Social Work: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Social Work graduates earn a median $51,790 four years after finishing — $3,430/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 19.7 years. Federal data pools 524 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 20,379 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Social Work ranks #153 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 25% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence College | RI | $70,356 |
| 2 | CUNY Hunter College | NY | $70,273 |
| 3 | La Sierra University | CA | $69,244 |
| 4 | California State University-San Bernardino | CA | $69,201 |
| 5 | San Francisco State University | CA | $68,524 |
| 6 | California State University-Long Beach | CA | $68,448 |
| 7 | Pacific Lutheran University | WA | $67,458 |
| 8 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $67,393 |
| 9 | Iona University | NY | $66,417 |
| 10 | Fordham University | NY | $66,349 |
| 11 | Adelphi University | NY | $66,162 |
| 12 | University of the District of Columbia | DC | $65,986 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Social Work pay grow after graduation?
From $39,936 one year out to $51,790 four years out — a $11,854 climb, or 30% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Social Work each year?
About 20,379 bachelor's graduates a year across 524 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.