Social Work
Public Administration & Social Service
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | $40,064 | $35,857 to $43,871 | 33 | 79% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $51,290 | $47,140 to $56,029 | 430 | 98% |
| Graduate/Professional Certificate | $49,884 | $47,162 to $54,127 | 5 | 100% |
| Master's Degree | $62,188 | $58,477 to $67,415 | 283 | 100% |
| Doctoral Degree | $101,907 | $92,382 to $109,386 | 7 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +6% (2025 to 2035), about 107,800 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | +4.4% | 33,900 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | $80,390 | +7.2% | 18,500 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | $67,880 | +8.5% | 16,900 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | +10.3% | 12,500 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | +3% | 7,900 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | $66,940 | +13.5% | 6,900 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a social work program, of 796 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Walden University
- University of Kentucky
- Fordham University
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- Aurora University
- Rutgers University-New Brunswick
- University of Denver
- University of Southern California
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.