MSW Programs in Oregon

Oregon – a state of rivers, ocean, waterfalls, forests, and mountains, located in the Pacific Northwest. This state is the ninth largest and 27th most populous in the nation (1). Portland is the most populated city in Oregon with more than half a million people, followed by Eugene, and third, Oregon’s capital, Salem (2).

The Willamette River Valley is Oregon’s most densely populated area, home to two million people (3). The lush and fertile farmland supports hundreds of vineyards and wineries. Although production is decreasing due to forest fires and lawsuits, Oregon has historically also been a major producer of timber and Christmas trees because of its dense forests (4).

Social Issues

Blame it on all that rainy weather; Oregon is a state with a higher-than-average percentage of the population diagnosed with mental health problems. Approximately 20.89 percent of the state’s population has been diagnosed with mental illness, and 4.6 percent with severe mental illness (Compare those numbers to the national averages of 18.19 percent and 3.97 percent) (5). The state has 154 mental health and substance abuse facilities operating throughout the state (6).

Oregon also has a slightly higher-than-average population over age 65 (14.9 percent, compared to the national average of 13.7 percent). It also has a higher-than-average percentage of the population living in poverty (15.5 percent compared to the national average of 14.9 percent) (7).

It appears that some parts of the state are far more prepared to support the more vulnerable populations than others. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that Oregon has 281 areas that are labeled as “Health Professional Shortage Areas,” meaning parts of the state that do not have adequate numbers of health professionals to serve the needs of the population (8). The Western part of the state has more HPSAs than the rest of the state. Seventy-eight of the HPSAs are lacking in adequate mental health professionals; 109 are lacking primary care professionals (9).

Studying Social Work

If you would like to study in state, you’ve got a great option in Portland. According to the 2014 US News & World Report school rankings, Portland State University’s School of Social Work is ranked number 33 in the nation (10).

After you’ve gotten your master’s degree in social work and are ready to look for a job, you might want to check out the National Health Service Corps loan forgiveness program (NHSC). This is a program that rewards social workers who choose to work in “Health Professional Shortage Areas” (HPSAs) with loan forgiveness of up to $20,000 per year (a maximum of $40,000 total). You will also want to look into eligibility for the Oregon Partnership State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP), which is geared towards encouraging social workers to work in positions supporting underserved communities.

Employment Outlook

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that the majority of the social workers employed in the state of Oregon are working as child, family or school social workers, making an median wage of $42,700 per year (which is slightly higher than the national average of $42,100). At this time, approximately 3,680 child, family and school social workers are working in Oregon. Additional jobs in this sector are expected at a rate of about 160 positions per year (11).

The best paid social work positions in the state are positions in healthcare. Approximately 1,300 healthcare social workers are currently employed in the state, making a median salary of $59,000 per year. The median average across the country is $50,800 for this type of position (12).

Mental health and substance abuse social workers make an average of $41,000 in Oregon (which is exactly the same as the national median wage). Approximately 1,960 social workers are employed in the state in this capacity. Job growth is anticipated at a rate of 100 new positions per year (13).

Licensure and Professional Development Resources

• Oregon Social Work License
• National Association of Social Workers, Oregon Chapter
• State of Oregon Board of Licensed Social Workers
• Oregon School Social Work Association

Oregon Universities Offering Master’s in Social Work Degrees

• Concordia University (MSW Program)
• George Fox University (MSW Program)
• Pacific University (MSW Program)
• Portland State University (MSW Program)
• Western Oregon University (MSW Program)

Sources Cited

1. State and County QuickFacts, 2014. United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/41000.html
2. The Ten Largest Cities in Orgeon, 2014. Portland.com. http://www.portland.com/largest-cities.aspx
3. Williamette Valley Travel Region, 2014. Go Northwest. http://www.gonorthwest.com/Oregon/willamette/Willamette_Valley.htm
4. Oregon Forest Facts and Figures, 2013. Oregon Forest Resources Institute. http://oregonforests.org/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/OR_Forest_Facts_and_Figures_2013.pdf
5. State Estimates of Adult Mental Illness, 2012. National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k14/NSDUH170/sr170-mental-illness-state-estimates-2014.htm
6. National Mental Health Services Survey, 2010. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/DASIS/NMHSS2010_Web.pdf
7. State and County QuickFacts, 2014. United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/41000.html
8. Health Resources and Services Administration Data Warehouse – Shortage Areas, 2014. US Department of Health and Human Resources. http://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/Topics/ShortageAreas.aspx
9. Health Resources and Services Administration Data Warehouse – Shortage Areas, 2014. US Department of Health and Human Resources. http://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/Topics/ShortageAreas.aspx
10. Graduate School Search – Social Work Programs, 2014. US News and World Report. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/search?spp=10&program=top-social-work-schools&name=&zip=oregon&program_rank=Any&sort=&sortdir=
11. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=011000000&soccode=211021&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=41&search=Go
12. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=011000000&soccode=211022&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=41&search=Go
13. America’s Career InfoNet – Career Profile, 2014. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?optstatus=011000000&soccode=211023&id=1&nodeid=2&stfips=41&search=Go