U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 25 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 46% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $26,579.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $69,289. College Scorecard.
SHU Social Work: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Social Work nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses SHU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $38,691 | $158,246 | 7.7 years |
| $30–48k | $40,517 | $165,715 | 8.0 years |
| $48–75k | $41,647 | $170,336 | 8.3 years |
| $75–110k | $46,348 | $189,563 | 9.2 years |
| $110k+ | $48,217 | $197,208 | 9.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (68% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Social Work graduates 4 years after graduating ($58,384) minus $37,781 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CT (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,603 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Social Work at Connecticut colleges
Every Connecticut college we cover that reports Social Work graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Connecticut State University | $61,908 | $22,325 | $21,067 | 58% |
| 2 | University of Saint Joseph | $59,465 | $27,000 | $27,989 | 64% |
| 3 | Southern Connecticut State University | $59,438 | $23,935 | $20,857 | 50% |
| 4 | Central Connecticut State University | $59,309 | $24,844 | $16,857 | 48% |
| 5 | Sacred Heart University | $58,384 | $26,950 | $46,174 | 73% |
| 6 | Western Connecticut State University | $56,058 | $24,527 | $17,604 | 52% |
6 more Connecticut colleges offer Social Work but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Social Work graduates
Social worker
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Social and Community Service Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.0% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at SHU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SHU
- Acceptance rate: 65% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 73% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $75,059
- Full cost breakdown · all 44 majors · overview
Related majors at SHU
- Psychology (Research)—
- Psychology$61,373
- Sociology$54,183
SHU Social Work questions
How much do SHU Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of Sacred Heart University earn a median $58,384 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do SHU Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of Sacred Heart University is $26,950, about 46% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is SHU a good school for Social Work in Connecticut?
On pay, Social Work graduates of Sacred Heart University earn $58,384 four years out, $990 below the median for the same major across 6 Connecticut colleges ($59,374) and $6,636 above the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SHU rank for Social Work in Connecticut?
Of 6 Connecticut colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, Sacred Heart University ranks 5th. The highest is Eastern Connecticut State University at $61,908.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $78,970 in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area area and $59,550 nationally. Others include social and community service managers and probation officers and correctional treatment specialists.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Sacred Heart University Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/sacred-heart-university/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).