5+ South Carolina MSW Schools & Programs ( + CSWE & Online)

According to Projections Central, job opportunities for social workers in South Carolina (SC) are on the rise, with a 10-21.5% increase expected between 2022 and 2032. Healthcare social workers have the highest job growth projections at 21.5%, followed by mental health and substance abuse social workers at 16.4% and child, family, or school social workers at 12.2% (1).

Featured Programs:

Winthrop University provides two tracks to an M.S.W. degree. Students with an undergraduate degree in a field unrelated to social work will join the Traditional program, and we offer an Advanced Standing program to students who previously earned an undergraduate social work degree with CSWE accreditation. Visit School's Website
Arizona State University - Online offers the respected CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work online. ASU Online knows today’s MSW students need remote learning options with no compromises. That’s why you’ll find the same professors, field work requirements, and internship placement assistance that ASU provides on campus. Visit School's Website
Grand Canyon University offers Online Social Work Degrees. Choose between Bachelors of Social Work, Master of Social Work, Master of Social Work (Advanced Standing). Visit School's Website

In May 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 60% of social workers employed in South Carolina were working as child, family, or school social workers (5,020 out of the 8,050 social workers working in the state). The average social worker in this sector makes an annual mean wage of $44,960. Healthcare social workers, of which there were 2,220 employed within SC in 2023, earn one of the state’s highest social worker average salaries of $61,150 (2).

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Issues Facing South Carolina Social Workers

The South Carolina Office of Rural Health (SCORH) reports that 32% of South Carolina is rural (3), which is much higher than the national average of 20%. Rural areas often experience challenges associated with access to social services such as healthcare and education, including shortages of social workers and other mental health professionals.

Additionally, 13.9% of South Carolina’s population is living in poverty, which is higher than the national average of 11.1%. The median household income is also low, $66,818, compared to the national median of $78,538 (4). Eleven percent of South Carolina residents and 13.8% of SC children do not have reliable access to food (5). Furthermore, 95% of South Carolina residents live within a designated Medical Health Professional Shortage (MHPS) area (6). The connection to resources and basic needs often provided by social workers is certainly needed in many counties within South Carolina.

Social workers in South Carolina also have a variety of issues facing them within the youth population. South Carolina has a lower rate of high school graduation than the national average, with 16% of high school students not graduating on time in 2022 (7). Teen pregnancy is also a concern. While the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy has been somewhat effective, the state still has one of the 15 top highest teen birth rates, 17.3 (number of births per 1,000 females aged 15–19), according to the National Center for Health Statistics (8). Additionally, a survey between 2017 and 2021 conducted by the National Youth in Transition Database indicates that 29% of 17-year-olds in foster care reported experiencing homelessness, and 32% had been incarcerated (9).

If you would like to work with underserved youth and families dealing with poverty, you will find opportunities to do so in South Carolina.

South Carolina Social Work Schools and Masters in Social Work (MSW) Programs

While there are only three MSW programs in the state of South Carolina, this includes the University of South Carolina, which according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Graduate Schools ranked number 51 in the nation. Winthrop University’s Department of Social Work is ranked 172nd in the country (10). All three MSW programs offer online programs, with Limestone University being fully online.

When looking into how you will pay for your graduate education, if you are interested in working in an underserved community, you should look into student loan forgiveness through the National Health Service Corps loan forgiveness program (NHSC). If you find a job working in a “Health Professional Shortage Area” (HPSA), which most of South Carolina qualifies as, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness up to $50,000. Additionally, the federal program Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) offers loan forgiveness for social workers working in a government or non-profit organization who make 120 monthly qualifying payments under an income-driven repayment plan.

South Carolina MSW Programs

CSWE-Accredited Programs in SC

All three South Carolina Master of Social Work (MSW) programs are accredited by the Council on South Work Education (CSWE). This includes the University of South Carolina, Winthrop University, and Limestone University. They are all listed below in greater detail. Please note that in the school descriptions, “traditional program” is referring to their full-time program for those entering graduate school without a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW).

Advanced Standing Programs

In addition to traditional programs, all of the universities listed below have advanced standing tracks, which take around one year to complete. This means if you already have your BSW degree, you may be able to complete your MSW at a faster pace than the traditional program. You will also end up paying considerably less in tuition costs.

University of South Carolina

Columbia, Greenville & Charleston, South Carolina
2-3 years
Online + Campus

Modality: On-line and On-campus

Credits required: Traditional and Extended-time Program: 60; Advanced Standing: 42

Program Length:

Traditional Program: 2 years
Advanced Standing: 11 months
Extended-time Program: 3 years

Cost:

Traditional Program: $6,867/semester + fees (SC Resident), $14,880/semester + fees (Non-Resident)
Advanced Standing and Extended-time Program: $572.25/credit + fees (SC Resident), $1,240/credit + fees (Non-resident)

Program Overview:
The University of South Carolina’s MSW program is focused on gaining competencies across five client system levels: individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. There is an online campus and three on-campus locations, including Columbia, Greenville, and Charleston. Columbia offers a traditional full-time program, advanced standing, and an extended-time program. Greenville and Charleston only provide the extended-time program, which offers classes after 5pm on weekdays and on Saturdays. The GRE or MAT test are not requirements for enrollment in any of the programs.

There are several certificates that MSW students can obtain in conjunction with their MSW degree. These certificate programs include: Social and Behavioral Health with Military Members, Veterans, and Military Families; Drug and Addiction Studies; Trauma-Informed Practice; Women’s and Gender Studies; and Aging. Graduates of the MSW program are also able to apply for the Graduate Certificate in Play Therapy administered by the College of Education.

The University of Columbia additionally offers dual degree programs in which students, in addition to their MSW degree, may graduate with degrees in law, public administration, health service policy and management, health promotion, education and behavior, and/or public health. These offerings may vary by campus.

More Details

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, South Carolina
1-2 years
Online + Campus

Modality: Online & On-campus

Credits required:

Traditional Program: 60
Advanced Standing: 39

Program Length:

Traditional Program: 2 years
Advanced Standing: 1 year

Cost: $7,813/semester + fees (SC Residents-including some counties in NC), $15,050/semester + fees (Non-Residents)

Program Overview:
Winthrop University’s MSW program offers both online and on-campus programs with a specialization in empowerment practice. They define empowerment practice as developing “advanced critical thinking skills to assess the influence of multiple and interlocking personal, structural, and societal systems of power on vulnerable and oppressed populations.” Empowerment practice is incorporated with social work theories and methodologies for the culturally relevant promotion of human and social well-being.

Winthrop University is seeking candidates with an undergraduate G.P.A. over 3.0 in their final 60 credit hours. However, students with GPAs less than 2.8 in their final 60 credit hours are able to take the GRE or MAT to increase their chances of enrollment.

More Details

Limestone University

Gaffney, South Carolina
1-2 years
Online

Modality: Online

Credits required:

Traditional Program: 36
Advanced Standing: N/A

Program Length:

Traditional Program: 2 years
Advanced Standing: 1 year

Cost: $650/credit + fees

Program Overview:
Limestone University’s MSW program is fully online with a specialization in advanced generalist practice in mental health. Limestone University also focuses on empowerment practice, and one of its goals is to provide access to graduate-level social work education for those with economic, social, and/or geographic barriers.

More Details

FAQs for Aspiring South Carolina Social Workers

What Can I Do With an MSW Degree in South Carolina?

As mentioned above, the majority of social workers in South Carolina are child, family, and school social workers. There are a variety of social issues prevalent within the youth population in SC, offering many opportunities for social workers that are passionate about working with young people. Additionally, healthcare social work has the largest projected job growth between 2022 and 2032. And with roughly one-third of the population living in rural communities, if you are drawn to rural social work, South Carolina might be a good option for you.

Which South Carolina School of Social Work has the best MSW program?

The University of South Carolina has the best social work program in South Carolina and is nationally ranked at 51 according to the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Graduate Schools. Winthrop University is ranked 172 nationally.

How much does a MSW in South Carolina cost?

If you are a SC resident, tuition ranges from around $23,000 to $31,000 for the traditional program, which is the program you would be enrolled in if you do not already have your BSW degree. If you are not a resident, tuition can be as much as $60,000. However, if you are enrolled in the advanced standing program, your tuition would be closer to a range of $16,000 to $24,000 for residents and $30,000 to $52,000 for non-residents. Limestone University, however, does not offer different prices depending on residency.

4) How much does a social worker in South Carolina make?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average wage of a social worker in South Carolina varies by the field of work you are in. The average salary for a child, family, and school social worker is $44,960. The average salary for a healthcare social worker is $61,150, and for a mental health and substance abuse social worker it is $46,860. All other social workers that do not fit into these categories make, on average, $78,120 (11). Some of the highest-paid social workers in SC are working within the federal, state, or local government, office administrative services, legal services, and general medical and surgical hospitals (12).

5) What is the ROI of getting an MSW in South Carolina?

When determining the rate of investment (ROI) for attending a MSW program in South Carolina, there are three important data points to consider: the average cost of living in SC is $46,220 (13), MSW program tuition for SC residents ranges from $23,000 to $31,000, and the average social worker salary ranges from $44,960-$78,120. Because the cost of living in SC is considerably lower than the national average of $61,334 (14), the ROI for MSW programs in the state appears fairly good. However, there are key variables to consider when determining the ROI for your particular situation, such as the full cost of the program (tuition plus fees), where you will live (urban versus rural), and in which specific area of social work you plan to work.

6) How long does it take to become a social worker in South Carolina?

It takes 2 years to complete the traditional MSW program in all South Carolina MSW programs and around 1 year for the advanced standing program. The University of South Carolina also offers an extended program, which takes 3 years to complete.

Licensure and Professional Development Resources

In South Carolina, there are two types of licensure for individuals with a MSW degree: Licensed Master Social Work (LMSW) and Licensed Independent Social Worker-Clinical Practice (LISWCP). The latter is the highest level of licensure available in South Carolina and allows you to independently practice clinical social work. It is possible to engage in clinical practice with a LMSW, but you must do so under the supervision of someone with a LISWCP. Check out the links below to learn more information about licensure requirements and exams.

Sources:

MSW Programs in Other States