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Best Schools for Social Work

Social Work graduates earn a median of $31,426 within two years of graduation, ranking #201 out of 292 tracked majors — 11% below the median across all fields. There are 395 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 17,236 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: St Catherine University graduates earn $45,149 while Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla graduates earn $7,727 — a $37,422 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: Social Work graduates see an average 1% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

395
Schools
$31,426
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#201
of 292 Majors
17,236
Graduates

Public vs Private: Social Work

Public (253 schools)
$31,766
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (119 schools)
$31,436
avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools produce comparable or higher early earnings for Social Work, often at lower tuition — making them strong value options for this major.

Social Work by State

Ohio
24 schools
$33,035
Texas
23 schools
$33,130
North Carolina
23 schools
$28,819
Michigan
17 schools
$31,308
Indiana
17 schools
$31,135
California
16 schools
$34,008
Pennsylvania
16 schools
$32,865
New York
15 schools
$34,034

Top Social Work Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
S

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, MN · Private

$45,149
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,462
Grads: 46
Acceptance: 94.1%
#2
U

University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV · Public

$44,276
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,764
Grads: 77
Acceptance: 85.3%
#3
C

Concordia College at Moorhead

Moorhead, MN · Private

$44,170
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 63.1%
#4
B

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, MN · Public

$41,937
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,358
Grads: 47
Acceptance: 70.7%
#5
V

Viterbo University

La Crosse, WI · Private

$41,937
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 73.3%
#6
W

Winona State University

Winona, MN · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $40,999
Grads: 131
Acceptance: 68.5%
#7
M

Minot State University

Minot, ND · Public

$41,565
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,171
Grads: 73
Acceptance: 72.2%
#8
U

Union Institute & University

Cincinnati, OH ·

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: N/A
#9
T

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 42.6%
#10
L

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Baton Rouge, LA · Public

$41,147
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 74.0%
#11
S

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$41,007
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,501
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 96.2%
#12
T

The College of Saint Scholastica

Duluth, MN · Private

$40,896
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,169
Grads: 92
Acceptance: 93.8%
#13
S

Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA · Private

$40,896
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,709
Grads: 16
Acceptance: 75.9%
#14
T

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX · Public

$40,737
2yr Earnings
1yr: $30,902
Grads: 30
Acceptance: 70.9%
#15
C

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA · Public

$40,492
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,690
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 98.3%
#16
M

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN · Public

$40,140
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,358
Grads: 88
Acceptance: 91.3%
#17
U

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV · Public

$40,017
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,843
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 96.3%
#18
U

University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage, AK · Public

$39,909
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,760
Grads: 25
Acceptance: 66.5%
#19
S

St Olaf College

Northfield, MN · Private

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,183
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 52.1%
#20
U

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA · Public

$39,585
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,882
Grads: 127
Acceptance: 11.7%
#21
C

CUNY York College

Jamaica, NY · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,548
Grads: 131
Acceptance: 59.4%
#22
P

Portland State University

Portland, OR · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,548
Grads: 62
Acceptance: 90.9%
#23
S

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, MN · Public

$39,286
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,481
Grads: 96
Acceptance: 95.0%
#24
U

University of Wyoming

Laramie, WY · Public

$39,271
2yr Earnings
1yr: $32,207
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 97.4%
#25
B

Boston University

Boston, MA · Private

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr: $31,847
Grads: 40
Acceptance: 10.8%
#26
S

Southwest Minnesota State University

Marshall, MN · Public

$38,829
2yr Earnings
1yr: $33,078
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 68.9%
#27
S

Southern Connecticut State University

New Haven, CT · Public

$38,649
2yr Earnings
1yr: $28,793
Grads: 49
Acceptance: 81.1%
#28
S

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,504
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 80.2%
#29
W

Washburn University

Topeka, KS ·

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,227
Grads: 18
Acceptance: N/A
#30
R

Regis College

Weston, MA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 89.3%
#31
C

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, NY · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: N/A
#32
U

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, ND · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,598
Grads: 70
Acceptance: 77.1%
#33
M

Minnesota State University Moorhead

Moorhead, MN · Public

$37,964
2yr Earnings
1yr: $39,480
Grads: 104
Acceptance: 52.6%
#34
U

University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Norman, OK · Public

$37,856
2yr Earnings
1yr: $29,129
Grads: 17
Acceptance: 76.5%
#35
U

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Green Bay, WI · Public

$37,808
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,916
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 87.8%
#36
M

Metropolitan State University

Saint Paul, MN · Public

$37,748
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,859
Grads: 32
Acceptance: 96.5%
#37
M

Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO · Public

$37,699
2yr Earnings
1yr: $34,646
Grads: 47
Acceptance: 99.1%
#38
U

University of Wisconsin-Superior

Superior, WI · Public

$37,671
2yr Earnings
1yr: $37,959
Grads: 48
Acceptance: 93.6%
#39
M

Monmouth University

West Long Branch, NJ · Private

$37,568
2yr Earnings
1yr: $42,523
Grads: 21
Acceptance: 89.5%
#40
L

La Salle University

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$37,568
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 86.2%
#41
U

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public

$37,478
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,399
Grads: 73
Acceptance: 42.5%
#42
U

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA · Public

$37,478
2yr Earnings
1yr: $35,399
Grads: 73
Acceptance: 83.0%
#43
M

Methodist University

Fayetteville, NC · Private

$37,208
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 75.2%
#44
S

Salem State University

Salem, MA · Public

$37,110
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,115
Grads: 83
Acceptance: 95.6%
#45
L

Lourdes University

Sylvania, OH · Private

$37,088
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 74.1%
#46
B

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater, MA · Public

$37,018
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,204
Grads: 124
Acceptance: 89.2%
#47
K

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS · Public

$36,992
2yr Earnings
1yr: $38,052
Grads: 60
Acceptance: 79.4%
#48
U

University of Massachusetts-Boston

Boston, MA · Public

$36,992
2yr Earnings
1yr: $41,911
Grads: 40
Acceptance: 83.0%
#49
U

University of Saint Joseph

West Hartford, CT · Private

$36,848
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 79.6%
#50
W

Westfield State University

Westfield, MA · Public

$36,668
2yr Earnings
1yr: $36,660
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 80.7%

Showing top 50 of 395 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities $32,068 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology $31,752 Library Science and Administration $31,751 Sociology $31,614 Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services $31,495 Behavioral Sciences $31,452

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Social Work?
St Catherine University ranks #1 for Social Work with median graduate earnings of $45,149 within two years. There are 395 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates earn an average of $31,426 within two years of graduation. This is 11% below the median across all majors. Earnings range from $7,727 to $45,149 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Social Work program?
The average acceptance rate across Social Work programs is 77.9%. The most selective program is at New York University with a 9.4% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Social Work?
Private Social Work programs average $31,436 in early earnings vs $31,766 at public schools. Public schools offer competitive earnings at typically lower cost, making them strong value options.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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