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MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 4407

Social Work: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 283 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$62,611 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$62,611Median year-4 earnings

$18,579Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$62,611Median reported earnings · year 4

$62,169Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

21thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

283Reporting programs

283With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $34,968
Federal debt: $11,018
Reporting programs: 4

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $40,761
Federal debt: $17,033
Reporting programs: 41

37 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $51,410
Federal debt: $26,475
Reporting programs: 463

442 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $60,275
Federal debt: $26,000
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $62,611
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 283

283 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $103,777
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 6

6 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $68,031
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 3

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $82,838
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $57,436
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 1

1 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$59,014National median$62,61175th percentile$68,123

283 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1California State University, East Bay$96,198 2California State University, Monterey Bay$95,950 3San Francisco State University$94,452 4California State University, Bakersfield$86,527 5University of California, Los Angeles$85,426 6California State University, Stanislaus$84,837 7California State University, Dominguez Hills$84,628 8California State University, Sacramento$84,100 9California State University, Long Beach$82,395 10California State University, Northridge$81,505

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Child, Family, and School Social WorkersSOC 21-1021 · 4 crosswalk linksSocial and Community Service ManagersSOC 11-9151 · 4 crosswalk linksHealthcare Social WorkersSOC 21-1022 · 3 crosswalk linksSocial Work Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1113 · 3 crosswalk linksSocial Workers, All OtherSOC 21-1029 · 3 crosswalk linksMental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersSOC 21-1023 · 2 crosswalk linksCounselors, All OtherSOC 21-1019 · 1 crosswalk linksMarriage and Family TherapistsSOC 21-1013 · 1 crosswalk linksProbation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsSOC 21-1092 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR SOCIAL WORK

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	California State University, East BayMaster's Degree	Hayward, CA	$96,198	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,320
2	California State University, Monterey BayMaster's Degree	Seaside, CA	$95,950	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,663
3	San Francisco State UniversityMaster's Degree	San Francisco, CA	$94,452	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,278
4	California State University, BakersfieldMaster's Degree	Bakersfield, CA	$86,527	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,652
5	University of California, Los AngelesMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$85,426	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,548
6	California State University, StanislausMaster's Degree	Turlock, CA	$84,837	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,067
7	California State University, Dominguez HillsMaster's Degree	Carson, CA	$84,628	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,615
8	California State University, SacramentoMaster's Degree	Sacramento, CA	$84,100	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,338
9	California State University, Long BeachMaster's Degree	Long Beach, CA	$82,395	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,440
10	California State University, NorthridgeMaster's Degree	Northridge, CA	$81,505	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,021
11	California State University, San BernardinoMaster's Degree	San Bernardino, CA	$81,476	Not available	Baseline needed	$4,564
12	California State University, FullertonMaster's Degree	Fullerton, CA	$81,397	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,555
13	California State University, FresnoMaster's Degree	Fresno, CA	$80,905	Not available	Baseline needed	$7,000
14	Loma Linda UniversityMaster's Degree	Loma Linda, CA	$80,685	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
15	San Diego State UniversityMaster's Degree	San Diego, CA	$78,813	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,364
16	California State University, Los AngelesMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$78,135	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,967
17	CUNY Lehman CollegeMaster's Degree	Bronx, NY	$77,884	Not available	Baseline needed	$3,148
18	Azusa Pacific UniversityMaster's Degree	Azusa, CA	$77,518	Not available	Baseline needed	$22,212
19	California State University, San MarcosMaster's Degree	San Marcos, CA	$77,471	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,229
20	University of Washington-Seattle CampusMaster's Degree	Seattle, WA	$77,163	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,091
21	University of Washington-Tacoma CampusMaster's Degree	Tacoma, WA	$77,163	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,163
22	Portland State UniversityMaster's Degree	Portland, OR	$77,091	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,552
23	College of Staten Island CUNYMaster's Degree	Staten Island, NY	$76,568	Not available	Baseline needed	$5,579
24	CUNY Hunter CollegeMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$76,071	Not available	Baseline needed	$2,984
25	Columbia University in the City of New YorkMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$75,980	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,590
26	Bridgewater State UniversityMaster's Degree	Bridgewater, MA	$75,783	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,383
27	Howard UniversityMaster's Degree	Washington, DC	$75,734	Not available	Baseline needed	$50,539
28	California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtMaster's Degree	Arcata, CA	$74,253	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,171
29	University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree	Los Angeles, CA	$73,829	Not available	Baseline needed	$32,740
30	University of Nevada-RenoMaster's Degree	Reno, NV	$73,580	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,927
31	New York UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$72,690	Not available	Baseline needed	$37,050
32	California Baptist UniversityMaster's Degree	Riverside, CA	$72,590	Not available	Baseline needed	$26,285
33	University of North DakotaMaster's Degree	Grand Forks, ND	$72,577	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,551
34	California State University, ChicoMaster's Degree	Chico, CA	$72,273	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,480
35	Boston UniversityMaster's Degree	Boston, MA	$72,136	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,402
36	University of Alaska AnchorageMaster's Degree	Anchorage, AK	$72,105	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,301
37	University of ChicagoMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$71,980	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,860
38	Boston CollegeMaster's Degree	Chestnut Hill, MA	$71,957	Not available	Baseline needed	$41,704
39	Adelphi UniversityMaster's Degree	Garden City, NY	$71,718	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,783
40	Touro UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$71,531	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,627
41	George Fox UniversityMaster's Degree	Newberg, OR	$71,521	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,679
42	Minnesota State University-MankatoMaster's Degree	Mankato, MN	$71,402	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,139
43	Utah Valley UniversityMaster's Degree	Orem, UT	$71,388	Not available	Baseline needed	$6,376
44	Quinnipiac UniversityMaster's Degree	Hamden, CT	$71,091	Not available	Baseline needed	$40,675
45	Yeshiva UniversityMaster's Degree	New York, NY	$70,744	Not available	Baseline needed	$49,965
46	Seattle UniversityMaster's Degree	Seattle, WA	$70,622	Not available	Baseline needed	$34,662
47	Northwest Nazarene UniversityMaster's Degree	Nampa, ID	$70,614	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,580
48	Morgan State UniversityMaster's Degree	Baltimore, MD	$70,545	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,985
49	Fordham UniversityMaster's Degree	Bronx, NY	$70,342	Not available	Baseline needed	$44,338
50	Westfield State UniversityMaster's Degree	Westfield, MA	$70,061	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,721
51	University of Maryland BaltimoreMaster's Degree	Baltimore, MD	$70,051	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
52	George Mason UniversityMaster's Degree	Fairfax, VA	$70,044	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,915
53	Salem State UniversityMaster's Degree	Salem, MA	$69,819	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,996
54	Long Island UniversityMaster's Degree	Brookville, NY	$69,549	Not available	Baseline needed	$33,062
55	Spring Arbor UniversityMaster's Degree	Spring Arbor, MI	$69,441	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,353
56	Simmons UniversityMaster's Degree	Boston, MA	$69,292	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,265
57	Augsburg UniversityMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$69,129	Not available	Baseline needed	$23,873
58	University of WyomingMaster's Degree	Laramie, WY	$69,044	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,599
59	Rhode Island CollegeMaster's Degree	Providence, RI	$69,017	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,478
60	Smith CollegeMaster's Degree	Northampton, MA	$68,927	Not available	Baseline needed	$27,579
61	Seton Hall UniversityMaster's Degree	South Orange, NJ	$68,884	Not available	Baseline needed	$31,446
62	University of ConnecticutMaster's Degree	Storrs, CT	$68,882	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,097
63	University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusMaster's Degree	Waterbury, CT	$68,882	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,875
64	University of Connecticut-Avery PointMaster's Degree	Groton, CT	$68,882	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,807
65	University of Connecticut-StamfordMaster's Degree	Stamford, CT	$68,882	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,798
66	University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusMaster's Degree	Hartford, CT	$68,882	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,403
67	University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree	Philadelphia, PA	$68,695	Not available	Baseline needed	$28,699
68	University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesMaster's Degree	Minneapolis, MN	$68,679	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,778
69	Springfield CollegeMaster's Degree	Springfield, MA	$68,674	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,587
70	Saint Cloud State UniversityMaster's Degree	Saint Cloud, MN	$68,318	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,529
71	Eastern Washington UniversityMaster's Degree	Cheney, WA	$68,191	Not available	Baseline needed	$13,886
72	University of Saint JosephMaster's Degree	West Hartford, CT	$68,123	Not available	Baseline needed	$27,989
73	University of HoustonMaster's Degree	Houston, TX	$68,032	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,276
74	Colorado State University-Fort CollinsMaster's Degree	Fort Collins, CO	$67,960	Not available	Baseline needed	$21,279
75	Widener UniversityMaster's Degree	Chester, PA	$67,786	Not available	Baseline needed	$25,759
76	Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree	Tempe, AZ	$67,462	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,967
77	Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree	Scottsdale, AZ	$67,462	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
78	University of UtahMaster's Degree	Salt Lake City, UT	$67,368	Not available	Baseline needed	$16,200
79	Stony Brook UniversityMaster's Degree	Stony Brook, NY	$67,350	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,784
80	Salisbury UniversityMaster's Degree	Salisbury, MD	$67,218	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,743
81	Kean UniversityMaster's Degree	Union, NJ	$66,931	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,447
82	Eastern Michigan UniversityMaster's Degree	Ypsilanti, MI	$66,873	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,407
83	Metropolitan State University of DenverMaster's Degree	Denver, CO	$66,816	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,327
84	Monmouth UniversityMaster's Degree	West Long Branch, NJ	$66,697	Not available	Baseline needed	$30,988
85	Pacific UniversityMaster's Degree	Forest Grove, OR	$66,596	Not available	Baseline needed	$35,273
86	Utah State UniversityMaster's Degree	Logan, UT	$66,536	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,936
87	Southern Connecticut State UniversityMaster's Degree	New Haven, CT	$66,503	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,857
88	Rutgers University-CamdenMaster's Degree	Camden, NJ	$66,438	Not available	Baseline needed	$18,745
89	Rutgers University-New BrunswickMaster's Degree	New Brunswick, NJ	$66,438	Not available	Baseline needed	$24,406
90	Rutgers University-NewarkMaster's Degree	Newark, NJ	$66,438	Not available	Baseline needed	$19,703
91	Montclair State UniversityMaster's Degree	Montclair, NJ	$66,259	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,566
92	University of Nevada-Las VegasMaster's Degree	Las Vegas, NV	$66,253	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,359
93	Erikson InstituteMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$66,121	Not available	Baseline needed	Not available
94	University of Illinois ChicagoMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$65,915	Not available	Baseline needed	$10,974
95	Chicago State UniversityMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$65,619	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,335
96	University of Hawaii at ManoaMaster's Degree	Honolulu, HI	$65,263	Not available	Baseline needed	$15,664
97	University of St ThomasMaster's Degree	Saint Paul, MN	$65,240	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,155
98	University of DenverMaster's Degree	Denver, CO	$65,203	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,131
99	Loyola University ChicagoMaster's Degree	Chicago, IL	$65,097	Not available	Baseline needed	$36,079
100	Virginia Commonwealth UniversityMaster's Degree	Richmond, VA	$65,063	Not available	Baseline needed	$23,433

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.