Home to the busy tourist cities of Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada is still largely made up of suburban and rural areas. There are almost 2.8 million people living in Nevada, the majority of which live in small cities or towns. The cost of living in Nevada, according to Sperling’s Best Places, is about 5% more than the national average. However, the cost of living is higher if you choose to live in or near Las Vegas or Reno.
If you speak Spanish, you may be at an advantage when you start your social work career. This is because over 27% of Nevada’s population identifies as Hispanic, compared to 16% of the nation’s population (U.S Census Bureau, 2012). If you speak Spanish, you may be able to reach entire communities that are otherwise underserved.
You should prepare to live in or near the big city when you study social work in Nevada, because both MSW programs in the state are located in Nevada’s largest cities: Las Vegas and Reno. However, Nevada social work schools are also very affordable. The average cost of tuition is $6724, which is one of the lowest costs in the country. You can also apply for scholarships and grants to lower your costs even more; the average scholarship award in Nevada is $2407.
Since both schools in Nevada are branches of the University of Nevada, they are very similar programs. Both programs are designed to allow you to work as an advanced clinical social worker. Your first year gives you a strong foundation in various social work fields, including child welfare, policy analysis, substance abuse, and mental health. You complete 15 credits of traditional classroom courses and practicum hours in your first year.
In your second year, you delve into the deeper issues that affect your career and the way that you counsel and treat patients. Fieldwork is an extremely important part of your program, particularly in the second year, since it is how your professors will assess your progress. You should use your practicum time to figure out what social work fields you enjoy and what type of career path you may want to pursue after graduation.
Employment options are wide and varied for social workers, giving you the chance to explore different field and find your niche. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social workers can work in schools, community mental health clinics, nursing homes, just to name a few options. The largest industries that hire social workers are healthcare organizations and government agencies.
In Nevada, some of the most prominent social work employers are Mission Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, LHC Group, HealthCare Partners Nevada, and UnitedHealth Group. You may also start a private practice once you have earned the highest social work license in the state.
As a social worker, your employment and practice are governed by the State of Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers. Submit your application and wait for your test date; once you pass your license examination, you earn the title of Licensed Social Worker (LSW). You can then complete 3000 hours of work experience as an intern to earn LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) status. You need to pay a $260 exam fee and pass an advanced licensing exam to earn this license.
Like in many occupations, social workers can earn a variety of salaries. Your salary will depend on where you work, what type of social worker you become, and how much experience you have. In general, Nevada social workers earn higher than average salaries.
Healthcare social workers are often the highest paid in Nevada, with an average salary of $60,400 per year (O*Net, 2012). Mental health social workers and family social workers also earn salaries above the national average, with average salaries of $48,900 per year and $45,900 per year, respectively (O*Net, 2012).
Across the nation, social workers are in very high demand, a trend that carries through in Nevada. Healthcare social workers are most needed, as job openings in this field are expected to increase by 19% through 2020 (O*Net, 2012). Mental health social workers can look forward to a 16% increase in job growth in the same time frame (O*Net, 2012). Job openings for family/child social workers are anticipated to increase by 5% (O*Net, 2012).
Schools in Nevada Offering Masters in Social Work Programs
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
(Las Vegas, NV)
- Masters in Public Policy Analysis
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $6,089 Tuition Cost
- $2,803 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
University of Nevada-Reno
(Reno, NV)
- Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
- Masters in Social Psychology
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $6,105 Tuition Cost
- $2,011 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting