MSW Programs in Utah

The name “Utah” means “people of the mountains” and comes from the Native American Ute tribe (1). It is a mountainous state, home to deserts, awe-inspiring natural rock formations, and the famous Salt Lake.

Utah is the 13th largest state in the nation, the 33rd most populous and the tenth least densely populated. The population of Utah is approximately 2.9 million, with about 80% who live in the Wasatch Front area, including Salt Lake City, Provo, West Valley City, Jordan and Ogden, while the rest of state is very unpopulated (2) (3).

Approximately 62% of Utahans are Mormon, which makes Utah the most religiously homogeneous state in the country (4). Salt Lake City is where Brigham Young led 1,600 Mormons from Illinois in 1846 and is now the world headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) (5).

Working to Provide Mental Health and Family Support

Utah has a much higher than average percentage of the population diagnosed with mental illness. The national average is 18.19 percent; 22.35 percent of Utah’s population is diagnosed with mental illness. Approximately 3.97 percent of the national population is diagnosed with severe mental illness, whereas 5.14 percent of Utah’s population is diagnosed with a severe mental illness (6). Treatment for mental illness and associated social service needs is a priority in the state, which is why a higher-than-average percentage of the social workers in the state work in this sector (7).

If you’d like to work with young mothers, single mothers or young children, you will find plenty of opportunities to do so in the state. Utah has the highest rate of births per woman (2.6 children per woman in the state of Utah) of any state in the union. Most women in Utah will give birth to a first child between the ages of 20 and 24. The number of single mothers in the state is also on the rise, from 3.4 million in 1970 to 9.9 million in 2010 (8).

The city of Salt Lake City has been nationally recognized as a model for assistance for the homeless. The state is rising to the challenge of affordable housing through programs such as the state initiative to give tax breaks to employers who hire homeless people (9).

Getting Your Master’s Degree in Social Work

If you’re considering staying in state to pursue your master’s in social work, you are in luck. According to the 2014 US News & World Report school rankings, the University of Utah’s College of Social work ranks number 52 in the nation. The Brigham Young University (in Provo) School of Social Work ranks 104th in the nation (10).

If you attend the University of Utah’s College of Social Work, you can get involved in programs like the Katie L. Dixon Women and Girls Leadership Program, the PACE (Professional and Community Education) program or the Goodwill Initiative on Aging (11) (12).

If you are willing to work in a “Health Professional Shortage Area” (HPSA), you may qualify for the National Health Service Corps loan forgiveness program (NHSC). In addition to this national program, you might want to investigate the Utah Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program, which also rewards social workers willing to work in high-need areas or to serve needy demographics. You may qualify for loan forgiveness of up to $20,000 per year, for up to two years.

Finding the Best Opportunities

If you’re looking for a job as a social worker in Utah, you’ll want to consider looking into becoming a healthcare social worker. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare social workers make a median salary of $56,490 a year (13). Job opportunities are predicted to rise at a rate of 43 percent per year, meaning you should find plenty of opportunities (14).

Most of the social workers in the state work as mental health or substance abuse social workers. They make a median salary of $41,650, but mental health and substance abuse social workers in the Ogden-Clearfield area make a median wage of $64, 920 (15). Job growth in this sector is also predicted to rise at a rate of 43 percent per year, meaning plenty of new jobs should open up each year (16).

Licensure and Professional Development Resources

• Utah Social Work License Requirements
• Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Social Work
• National Association of Social Workers, Utah Chapter

Universities that Offer Master’s in Social Work Programs in Utah

• Brigham Young University-Provo (MSW Program)
• University of Utah (MSW Program)
• Utah State University (MSW Program)

Sources Cited

1. State Facts: Utah. 50states.com. http://www.50states.com/facts/utah.htm#.U7QlBI1dXgJ
2. State and Country Quick Facts: Utah, 2013. US Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/49000.html
3. Data Book: Utah. Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, State of Utah. http://governor.utah.gov/DEA/QGET/DataBook/4.htm
4. “Census: Share of Utah’s Mormon Residents Holds Steady,” 2012. The Salt Lake Tribune. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/53909710-200/population-lds-county-utah.html.csp
5. “Mormons Begin Exodus to Utah.” History.com. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mormons-begin-exodus-to-utah
6. State Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services, 2001 – 2011. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/DASIS/TEDS2011St_Web.pdf
7. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Utah, 2013.
8. “Utah Tops the List of Women Who Are Mothers,” 20111. Deseret News. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705372158/Utah-tops-the-list-of-women-who-are-mothers.html?pg=all
9. Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity: Utah. http://www.spotlightonpoverty.org/map-detail.aspx?state=Utah
10. Graduate School Search: Social Work Programs, 2014. US News & World Report. http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/search?spp=10&program=top-social-work-schools&name=&zip=utah&program_rank=Any&sort=&sortdir=
11. University of Utah, College of Social Work: Programs. http://www.socwk.utah.edu/programs.html
12. University of Utah, College of Social Work: Professional and Community Education. http://www.socwk.utah.edu/pace/index.html
13. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Utah, 2013.
14. Occupation Profile: Healthcare Social Worker, Utah. Career One Stop. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?level=overall&optstatus=101000000&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=211022&stfips=49&jobfam=21
15. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Utah, 2013.
16. Occupation Profile: Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Workers, Utah. http://www.careerinfonet.org/occ_rep.asp?level=overall&optstatus=101000000&id=1&nodeid=2&soccode=211023&stfips=49&jobfam=21