Because of its prime location, South Carolina marries the best parts of living in the South and the best parts of living on the East Coast. Some of its largest cities include Columbia and Charleston, where many of the state’s 4.7 million people live. However, South Carolina is also home to many rural and suburban communities. There are a variety of ethnic groups represented in South Carolina, leading to the need for culturally sensitive social workers.
The cost of living in South Carolina, according to Sperling’s Best Places, is about 5% lower than the national average. Housing costs are also considerably lower than the national average, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Choosing to attend school in South Carolina gives you a good variety of schools to choose from. In total, there are seven schools in South Carolina with MSW programs. They have an average acceptance rate of 69%, so you can likely skip over the competitive admissions processes. The average cost of tuition is $13,038, which is partially offset by the average scholarship award of $8,280.
As you begin to check out different South Carolina schools, it is important to keep your career goals in mind. If you want to work in research or policy making, you should look for a school with a research or public policy administration concentration. If you want to become a clinical social worker, you may want to find a school that allows you to concentrate on the population you want to serve. For instance, Columbia College offers a Child Welfare Certificate that prepares you for work as a child welfare social worker.
In general, you can plan on spending two full-time years in your MSW program. Both years are spent in theoretical and practical social work courses, in addition to field work hours. Many schools require over 1000 field hours, which works out to about 250 hours per semester. In your first year, when you learn about the field of social work as a whole, your field hours may be spread out in a variety of locations. In your second year, your field hours may be more focused on what your career goals are.
After completing your MSW degree, it is time to start your career as a social worker. You can work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, mental health clinics, schools, and prisons. Healthcare organizations and government agencies are the two main industries that employ social workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Some of the prominent social work employers in South Carolina are Blue Ridge Hospice, Emeritus Corporation, Hospice Care of South Carolina, and White Oak of Spartanburg. You may have more employment options if you seek clinical licensure, as you can complete more social work duties independent of supervision.
In order to legally work as a social worker in South Carolina, you need to seek licensure from the South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners. To demonstrate your knowledge, you must pass the Master’s-level social work exam.
The highest level of social work licensure in South Carolina is Licensed Independent Social Worker. You can reach this level by completing 3,000 hours of supervised work and sitting for the advanced exam.
With a Master’s degree in social work, you may be able to command a higher salary than Bachelor’s-level social workers. However, many other factors affect your salary, including your experience level and area of focus.
In South Carolina, healthcare, mental health, and family social workers earn average salaries of $31,800 per year to $39,900 per year (O*Net, 2012). Social workers that enter clinical practice as substance abuse counselors earn an average salary of $36,400 per year (O*Net, 2012).
Since clinical social workers can offer affordable counseling services to a variety of patients, they are in high demand across the country, a trend that continues in South Carolina. Social workers in different fields can expect job growth of 12% to 37% between 2010 and 2020 (O*Net, 2012). The demand for substance abuse counselors is expected to increase by 20% in the same time frame (O*Net, 2012).
Schools in South Carolina Offering Masters in Social Work Programs
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
(Charleston, SC)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $150 Tuition Cost
- $14,794 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Clemson University
(Clemson, SC)
- Masters in Community and Social Psychology
- $11,870 Tuition Cost
- $7,203 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting
Columbia College
(Columbia, SC)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $25,580 Tuition Cost
- $12,617 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
South Carolina State University
(Orangeburg, SC)
- Masters in Human Development and Family Studies
- $8,688 Tuition Cost
- $11,962 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting
University of South Carolina-Aiken
(Aiken, SC)
- Masters in Community and Social Psychology
- $8,734 Tuition Cost
- $2,865 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Suburban Campus Setting
University of South Carolina-Columbia
(Columbia, SC)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $10,088 Tuition Cost
- $4,069 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting
Winthrop University
(Rock Hill, SC)
- Masters in Social Work (MSW)
- $13,026 Tuition Cost
- $4,449 Scholarship and Financial Aid Awards
- Urban Campus Setting