Social Work Degree Programs in Dallas, TX (2026)

Quick answer: Child, Family, and School Social Workers in the Dallas area earn a median $57,080 per year, below the national median of $59,550, and the metro employs about 4,480 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Social Work Pay in Dallas, TX

MetricDallas metroTexasNational
Median annual wage$57,080$55,680$59,550
10th percentile$40,650$37,230$42,280
25th percentile$48,110$46,330$48,270
75th percentile$64,670$63,870$76,070
90th percentile$75,970$73,670$95,530
Employment4,48021,670392,550
Location quotient0.44-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Dallas median of $57,080 is below the national median of $59,550, and above the Texas statewide median of $55,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.44 means child, family, and school social workers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

Social work demand follows local school districts, hospital systems, county agencies and nonprofit providers.

Other Texas Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Houston$56,6704,080
San Antonio$56,6702,520
Austin$58,6401,670
Brownsville$40,5801,560
El Paso$54,340660
McAllen$58,040600
Killeen$56,670530
Lubbock$48,490500

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor’s and master’s level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master’s plus supervised post-graduate experience.

See the Texas licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#2

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX 3.7 miles away BOC Score 73.4
Tuition $67,040 - $85,606
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 63.3%
  • Graduation rate: 83.8%
  • Programs offered: 14
  • Annual completions: 351
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $95,051 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX 35.0 miles away BOC Score 72.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 85.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 17
  • Annual completions: 473
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $76,188 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

University of North Texas

Denton, TX 36.4 miles away BOC Score 65.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 60.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 30
  • Annual completions: 2765
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,743 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX 20.6 miles away BOC Score 64.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 55.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 14
  • Annual completions: 766
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $79,176 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX 36.5 miles away BOC Score 61.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 46.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 11
  • Annual completions: 522
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $64,179 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Tarrant County College District

Fort Worth, TX 33.4 miles away BOC Score 60.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 29.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 85
  • Annual completions: 2555
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $50,928 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

The Chicago School at Dallas

Plano, TX 12.9 miles away
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1
  • Annual completions: 16
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $82,068 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do child, family, and school social workers make in Dallas?

The median annual wage for child, family, and school social workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area is $57,080, below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many child, family, and school social workers work in the Dallas area?

The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro area employs about 4,480 child, family, and school social workers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do child, family, and school social workers in Dallas need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor's and master's level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master's plus supervised post-graduate experience. Confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.

Can I study social work online from Dallas?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state social work licensing board.

Is Dallas a better market than the rest of Texas?

The Dallas metro median is $57,080 against a statewide median of $55,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.