Which state pays social work bachelor's graduates the most?

Minnesota, where the median program pays its graduates $44,546 in their first year, the highest of 25 state rankings. Wisconsin is next, at $42,035.

Which social work bachelor's program pays the most?

University of North Dakota in North Dakota reports the highest first-year pay of the 325 programs ranked here, $49,695. Its median federal debt is $26,000.

How much debt do social work bachelor's graduates have?

The median program leaves its graduates with $26,579 in federal debt. Across programs, the median debt is 72% of first-year pay.

Highest-Paying Social Work (Bachelor's) Programs in the US

328 programs report first-year pay
25 state rankings
Bachelor's in Social Work

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

The median social work bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $37,220 in their first year and $49,258 five years after. Minnesota has the highest state median ($44,546), and Louisiana the lowest ($26,980). The median program leaves its graduates with $26,579 in federal debt.

Median first-year pay$37,220Across 328 programs

Median pay after 5 years$49,258Across 396 programs

Median federal debt$26,579Across 405 programs

Debt-to-earnings72%Across 323 programs

All 325 programs, ranked by graduate pay

Each program is ranked by the median pay of its graduates one year after they finished, from College Scorecard. This measures what graduates earn, not how good the teaching is. Pay also depends on where graduates live and work. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	School	Year 1 pay	After cost of living	Year 5 pay	Debt	Debt to pay
1	University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND · public	$49,695	$55,863	$54,263	$26,000	52%
2	San Francisco StateSan Francisco, CA · public	$48,750	$44,030	$66,675	$17,259	35%
3	University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK · public	$48,151	Not adjusted	$42,999	$28,750	60%
4	Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ · private nonprofit	$47,734	Not adjusted	$51,459	$25,721	54%
5	Metropolitan State UniversitySaint Paul, MN · public	$47,637	$48,303	$57,301	$29,615	62%
6	Bemidji StateBemidji, MN · public	$47,192	$47,852	$51,542	$27,000	57%
7	Viterbo UniversityLa Crosse, WI · private nonprofit	$46,384	Not adjusted	$53,578	$31,000	67%
8	Southwest Minnesota StateMarshall, MN · public	$46,368	$47,016	$47,740	Not reported	Not reported
9	University of the District of ColumbiaWashington, DC · public	$45,973	Not adjusted	$40,620	$49,652	108%
10	UW-River FallsRiver Falls, WI · public	$45,870	Not adjusted	$54,835	$26,303	57%
11	University of Alaska AnchorageAnchorage, AK · public	$45,565	$44,515	Not reported	$31,750	70%
12	Salem StateSalem, MA · public	$45,450	$42,976	$53,211	$27,000	59%
13	College of Saint ScholasticaDuluth, MN · private nonprofit	$45,371	$46,005	$51,589	$37,059	82%
14	Bethel University (Minnesota)Saint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$45,259	$45,892	$50,324	$25,000	55%
15	UMass BostonBoston, MA · public	$45,227	$42,765	$53,689	$27,947	62%
16	St Olaf CollegeNorthfield, MN · private nonprofit	$45,146	$45,777	Not reported	$27,000	60%
17	UC BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · public	$44,906	$40,558	$68,779	$13,719	31%
18	CUNY York CollegeJamaica, NY · public	$44,742	$41,458	$63,534	$9,500	21%
19	Minot StateMinot, ND · public	$44,731	$50,283	$48,669	$27,000	60%
20	Winona StateWinona, MN · public	$44,546	$45,169	$54,119	$27,000	61%
21	University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, NV · public	$44,427	$44,436	$60,769	$21,686	49%
22	Capital UniversityColumbus, OH · private nonprofit	$44,344	$47,798	$47,490	$43,038	97%
23	Medgar Evers CollegeBrooklyn, NY · public	$44,311	$41,059	$58,038	$15,096	34%
24	St Catherine UniversitySaint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$44,257	$44,876	$62,568	$30,912	70%
25	UW-Green BayGreen Bay, WI · public	$44,135	$46,905	$48,121	$25,237	57%
26	Governors StateUniversity Park, IL · public	$44,133	$44,152	$47,709	$33,983	77%
27	Metropolitan State University of DenverDenver, CO · public	$44,015	$42,711	$53,547	$29,578	67%
28	UW-OshkoshOshkosh, WI · public	$43,948	$46,706	$53,947	$26,750	61%
29	Saint Cloud StateSaint Cloud, MN · public	$43,726	$44,337	$55,566	$27,996	64%
30	Minnesota State MoorheadMoorhead, MN · public	$43,471	$44,079	$52,122	$27,000	62%
31	Augsburg UniversityMinneapolis, MN · private nonprofit	$43,303	$43,908	$47,032	$25,737	59%
32	University of Minnesota-DuluthDuluth, MN · public	$43,198	$43,802	Not reported	$23,111	54%
33	Briar Cliff UniversitySioux City, IA · private nonprofit	$42,935	$48,922	Not reported	$37,564	87%
34	Cal State Long BeachLong Beach, CA · public	$42,925	$38,769	$64,415	$11,276	26%
35	Minnesota State MankatoMankato, MN · public	$42,915	$43,515	$51,856	$24,250	57%
36	Weber StateOgden, UT · public	$42,754	$43,245	$52,076	$18,497	43%
37	UW-SuperiorSuperior, WI · public	$42,487	Not adjusted	$50,212	$29,166	69%
38	Fort Hays StateHays, KS · public	$42,413	$47,090	$46,993	$27,000	64%
39	Texas Southern UniversityHouston, TX · public	$42,333	$43,617	$52,740	$38,162	90%
40	Lehman CollegeBronx, NY · public	$42,300	$39,195	$57,482	$12,690	30%
41	Colorado Mesa UniversityGrand Junction, CO · public	$42,254	$41,003	Not reported	$25,000	59%
42	Western New Mexico UniversitySilver City, NM · public	$42,250	$45,818	Not reported	$35,448	84%
43	Hunter CollegeNew York, NY · public	$42,227	Not adjusted	Not reported	$9,608	23%
44	La Sierra UniversityRiverside, CA · private nonprofit	$42,213	$38,126	$58,985	$35,500	84%
45	Harding UniversitySearcy, AR · private nonprofit	$41,835	Not adjusted	$43,107	$29,000	69%
46	Kansas StateManhattan, KS · public	$41,833	$46,446	$47,230	$24,603	59%
47	IU IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · public	$41,657	$44,635	$47,703	$18,410	44%
48	Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill, NC · private nonprofit	$41,643	$44,148	$43,413	$29,133	70%
49	FIUMiami, FL · public	$41,626	$40,252	$41,039	$18,800	45%
50	Portland StatePortland, OR · public	$41,594	$40,241	$56,234	$25,624	62%
51	UW-Stevens PointStevens Point, WI · public	$41,582	$44,192	$48,750	$26,500	64%
52	Millikin UniversityDecatur, IL · private nonprofit	$41,543	Not adjusted	$53,182	$27,000	65%
53	Plymouth StatePlymouth, NH · public	$41,451	Not adjusted	$46,700	$27,000	65%
54	University of Massachusetts GlobalAliso Viejo, CA · public	$41,327	Not adjusted	$46,024	$34,250	83%
55	Bridgewater StateBridgewater, MA · public	$41,187	$38,945	$49,143	$27,000	66%
56	Longwood UniversityFarmville, VA · public	$41,160	$40,711	$46,849	$26,419	64%
57	University of WashingtonSeattle, WA · public	$40,969	$38,284	$64,100	$17,396	42%
58	Bowling Green StateBowling Green, OH · public	$40,959	$44,149	$51,453	$27,000	66%
59	University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · public	$40,836	$41,852	$46,526	$22,000	54%
60	Grand View UniversityDes Moines, IA · private nonprofit	$40,736	$46,416	Not reported	$25,837	63%
61	University of Southern MainePortland, ME · public	$40,692	$41,929	$51,132	$22,610	56%
62	Prairie View A&M UniversityPrairie View, TX · public	$40,667	$41,900	$49,314	$31,750	78%
63	Keuka CollegeKeuka Park, NY · private nonprofit	$40,642	$37,659	$51,974	$40,593	100%
64	UW-Eau ClaireEau Claire, WI · public	$40,562	$43,107	$54,942	$23,000	57%
65	University of Saint Francis-Fort WayneFort Wayne, IN · private nonprofit	$40,532	$43,429	$41,392	Not reported	Not reported
66	University of Nevada-RenoReno, NV · public	$40,530	$40,539	$65,551	$17,905	44%
67	Fresno Pacific UniversityFresno, CA · private nonprofit	$40,458	$36,541	Not reported	$25,000	62%
68	UM-FlintFlint, MI · public	$40,371	$41,958	$52,290	$38,000	94%
69	Texas Woman's UniversityDenton, TX · public	$40,340	$41,563	$53,706	$24,000	59%
70	UMBCBaltimore, MD · public	$40,316	$38,411	$59,755	$22,500	56%
71	UW-MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI · public	$40,188	$42,710	$49,042	$29,610	74%
72	College of Our Lady of the ElmsChicopee, MA · private nonprofit	$40,161	$37,975	$53,977	$31,682	79%
73	Boise StateBoise, ID · public	$40,126	$42,019	$52,297	$28,350	71%
74	Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, NE · private nonprofit	$40,080	$44,482	$49,893	$34,750	87%
75	University of KansasLawrence, KS · public	$40,032	$44,446	$45,517	$24,000	60%
76	RutgersNew Brunswick, NJ · public	$39,936	$36,704	$53,428	$25,000	63%
77	Wright StateDayton, OH · public	$39,926	$43,036	$48,503	$28,250	71%
78	FAUBoca Raton, FL · public	$39,912	$38,594	$49,864	$21,101	53%
79	ASUTempe, AZ · public	$39,842	$39,574	$48,856	$20,000	50%
80	Wayne StateDetroit, MI · public	$39,774	$41,338	$49,933	$28,012	70%
81	CSU PuebloPueblo, CO · public	$39,742	$38,565	$47,782	$28,785	72%
82	Buffalo StateBuffalo, NY · public	$39,695	$36,782	$49,513	$23,312	59%
82	IU BloomingtonBloomington, IN · public	$39,695	$42,532	$52,384	$14,506	37%
84	Western Illinois UniversityMacomb, IL · public	$39,641	$39,658	$47,489	$29,850	75%
85	Mercy UniversityDobbs Ferry, NY · private nonprofit	$39,373	$36,483	$56,162	$26,000	66%
86	University of Central MissouriWarrensburg, MO · public	$39,295	$43,268	$42,278	$26,579	68%
87	University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH · public	$39,292	$42,352	$46,240	$29,125	74%
88	University of IowaIowa City, IA · public	$39,285	$44,763	$52,381	$25,180	64%
89	University of ToledoToledo, OH · public	$39,254	$42,311	$47,761	$31,000	79%
90	University of Nebraska at KearneyKearney, NE · public	$39,218	$43,526	$41,982	$24,000	61%
91	Midwestern StateWichita Falls, TX · public	$39,215	Not adjusted	$44,251	$35,135	90%
92	Pennsylvania Western UniversityCalifornia, PA · public	$39,192	$40,167	$46,697	$27,000	69%
93	Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, IL · public	$39,178	$39,194	$49,644	$17,500	45%
94	Cal State San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA · public	$39,145	$35,355	$61,618	$13,018	33%
95	Eastern Washington UniversityCheney, WA · public	$39,102	$36,539	$53,900	$17,109	44%
96	Ball StateMuncie, IN · public	$39,094	$41,888	$45,042	$23,900	61%
97	Spring Arbor UniversitySpring Arbor, MI · private nonprofit	$39,071	$40,607	$48,947	$29,893	77%
98	Morgan StateBaltimore, MD · public	$39,059	$37,214	$53,559	$35,000	90%
99	Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · public	$39,055	$40,027	$50,360	$27,000	69%
100	Illinois StateNormal, IL · public	$39,041	$39,057	$50,809	$25,000	64%
101	GCUPhoenix, AZ · private nonprofit	$39,017	Not adjusted	$44,317	$35,959	92%
102	Ferris StateBig Rapids, MI · public	$38,870	$40,398	$46,935	$27,500	71%
103	Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA · private nonprofit	$38,828	Not adjusted	Not reported	$29,000	75%
104	University of MaineOrono, ME · public	$38,824	$40,004	$43,549	$26,154	67%
105	Angelo StateSan Angelo, TX · public	$38,771	$39,947	$50,839	$27,178	70%
106	Ohio StateColumbus, OH · public	$38,739	$41,756	$44,646	$26,970	70%
107	University of Illinois SpringfieldSpringfield, IL · public	$38,707	$38,723	$48,393	$24,810	64%
108	Texas StateSan Marcos, TX · public	$38,660	$39,832	$46,787	$21,500	56%
109	IU NorthwestGary, IN · public	$38,652	$41,415	$45,619	$30,924	80%
110	Westfield StateWestfield, MA · public	$38,596	$36,495	$56,371	$27,000	70%
111	George MasonFairfax, VA · public	$38,559	$38,138	$60,768	$24,188	63%
112	Georgian Court UniversityLakewood, NJ · private nonprofit	$38,530	$35,412	$53,743	$23,000	60%
113	Eastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MI · public	$38,517	$40,031	$49,925	$31,111	81%
114	Mount Saint Mary's UniversityLos Angeles, CA · private nonprofit	$38,512	$34,783	Not reported	$30,000	78%
115	Tarleton StateStephenville, TX · public	$38,506	$39,674	$44,285	$28,836	75%
116	Saginaw Valley StateUniversity Center, MI · public	$38,503	$40,017	$53,518	$31,000	81%
117	Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI · public	$38,446	$39,958	$50,800	$28,250	73%
118	Aurora UniversityAurora, IL · private nonprofit	$38,382	$38,398	$51,486	$27,000	70%
119	UNC WilmingtonWilmington, NC · public	$38,380	$40,689	$48,183	$22,361	58%
120	University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT · public	$38,338	$38,779	$55,294	$15,038	39%
121	Purdue GlobalWest Lafayette, IN · public	$38,324	Not adjusted	Not reported	$53,229	139%
122	Barton CollegeWilson, NC · private nonprofit	$38,312	$40,617	$44,410	$27,000	70%
123	Pittsburg StatePittsburg, KS · public	$38,288	Not adjusted	$42,422	$27,000	71%
124	Radford UniversityRadford, VA · public	$38,272	$37,854	$48,970	$26,000	68%
125	Wichita StateWichita, KS · public	$38,256	$42,475	$45,622	$31,000	81%
126	Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ · public	$38,247	$37,990	$46,353	$20,500	54%
127	University of MissouriColumbia, MO · public	$38,236	Not adjusted	$49,967	$23,119	60%
128	Our Lady of the Lake UniversitySan Antonio, TX · private nonprofit	$38,209	$39,368	$51,895	$27,250	71%
129	UT ArlingtonArlington, TX · public	$38,174	$39,332	$48,365	$21,546	56%
130	Northeastern StateTahlequah, OK · public	$38,168	$43,450	$50,193	$30,785	81%
131	Colorado StateFort Collins, CO · public	$38,134	$37,005	$51,722	$23,387	61%
132	Nazareth UniversityRochester, NY · private nonprofit	$38,126	$35,328	$54,294	$26,250	69%
133	Union UniversityJackson, TN · private nonprofit	$38,056	$41,424	$42,856	$39,415	104%
134	Ohio UniversityAthens, OH · public	$37,990	$40,949	$48,309	$23,570	62%
135	Mount Vernon Nazarene UniversityMount Vernon, OH · private nonprofit	$37,979	$40,937	$44,483	$34,837	92%
136	UW-WhitewaterWhitewater, WI · public	$37,952	$40,334	Not reported	$25,912	68%
137	Utah Valley UniversityOrem, UT · public	$37,937	$38,373	$51,140	$20,000	53%
138	Washburn UniversityTopeka, KS · public	$37,908	$42,088	$47,831	$24,623	65%
139	UTEPEl Paso, TX · public	$37,865	$39,013	$48,913	$15,500	41%
140	Brescia UniversityOwensboro, KY · private nonprofit	$37,841	Not adjusted	$51,049	$49,254	130%
141	Frostburg StateFrostburg, MD · public	$37,836	$36,048	Not reported	$26,000	69%
142	IU South BendSouth Bend, IN · public	$37,812	$40,515	$50,547	$24,263	64%
143	Stockton UniversityGalloway, NJ · public	$37,749	$34,694	$51,954	$27,000	72%
144	University of TennesseeKnoxville, TN · public	$37,730	$41,069	$47,083	$25,683	68%
145	Coppin StateBaltimore, MD · public	$37,612	$35,835	$52,129	$28,750	76%
146	Lamar UniversityBeaumont, TX · public	$37,593	$38,733	$49,936	$32,705	87%
147	University of AkronAkron, OH · public	$37,541	$40,465	$42,412	$27,708	74%
148	Mary Baldwin UniversityStaunton, VA · private nonprofit	$37,537	$37,127	$47,745	$33,375	89%
149	Central Connecticut StateNew Britain, CT · public	$37,519	$36,212	$58,899	$24,844	66%
150	Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI · private nonprofit	$37,494	Not adjusted	$51,997	$19,500	52%
151	Cal State LALos Angeles, CA · public	$37,477	$33,848	$59,861	$11,000	29%
152	USFTampa, FL · public	$37,458	$36,221	$46,115	$21,875	58%
153	La Salle UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · private nonprofit	$37,453	$38,385	Not reported	$33,206	89%
154	UT AustinAustin, TX · public	$37,437	$38,572	$53,239	$21,506	57%
155	University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE · public	$37,404	$41,512	$46,995	$19,930	53%
156	University of New HampshireDurham, NH · public	$37,395	Not adjusted	$49,321	$27,000	72%
157	UH-DowntownHouston, TX · public	$37,365	$38,498	$58,711	$24,186	65%
158	Mount Mercy UniversityCedar Rapids, IA · private nonprofit	$37,303	Not adjusted	$37,826	$25,677	69%
159	Sacramento StateSacramento, CA · public	$37,290	$33,680	$56,867	$18,000	48%
160	Hope CollegeHolland, MI · private nonprofit	$37,270	Not adjusted	$52,793	$26,670	72%
161	University of Northern IowaCedar Falls, IA · public	$37,257	$42,452	$46,416	$22,847	61%
162	Grand Valley StateAllendale, MI · public	$37,233	$38,697	$50,014	$27,000	73%
163	Shippensburg University of PennsylvaniaShippensburg, PA · public	$37,206	$38,132	$50,737	$26,982	73%
164	National Louis UniversityChicago, IL · private nonprofit	$37,205	$37,221	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
164	Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI · public	$37,205	$38,668	$54,064	$27,000	73%
166	Heritage UniversityToppenish, WA · private nonprofit	$37,164	$34,728	$51,916	$14,007	38%
167	Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaKutztown, PA · public	$37,135	$38,059	$44,932	$26,624	72%
168	Roberts Wesleyan UniversityRochester, NY · private nonprofit	$37,100	Not adjusted	Not reported	$26,596	72%
169	SUNY BrockportBrockport, NY · public	$37,054	$34,334	$45,923	$23,354	63%
170	Northern Kentucky UniversityHighland Heights, KY · public	$37,037	$41,080	$42,842	$28,906	78%
171	Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL · public	$36,974	$36,990	$48,780	$25,000	68%
172	University of North AlabamaFlorence, AL · public	$36,948	$41,597	$42,773	$30,500	83%
173	San Diego StateSan Diego, CA · public	$36,916	$33,342	$53,843	$15,176	41%
174	Chico StateChico, CA · public	$36,840	$33,273	$55,090	$17,000	46%
175	UIUCChampaign, IL · public	$36,815	$36,830	$59,589	$19,344	53%
176	Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, NC · public	$36,727	$38,936	$46,183	$25,857	70%
177	Indiana Wesleyan University-MarionMarion, IN · private nonprofit	$36,722	Not adjusted	$46,792	$41,903	114%
178	Franciscan University of SteubenvilleSteubenville, OH · private nonprofit	$36,697	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	74%
179	Stephen F. AustinNacogdoches, TX · public	$36,628	$37,739	$45,898	$30,543	83%
180	University of West FloridaPensacola, FL · public	$36,573	$35,366	$37,625	$17,373	48%
181	Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MI · public	$36,513	Not adjusted	$49,556	$24,301	67%
182	Youngstown StateYoungstown, OH · public	$36,445	$39,284	$45,268	$33,422	92%
183	Florida Gulf Coast UniversityFort Myers, FL · public	$36,407	$35,205	$52,485	$18,837	52%
184	University of IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · private nonprofit	$36,399	Not adjusted	$50,836	$27,000	74%
185	University of KentuckyLexington, KY · public	$36,312	$40,276	$44,253	$26,875	74%
186	Eastern UniversitySaint Davids, PA · private nonprofit	$36,308	Not adjusted	$47,205	$27,000	74%
187	Indiana StateTerre Haute, IN · public	$36,294	$38,888	$46,970	$27,000	74%
188	Cairn University-LanghorneLanghorne, PA · private nonprofit	$36,289	$37,192	$44,677	$27,000	74%
189	University of MemphisMemphis, TN · public	$36,220	$39,425	$45,928	$36,506	101%
190	UNTDenton, TX · public	$36,167	$37,264	$56,182	$22,500	62%
191	University of Southern IndianaEvansville, IN · public	$36,126	$38,708	$44,155	$21,500	60%
192	Bradley UniversityPeoria, IL · private nonprofit	$36,017	Not adjusted	$53,638	$25,000	69%
193	Cedarville UniversityCedarville, OH · private nonprofit	$35,967	Not adjusted	$49,927	$19,500	54%
194	Concord UniversityAthens, WV · public	$35,930	$40,147	$44,345	$18,967	53%
195	Cleveland StateCleveland, OH · public	$35,869	$38,663	$42,429	$33,000	92%
196	UMSLSaint Louis, MO · public	$35,862	$39,488	$40,468	$31,000	86%
197	Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI · public	$35,800	$37,208	$51,078	$27,000	75%
198	UABBirmingham, AL · public	$35,750	$40,249	$45,369	$30,000	84%
199	East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC · public	$35,745	$37,895	$50,327	$26,000	73%
200	Cal Poly HumboldtArcata, CA · public	$35,693	$32,237	$57,147	$23,286	65%
201	Middle Tennessee StateMurfreesboro, TN · public	$35,574	$38,722	$42,999	$22,100	62%
202	Missouri StateSpringfield, MO · public	$35,544	$39,138	$42,226	$25,085	71%
203	NC StateRaleigh, NC · public	$35,485	$37,620	$48,322	$20,791	59%
204	Lewis-Clark State CollegeLewiston, ID · public	$35,456	$37,129	$54,948	$26,126	74%
205	University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · public	$35,424	$40,747	$47,137	$27,000	76%
206	UA Little RockLittle Rock, AR · public	$35,408	$40,728	$51,585	$26,980	76%
207	UCFOrlando, FL · public	$35,358	$34,191	$47,972	$22,375	63%
208	Texas A&M-Central TexasKilleen, TX · public	$35,345	$36,417	$51,991	$26,631	75%
209	Morehead StateMorehead, KY · public	$35,300	$39,153	$40,435	$32,002	91%
210	University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY · public	$35,257	$39,105	$47,126	$25,209	72%
211	Lancaster Bible CollegeLancaster, PA · private nonprofit	$35,235	$36,112	Not reported	$25,000	71%
212	Winthrop UniversityRock Hill, SC · public	$35,070	$37,408	$47,517	$27,000	77%
213	Salisbury UniversitySalisbury, MD · public	$34,917	$33,267	$56,449	$23,552	67%
214	Campbellsville UniversityCampbellsville, KY · private nonprofit	$34,852	$38,656	$43,005	$27,360	79%
215	Messiah UniversityMechanicsburg, PA · private nonprofit	$34,818	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	78%
216	Alabama StateMontgomery, AL · public	$34,792	$39,170	$42,241	$39,593	114%
217	Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY · public	$34,748	$38,541	$40,739	$26,000	75%
218	Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale, IL · public	$34,664	$34,679	$46,380	$27,000	78%
218	West Texas A&M UniversityCanyon, TX · public	$34,664	$35,715	$46,654	$26,000	75%
220	Miami UniversityOxford, OH · public	$34,583	$37,277	$49,179	$26,025	75%
221	Simmons UniversityBoston, MA · private nonprofit	$34,496	Not adjusted	$59,343	$27,000	78%
222	Jacksonville StateJacksonville, AL · public	$34,485	$38,824	$40,166	$26,342	76%
223	Saint Leo UniversitySaint Leo, FL · private nonprofit	$34,463	$33,325	$43,996	$33,457	97%
224	CSUNNorthridge, CA · public	$34,447	$31,112	$57,312	$12,449	36%
225	Austin PeayClarksville, TN · public	$34,384	$37,427	$40,994	$26,000	76%
226	King UniversityBristol, TN · private nonprofit	$34,380	$37,422	Not reported	$28,732	84%
227	WVUMorgantown, WV · public	$34,344	$38,374	$49,271	$25,000	73%
228	UT MartinMartin, TN · public	$34,240	$37,270	$45,566	$25,653	75%
229	Saint Edward's UniversityAustin, TX · private nonprofit	$34,200	$35,237	$48,185	$27,000	79%
230	Michigan StateEast Lansing, MI · public	$34,089	$35,429	$55,523	$26,169	77%
231	VCURichmond, VA · public	$34,088	$33,716	$52,309	$25,000	73%
232	Commonwealth University of PennsylvaniaBloomsburg, PA · public	$33,958	$34,803	$45,848	$27,000	80%
233	Texas TechLubbock, TX · public	$33,921	$34,950	$54,331	$29,875	88%
234	Southern Connecticut StateNew Haven, CT · public	$33,862	$32,682	$56,869	$23,935	71%
235	TCUFort Worth, TX · private nonprofit	$33,819	Not adjusted	$60,687	$24,000	71%
236	University of South AlabamaMobile, AL · public	$33,771	$38,021	$43,857	$30,500	90%
237	University of MontanaMissoula, MT · public	$33,726	$35,634	$40,480	$25,000	74%
238	Northwestern State University of LouisianaNatchitoches, LA · public	$33,596	$38,088	$44,157	$28,875	86%
239	Eastern Kentucky UniversityRichmond, KY · public	$33,575	$37,240	$44,374	$30,750	92%
240	Rhode Island CollegeProvidence, RI · public	$33,561	$32,813	$50,901	$24,100	72%
241	Missouri Western StateSaint Joseph, MO · public	$33,532	$36,923	$44,133	$27,679	83%
242	New Mexico StateLas Cruces, NM · public	$33,510	$36,340	$44,034	$24,500	73%
243	Delaware StateDover, DE · public	$33,413	Not adjusted	$53,288	$25,000	75%
244	Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV · public	$33,344	$37,257	Not reported	$27,000	81%
245	Idaho StatePocatello, ID · public	$33,181	$34,747	$43,038	$33,250	100%
246	East Texas A&M UniversityCommerce, TX · public	$33,149	$34,154	$40,310	$25,313	76%
247	Arkansas StateJonesboro, AR · public	$33,140	$38,120	$49,629	$29,370	89%
248	Millersville University of PennsylvaniaMillersville, PA · public	$33,119	$33,943	$46,004	$27,937	84%
249	Montclair StateMontclair, NJ · public	$33,095	$30,417	$39,277	$25,000	76%
250	Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa, CA · private nonprofit	$33,089	$29,885	$63,166	$24,643	74%
251	Western Connecticut StateDanbury, CT · public	$33,033	$31,882	$56,137	$24,527	74%
252	Bowie StateBowie, MD · public	$32,989	$31,430	$56,184	$31,000	94%
253	Shepherd UniversityShepherdstown, WV · public	$32,965	$36,834	$54,356	$27,722	84%
254	Lubbock Christian UniversityLubbock, TX · private nonprofit	$32,952	$33,951	$51,424	$36,750	112%
255	Lincoln University (Missouri)Jefferson City, MO · public	$32,951	Not adjusted	Not reported	$31,000	94%
256	University at AlbanyAlbany, NY · public	$32,913	$30,497	$57,591	$23,000	70%
257	Hood CollegeFrederick, MD · private nonprofit	$32,805	Not adjusted	$48,777	$25,578	78%
258	IU EastRichmond, IN · public	$32,748	$35,089	$42,311	$15,300	47%
259	Appalachian StateBoone, NC · public	$32,725	$34,694	$48,164	$22,184	68%
260	College of the OzarksPoint Lookout, MO · private nonprofit	$32,701	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
261	Florida StateTallahassee, FL · public	$32,604	$31,528	$52,119	$15,193	47%
262	University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · public	$32,534	Not adjusted	$49,245	$24,314	75%
263	University of Arkansas-Fort SmithFort Smith, AR · public	$32,532	Not adjusted	Not reported	$23,500	72%
264	East Tennessee StateJohnson City, TN · public	$32,514	$35,391	$42,050	$23,000	71%
265	University of VermontBurlington, VT · public	$32,335	$33,009	$52,898	$20,000	62%
266	Slippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaSlippery Rock, PA · public	$32,316	$33,120	$44,236	$27,000	84%
267	University of MontevalloMontevallo, AL · public	$32,262	$36,322	$41,996	$27,500	85%
268	Southeast Missouri StateCape Girardeau, MO · public	$32,224	$35,482	$45,728	$25,433	79%
269	East Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaEast Stroudsburg, PA · public	$32,208	Not adjusted	$47,208	$27,000	84%
270	Fresno StateFresno, CA · public	$31,986	$28,889	$52,602	$12,000	38%
271	Gallaudet UniversityWashington, DC · private nonprofit	$31,903	Not adjusted	$49,663	$23,017	72%
272	Utah StateLogan, UT · public	$31,746	$32,111	$44,469	$16,132	51%
273	Olivet Nazarene UniversityBourbonnais, IL · private nonprofit	$31,720	Not adjusted	$48,574	$27,000	85%
274	UNC PembrokePembroke, NC · public	$31,695	$33,602	$50,119	$27,000	85%
275	Murray StateMurray, KY · public	$31,692	$35,151	$39,311	$28,000	88%
276	JMUHarrisonburg, VA · public	$31,687	$31,341	$54,376	$18,989	60%
277	Calvin UniversityGrand Rapids, MI · private nonprofit	$31,584	$32,826	$50,096	$27,000	85%
278	University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL · public	$31,462	Not adjusted	$50,275	$25,000	79%
279	FAMUTallahassee, FL · public	$31,401	$30,364	$41,062	$27,000	86%
280	Ramapo College of New JerseyMahwah, NJ · public	$31,210	$28,684	$58,059	$24,491	78%
281	Ole MissUniversity, MS · public	$31,190	$35,870	$41,925	$21,986	70%
281	Troy UniversityTroy, AL · public	$31,190	$35,115	$43,893	$30,500	98%
283	Shaw UniversityRaleigh, NC · private nonprofit	$31,138	$33,011	$48,588	$38,000	122%
284	College of Staten IslandStaten Island, NY · public	$31,021	Not adjusted	$59,976	Not reported	Not reported
285	North Carolina Central UniversityDurham, NC · public	$30,615	$32,457	$45,179	$31,000	101%
286	UNC GreensboroGreensboro, NC · public	$30,509	$32,344	$47,931	$26,000	85%
287	UTRGVEdinburg, TX · public	$30,436	$31,359	$46,031	$16,526	54%
288	Gordon CollegeWenham, MA · private nonprofit	$30,381	Not adjusted	$49,766	$26,250	86%
289	Luther CollegeDecorah, IA · private nonprofit	$30,372	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	89%
290	Benedict CollegeColumbia, SC · private nonprofit	$30,295	Not adjusted	Not reported	$39,200	129%
291	Trevecca Nazarene UniversityNashville, TN · private nonprofit	$30,204	Not adjusted	Not reported	$21,500	71%
292	West Virginia StateInstitute, WV · public	$30,060	$33,588	$42,174	$37,371	124%
293	Fayetteville StateFayetteville, NC · public	$29,726	$31,514	$46,216	$32,500	109%
294	Southern UniversityBaton Rouge, LA · public	$29,703	$33,674	$44,421	$32,634	110%
295	Winston-Salem StateWinston-Salem, NC · public	$29,617	$31,399	$45,131	$28,537	96%
296	Georgia StateAtlanta, GA · public	$29,609	$30,749	$48,917	$30,533	103%
297	Eastern Connecticut StateWillimantic, CT · public	$29,471	$28,444	$56,719	$22,325	76%
298	Tennessee StateNashville, TN · public	$29,449	$32,055	$39,205	$31,500	107%
299	BYU-IdahoRexburg, ID · private nonprofit	$29,355	Not adjusted	$39,730	$14,460	49%
300	Mississippi StateMississippi State, MS · public	$29,242	$33,630	$39,512	$26,297	90%
301	SUNY FredoniaFredonia, NY · public	$28,723	$26,615	$49,105	$24,340	85%
302	Virginia StatePetersburg, VA · public	$28,527	$28,216	$50,442	$31,000	109%
303	UNC CharlotteCharlotte, NC · public	$28,425	$30,135	$49,921	$24,750	87%
304	University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS · public	$28,262	$32,503	$41,536	$30,700	109%
305	University of Arkansas at Pine BluffPine Bluff, AR · public	$28,094	$32,315	$41,063	$29,145	104%
306	University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC · public	$28,032	$29,901	$45,169	$24,000	86%
307	Missouri Southern StateJoplin, MO · public	$27,936	$30,761	Not reported	$25,983	93%
308	UT ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · public	$27,923	$30,394	$44,336	$20,043	72%
309	George Fox UniversityNewberg, OR · private nonprofit	$27,755	Not adjusted	$50,780	$21,500	77%
310	NC A&TGreensboro, NC · public	$27,508	$29,163	$43,412	$30,000	109%
311	UH ManoaHonolulu, HI · public	$27,080	$24,629	$57,946	$24,610	91%
312	Clark Atlanta UniversityAtlanta, GA · private nonprofit	$27,016	Not adjusted	$51,398	$27,500	102%
313	Grambling StateGrambling, LA · public	$26,980	$30,587	$36,809	$49,736	184%
314	Jackson StateJackson, MS · public	$26,873	$30,905	$37,885	$36,403	135%
315	NYUNew York, NY · private nonprofit	$26,837	Not adjusted	$67,149	$25,000	93%
316	UL MonroeMonroe, LA · public	$26,423	Not adjusted	Not reported	$29,600	112%
317	Southeastern Louisiana UniversityHammond, LA · public	$26,388	$29,916	$45,263	$29,072	110%
318	Fort Valley StateFort Valley, GA · public	$26,299	$27,311	$48,104	$37,875	144%
319	SUNY PlattsburghPlattsburgh, NY · public	$24,676	$22,865	$54,345	$23,990	97%
320	Henderson StateArkadelphia, AR · public	$22,458	$25,832	Not reported	$22,239	99%
321	Texas CollegeTyler, TX · private nonprofit	$17,759	Not adjusted	Not reported	$34,000	191%
322	Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey CampusSan Juan, PR · private nonprofit	$17,692	Not adjusted	$24,391	$23,779	134%
323	Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina CampusCarolina, PR · private nonprofit	$15,258	Not adjusted	$23,788	$19,000	125%
324	Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo CampusGurabo, PR · private nonprofit	$13,506	Not adjusted	$26,600	$10,004	74%
325	UPR HumacaoHumacao, PR · public	$6,869	Not adjusted	$24,815	$5,500	80%

Pay after cost of living divides first-year pay by the Bureau of Economic Analysis price level of the school's state, where the US average is 100. It is shown for 267 programs where at least half of the graduates who work are working in the school's state. The other 58, whose graduates mostly work in other states or whose state has no price level, are listed last when you sort by it.

5 programs report pay but not debt, so they are ranked only by pay.

College Scorecard withholds pay for programs with too few graduates, to protect their privacy, so those programs can't be ranked. 3 more programs report pay but aren't listed, because College Scorecard's school file doesn't name their schools. The national medians above still count them.

Social Work (Bachelor's) programs by state

Each row is the median across the state's social work bachelor's programs. State names link to the full ranking of that state's programs.

#	State	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
1	Minnesota	13	$44,546	$27,000
2	Wisconsin	10	$42,035	$26,449
3	Massachusetts	7	$40,161	$27,000
4	Kansas	6	$39,160	$25,812
5	Illinois	13	$38,382	$26,000
6	Iowa	6	$38,294	$25,837
7	New Jersey	6	$38,140	$25,000
8	New York	15	$38,126	$25,000
9	Indiana	12	$38,068	$27,000
10	California	16	$37,995	$17,259
11	Ohio	14	$37,985	$27,708
12	Virginia	8	$37,905	$26,000
13	Michigan	14	$37,858	$27,000
14	Maryland	7	$37,612	$25,789
15	Texas	24	$37,401	$27,000
16	Florida	9	$36,407	$21,875
17	Pennsylvania	14	$36,299	$27,000
18	Kentucky	9	$35,257	$28,000
19	Tennessee	11	$34,380	$25,653
20	Alabama	8	$34,128	$30,250
21	Missouri	9	$33,532	$25,992
22	West Virginia	5	$33,344	$27,000
23	Arkansas	7	$33,140	$27,000
24	North Carolina	15	$31,695	$26,381
25	Louisiana	5	$26,980	$31,117

Programs in 25 more states and territories report pay, but too few to rank. A state ranking needs at least five programs that report both pay and debt.

Quick picks nationwide

Lowest median debt

CUNY York College, NY$9,500
Hunter College, NY$9,608
Cal State LA, CA$11,000
Cal State Long Beach, CA$11,276
Fresno State, CA$12,000
CSUN, CA$12,449
Lehman College, NY$12,690
Cal State San Bernardino, CA$13,018
UC Berkeley, CA$13,719
IU Bloomington, IN$14,506

Lowest debt for the pay

Only the 258 programs with their own page here are included. "Debt for the pay" is median debt divided by first-year pay.

Careers this field leads to

These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to social work, largest first. Pay is the median across the US and all experience levels.

Child, Family, and School Social Workers

$59,550

Median pay in the US. 392,550 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 33,900 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $42,280Top 10%: $95,530

Social and Community Service Managers

$80,390

Median pay in the US. 209,330 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 7% from 2025 to 2035, with about 18,500 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree, plus less than 5 years of related work experience.

Bottom 10%: $53,150Top 10%: $132,260

Healthcare Social Workers

$67,880

Median pay in the US. 187,630 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 9% from 2025 to 2035, with about 16,900 openings a year. Typical education to start: master's degree.

Bottom 10%: $46,220Top 10%: $100,360

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

$60,280

Median pay in the US. 132,810 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 10% from 2025 to 2035, with about 12,500 openings a year. Typical education to start: master's degree.

Bottom 10%: $39,740Top 10%: $104,170

Common questions

The median social work bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $37,220 in their first year and $49,258 five years after.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Medians are across programs, not students: each program counts once, however many graduates it has.
National medians include every program in the 50 states, DC, and US territories, including schools that have since closed. Schools with several campuses that report one combined figure are counted once.
Programs are ranked by College Scorecard median pay one year after graduation. Pay after cost of living uses the price level of the school's state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024