U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 90 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 45% 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 $28,291. College Scorecard.
Salem State University 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 Salem State University'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 | $10,516 | $45,429 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $13,870 | $59,918 | 3.0 years |
| $48–75k | $13,821 | $59,707 | 3.0 years |
| $75–110k | $17,590 | $75,989 | 3.8 years |
| $110k+ | $23,223 | $100,323 | 5.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% 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 ($60,026) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $20,146 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 Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts 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 | Boston University | $63,594 | — | $24,402 | 89% |
| 2 | Simmons University | $62,992 | $27,000 | $25,265 | 72% |
| 3 | Anna Maria College | $61,652 | $27,000 | $28,333 | 46% |
| 4 | College of Our Lady of the Elms | $60,938 | $31,682 | $17,545 | 68% |
| 5 | Salem State University | $60,026 | $27,000 | $15,996 | 50% |
| 6 | Bridgewater State University | $59,510 | $27,000 | $16,383 | 53% |
| 7 | Westfield State University | $55,699 | $27,000 | $16,721 | 54% |
| 8 | Gordon College | $55,315 | $26,250 | $24,883 | 69% |
| 9 | University of Massachusetts-Boston | $51,034 | $27,947 | $17,707 | 49% |
4 more Massachusetts 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 Salem State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Salem State University
- Acceptance rate: 96% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 50% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $56,662
- Full cost breakdown · all 58 majors · overview
Related majors at Salem State University
- Psychology$54,717
- Sociology$51,573
Salem State University Social Work questions
How much do Salem State University Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of Salem State University earn a median $60,026 four years after graduating and $45,450 one year after. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do Salem State University Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of Salem State University is $27,000, about 45% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is Salem State University a good school for Social Work in Massachusetts?
On pay, Social Work graduates of Salem State University earn $60,026 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 9 Massachusetts colleges ($60,026) and $8,278 above the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Salem State University rank for Social Work in Massachusetts?
Of 9 Massachusetts colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, Salem State University ranks 5th. The highest is Boston University at $63,594.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $77,420 in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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: “Salem State University Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/salem-state-university/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).