faster-than-average growth for healthcare social workers and for mental health and substance abuse social workers, specialties that hire at both the bachelor's and master's levels.
Child, family, and school social workers, the most common BSW-level specialty, have a location quotient of 0.61 in Texas, meaning the occupation is 39% less concentrated than the national average. The state supports roughly 1.5 of these jobs per 1,000 jobs statewide.
In Texas, social workers held about 43,650 jobs across the four social work occupations as of May 2025, per the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. Employment, annual wages, and pay range by specialty:
| Occupation | Employed in TX | Median | Mean | 10th to 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 21,670 | $55,680 | $55,700 | $37,230 to $73,670 |
| Healthcare social workers | 10,880 | $69,990 | $69,990 | $40,210 to $98,150 |
| Mental health and substance abuse social workers | 8,220 | $46,630 | $53,450 | $36,870 to $79,210 |
| Social workers, all other | 2,880 | $84,240 | $85,030 | $40,350 to $134,450 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025. Wages cover all workers in each occupation; BLS does not break wages out by degree, and BSW-level roles typically fall toward the lower end of each range. Location quotient compares the state's job concentration to the national average (1.0 = the national rate). O*NET reports tasks, skills, and local outlook by occupation.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Social Workers; BLS state wage data for Texas; O*NET: Child, Family, and School Social Workers; CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; HRSA health workforce shortage areas.
Social Work Licensure in Texas
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
Texas licenses social workers at the bachelor level, so a CSWE-accredited BSW is the degree requirement for an entry-level license here. That makes program accreditation, the basis of our ranking, a direct licensing prerequisite.
| License | Name | Exam | CSWE BSW required |
|---|---|---|---|
| LBSW | Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker | ASWB Bachelors exam | Yes |
The license ladder continues to the master's level (LMSW, LMSW-AP), and the clinical, independent-practice level (LCSW). A CSWE-accredited BSW also qualifies graduates for Advanced Standing admission to a master's program.
How We Ranked These Programs
Every program is scored on the same five-factor model used in the national ranking, with no state-specific adjustments. Four factors are drawn from the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs; prestige uses the institution's 2025 Carnegie research classification.
- Accreditation longevity (40%): years of continuous CSWE accreditation.
- Delivery flexibility (22%): online option and number of approved campus locations.
- Prestige (15%): 2025 Carnegie research tier (R1, R2, or baseline).
- Schedule flexibility (12%): full-time and part-time plans of study.
- Program breadth (11%): embedded certificates and dual-degree options.
For the full model, see our ranking methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CSWE-accredited BSW programs are in Texas?
Can you earn a BSW online in Texas?
What can you do with a BSW in Texas?
How are these Texas BSW programs ranked?
BSW Programs by City in Texas (2026)
City pages cover Texas's 5 largest cities, 5 of which host an accredited BSW campus. Each one shows the programs in that city, accredited campuses within 60 miles, online options, and local wage data for the metro area.
BSW Programs in Houston
Population 2,314,157
3 in city · 2 nearby
BSW Programs in San Antonio
Population 1,495,295
1 in city · 1 nearby
BSW Programs in Dallas
Population 1,302,868
1 in city · 6 nearby
BSW Programs in Austin
Population 979,882
2 in city · 3 nearby
BSW Programs in Fort Worth
Population 978,468
2 in city · 5 nearby