Thinking Ahead: Funding Your Education and Career Outlook Paige Mills, MA

Session Outlook… Funding your MSW Career outlook: salary and jobs Panel: funding and careers

Funding Your Education

MSW Program Cost: Colorado Resident 2018-2019 Academic Year (per semester) Mixed Traditional Course Delivery Credits Tuition Fees Tuition & Fees Total 6 $2,840.40 $538.95 $3,379.35 9 $4,260.60 $621.35 $4,881.95 15 $7,101.00 $710.55 $7,811.55 Fully Online Course Delivery Credits Tuition Fees Tuition & Fees Total 6 $2,840.40 $339.20 $3,179.60 9 $4,260.60 $469.10 $4,729.70 15 $7,101.00 $659.00 $7,760.00 Numbers for the 2018-2019 academic year. Tuition increases 6-9% each academic year. (Full-time is 15 credits, part-time is 6 or 9 credits each semester)

MSW Program Cost: Non-Resident 2018-2019 Academic Year (per semester) Mixed Traditional Course Delivery Credits Tuition Fees Tuition & Fees Total 6 $3,976.80 $538.95 $4,515.75 9 $5,965.20 $621.35 $6,586.55 15 $9,942.00 $710.55 $10,652.55 Fully Online Course Delivery Credits Tuition Fees Tuition & Fees Total 6 $3,976.80 $339.20 $4,316.00 9 $5,965.20 $469.10 $6,434.30 15 $9,942.00 $659.00 $10,601.00 For the 2018-2019 academic year. Tuition increases 6-9% each academic year. (Full-time is 15 credits, part-time is 6 or 9 credits each semester)

Textbook Costs Enrollment Avg. number of books/semester Avg. total book cost/semester (new) Avg. total book cost/semester (used) Full Time (15 credits/semester) 10 $1,093 $822 Part Time (6-9 credits/semester) 5 $547 $411

Estimated Total Program Costs for students starting in 2018-19 Advanced Standing Program (1 to 2 years to complete) Mixed Traditional Fully Online Colorado Resident $21,700 $21,400 Non-Resident $28,600 $28,300 Regular Program (2 to 4 years to complete) Mixed Traditional Fully Online Colorado Resident $35,600 $35,400 Non-Resident $47,000 $46,800 Calculated using 2018-19 tuition and fees, tuition does increase 6-8% from year to year Includes textbook cost (new) Part time students may pay slightly more due to being here for more of those slight increases

Financial Aid Options Public Loans Private Loans MSU Denver Scholarships Department of Social Work Scholarships Department of Social Work Stipends Private Scholarships Currently no MSU Denver scholarships for grads.

Scholarships and Stipends The Department of Social Work is pleased to offer several financial assistance programs for graduate students: Name of Award Type Award Diversity Scholarship (2 awarded/year) Scholarship $5000 Gerontology Scholarship (2 awarded/year) Bilingual & Bicultural (Latino/a/Hispanic) Scholarship (1 awarded/year) $10,000 Child Welfare Stipend Program Stipend $8,000-$14,000 HRSA BHWET Stipend Program HEALS Scholar Program (must apply during priority consideration) $4,000 + trip to policy and education event in DC Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) Hourly TBA based on hours worked, $15/hour Must apply for FAFSA to be eligible for departmental scholarships Handout

Public Financial Aid Loans Complete FAFSA to be eligible for: $20,500 Unsubsidized Direct Loan (can receive each academic year) Graduate Plus Loan for up to your cost of attendance Unsubsidized loans-Accrue interest while in school Only take out as much as you need to pay for school

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Dates for submitting the FAFSA depending on when you plan to go to school: Advanced Standing applicants: if you will need financial aid support for the summer bridge courses, you will need to submit BOTH the 2018-19 FAFSA and the 2019-20 FAFSA In order to receive graduate level financial aid, your undergraduate degree must be conferred. If you are starting the MSW Advanced Standing Program directly after graduating from a BSW Program in spring 2019, you may be ineligible for summer financial aid depending on how long it takes for MSU Denver to receive proof of degree conferral. IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND COLLEGE FROM YOU WILL SUBMIT THIS FAFSA YOU CAN SUBMIT THE FAFSA FROM USING INCOME AND TAX INFORMATION FROM JULY 1, 2018 – JUNE 30, 2019 2018–19 OCTOBER 1, 2017 – JUNE 30, 2018 2016 JULY 1, 2019 – JUNE 30, 2020 2019–20 OCTOBER 1, 2018 – JUNE 30, 2019 2017 Apply for FAFSA BEFORE you are accepted to any programs! First come first served money! Do not PAY to file the FAFSA, it is free!

National Student Loan Debt for MSW Graduates CSWE- (Counsel on Social Work Education, our accrediting body) Reports… (Council on Social Work Education, 2016)

MSU Denver Affordability Total MSU Denver Regular Program Cost (estimated for a Colorado Resident, including textbooks) $35,600 National Average MSW Student Loan Debt (CSWE, 2016) $40,815 Our regular two year program is less than the national average loan debt for people with an MSW!

Career Outlook Talk to you about some US Bureau of Labor Statistics in regards to social work. AND our most recent survey of our MSW graduates.

Employment Rate Growth for Social Work Profession According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment of social workers is expected to grow 16% from 2016 to 2026 Average occupational national growth rate is 7%

Employment Rates: MSW Program Graduates The majority of 2015 and 2017 graduates found a job in social work in 2 months or less of graduation from the MSW Program.‡

Recent Survey of MSW Alumni Note: alumni may be working in multiple areas, and were able to select multiple options

Career Outlook

Licensure Information Complete post graduation requirements to earn: Licensed Social Worker (LSW) Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) School Social Worker Licensure After graduation, students can complete additional state requirements to earn Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and/or Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) status. Students are also eligible to obtain school social worker licensure. Licensure in Colorado is only available to graduates of CSWE accredited MSW Programs. Students may not apply for licensure prior to graduation. The LSW license is the first step in obtaining the LCSW license.

Licensure Pass Rates Over 141 MSU Denver Graduates who took the ASWB Clinical Exam over the last 6 years passed at a rate of 81% - that’s well above the North American average of 66%!

Salary Range: Social Work Profession The National Bureau of Labor Statistics reports: Nationally, 80% of social workers make between $29,560 to $79,740 per year, with an average salary of $51,630 In Colorado, 80% of social workers make between $30,331 to $75,249 per year, with an average salary of $50,000

(National Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017)

Annual Income: MSU Denver 2018 Graduates 30% of 2018 graduates make over $50,000 per year, which is above the national average salary for social workers!

Annual Income: 1 and 3 Years after Graduation 54% of alumni working in the field for 1+ years are making more than $50,000 per year!

Questions?

Let’s Ask The Panel

Who are the Panelists? Name Credentials When and where you earned your credentials Where you work now

Panel Questions What drew you to social work? Why did you choose social work over other similar fields? Did your interests within social work change during your time as a student and/or during your time as a professional? What has your experience been like in the field of social work so far? Why/how did you end up in the area of social work you are currently in? How did you fund your education? What tips do you have for people in funding their graduate education in Social Work? What advice would you give someone starting in the field of social work/furthering their social work career by pursuing an MSW?