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Social Work.
Doctoral Degree•80 Institutions
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.
Annual Full Cost vs. Median Earnings
Each dot represents one program at an institution. Shows the spread of annual sticker price (or net price if sticker price is unavailable) vs earnings 4 years post-grad.
Field Median ($99,933)
P25-P75 Interval ($84,830 - $105,646)
HS Baseline ($35,872)
Breakeven Line (0% ROI)
Institution | State | Earnings | Avg Net Price | Median Debt | Lifetime Value Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York | NY | $130,490 Nat: $98,285 4yr Post-Grad | $37,050 /yr | - | +$186k |
Los Angeles | CA | $113,125 Nat: $98,285 4yr Post-Grad | $32,740 /yr | $116,557 | +$74k |
New Brunswick | NJ | $105,646 Nat: $98,285 4yr Post-Grad | $24,406 /yr | - | +$48k |
Baltimore | MD | $91,744 Nat: $98,285 2yr Post-Grad | $14,985 /yr | - | +$7k |
Philadelphia | PA | $101,907 Nat: $98,285 4yr Post-Grad | $28,699 /yr | - | +$5k |
Tuscaloosa | AL | - Nat: $98,285 | $22,420 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tempe | AZ | - Nat: $98,285 | $14,967 /yr | - | -$0 |
Berkeley | CA | - Nat: $98,285 | $13,481 /yr | - | -$0 |
Los Angeles | CA | - Nat: $98,285 | $12,548 /yr | - | -$0 |
Fort Collins | CO | - Nat: $98,285 | $21,279 /yr | - | -$0 |
Denver | CO | - Nat: $98,285 | $36,131 /yr | - | -$0 |
Storrs | CT | - Nat: $98,285 | $25,097 /yr | - | -$0 |
Washington | DC | - Nat: $98,285 | $29,561 /yr | - | -$0 |
Washington | DC | - Nat: $98,285 | $50,539 /yr | - | -$0 |
Barry University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Miami | FL | - Nat: $98,285 | $22,613 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tallahassee | FL | - Nat: $98,285 | $13,739 /yr | - | -$0 |
Miami | FL | - Nat: $98,285 | $9,288 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tallahassee | FL | - Nat: $98,285 | $11,297 /yr | - | -$0 |
Tampa | FL | - Nat: $98,285 | $9,812 /yr | - | -$0 |
Clark Atlanta University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Atlanta | GA | - Nat: $98,285 | $37,702 /yr | - | -$0 |
Athens | GA | - Nat: $98,285 | $13,936 /yr | - | -$0 |
Honolulu | HI | - Nat: $98,285 | $15,664 /yr | - | -$0 |
Aurora | IL | - Nat: $98,285 | $18,838 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chicago | IL | - Nat: $98,285 | $14,860 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chicago | IL | - Nat: $98,285 | $10,974 /yr | - | -$0 |
Champaign | IL | - Nat: $98,285 | $14,355 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chicago | IL | - Nat: $98,285 | $36,079 /yr | - | -$0 |
Indianapolis | IN | - Nat: $98,285 | $11,668 /yr | - | -$0 |
Iowa City | IA | - Nat: $98,285 | $22,531 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lawrence | KS | - Nat: $98,285 | $18,059 /yr | - | -$0 |
Lexington | KY | - Nat: $98,285 | $18,851 /yr | - | -$0 |
Louisville | KY | - Nat: $98,285 | $17,988 /yr | - | -$0 |
Baton Rouge | LA | - Nat: $98,285 | $19,151 /yr | - | -$0 |
New Orleans | LA | - Nat: $98,285 | $39,949 /yr | - | -$0 |
University of Maryland Baltimore ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Baltimore | MD | - Nat: $98,285 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Chestnut Hill | MA | - Nat: $98,285 | $41,704 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boston | MA | - Nat: $98,285 | $24,402 /yr | - | -$0 |
Boston | MA | - Nat: $98,285 | $25,265 /yr | - | -$0 |
East Lansing | MI | - Nat: $98,285 | $19,680 /yr | - | -$0 |
Detroit | MI | - Nat: $98,285 | $12,766 /yr | - | -$0 |
Minneapolis | MN | - Nat: $98,285 | $16,778 /yr | - | -$0 |
Jackson State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Jackson | MS | - Nat: $98,285 | $23,836 /yr | - | -$0 |
Columbia | MO | - Nat: $98,285 | $20,268 /yr | - | -$0 |
Saint Louis | MO | - Nat: $98,285 | $24,398 /yr | - | -$0 |
St. Louis | MO | - Nat: $98,285 | $21,786 /yr | - | -$0 |
Garden City | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | $30,783 /yr | - | -$0 |
New York | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | $21,590 /yr | - | -$0 |
CUNY Graduate School and University Center ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. New York | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | - /yr | - | -$0 |
Bronx | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | $44,338 /yr | - | -$0 |
Albany | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | $17,167 /yr | - | -$0 |
Buffalo | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | $20,995 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stony Brook | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | $18,784 /yr | - | -$0 |
New York | NY | - Nat: $98,285 | $49,965 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chapel Hill | NC | - Nat: $98,285 | $11,655 /yr | - | -$0 |
Cleveland | OH | - Nat: $98,285 | $41,190 /yr | - | -$0 |
Columbus | OH | - Nat: $98,285 | $17,339 /yr | - | -$0 |
Portland State University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Portland | OR | - Nat: $98,285 | $9,552 /yr | - | -$0 |
Millersville | PA | - Nat: $98,285 | $20,787 /yr | - | -$0 |
Pittsburgh | PA | - Nat: $98,285 | $30,434 /yr | - | -$0 |
Chester | PA | - Nat: $98,285 | $25,759 /yr | - | -$0 |
Columbia | SC | - Nat: $98,285 | $22,811 /yr | - | -$0 |
Knoxville | TN | - Nat: $98,285 | $18,976 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waco | TX | - Nat: $98,285 | $41,104 /yr | - | -$0 |
Houston | TX | - Nat: $98,285 | $14,276 /yr | - | -$0 |
The University of Texas at Arlington ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Arlington | TX | - Nat: $98,285 | $13,951 /yr | - | -$0 |
Austin | TX | - Nat: $98,285 | $19,857 /yr | - | -$0 |
Salt Lake City | UT | - Nat: $98,285 | $16,200 /yr | - | -$0 |
Richmond | VA | - Nat: $98,285 | $23,433 /yr | - | -$0 |
Seattle | WA | - Nat: $98,285 | $14,091 /yr | - | -$0 |
Madison | WI | - Nat: $98,285 | $17,354 /yr | - | -$0 |
Milwaukee | WI | - Nat: $98,285 | $15,014 /yr | - | -$0 |
San Juan | PR | - Nat: $98,285 | $9,175 /yr | - | -$0 |
Waterbury | CT | - Nat: $98,285 | $10,875 /yr | - | -$0 |
Groton | CT | - Nat: $98,285 | $13,807 /yr | - | -$0 |
Stamford | CT | - Nat: $98,285 | $16,798 /yr | - | -$0 |
Hartford | CT | - Nat: $98,285 | $16,403 /yr | - | -$0 |
Walden University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Minneapolis | MN | $99,933 Nat: $98,285 4yr Post-Grad | $33,817 /yr | $102,480 | -$28k |
Northampton | MA | $83,177 Nat: $98,285 2yr Post-Grad | $27,579 /yr | - | -$105k |
Saint Paul | MN | $84,830 Nat: $98,285 4yr Post-Grad | $29,155 /yr | $65,830 | -$123k |
Capella University ⚠️ Caution: This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate its ROI. Minneapolis | MN | $66,541 Nat: $98,285 2yr Post-Grad | $17,956 /yr | $91,930 | -$199k |
Analysis Notes:
- Lifetime Value Added: Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median bachelor's degree holder, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes.
- Avg Net Price: The average price paid by students who receive federal financial aid (grants/loans).Note: For graduate programs, the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition and net price.
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.