U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 128 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 54% 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 $28,329. College Scorecard.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale'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 | $9,415 | $40,673 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $8,497 | $36,707 | 2.6 years |
| $48–75k | $10,308 | $44,531 | 3.1 years |
| $75–110k | $17,724 | $76,568 | 5.4 years |
| $110k+ | $23,254 | $100,457 | 7.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (40% 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 ($49,952) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $14,155 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Loyola University Chicago | $59,206 | $21,133 | $36,079 | 73% |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $56,917 | $19,344 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 3 | University of St Francis | $56,259 | $25,000 | $13,006 | 67% |
| 4 | Governors State University | $56,123 | $33,983 | $12,329 | 22% |
| 5 | Aurora University | $55,546 | $27,000 | $18,838 | 60% |
| 6 | Illinois State University | $55,089 | $25,000 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 7 | Western Illinois University | $54,063 | $29,850 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 8 | Northeastern Illinois University | $53,848 | $17,500 | $14,109 | 22% |
| 9 | Bradley University | $53,715 | $25,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 10 | Millikin University | $52,870 | $27,000 | $21,989 | 55% |
| 11 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $52,480 | $25,000 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 12 | Trinity Christian College | $52,382 | — | $19,125 | 58% |
| 13 | Olivet Nazarene University | $52,114 | $27,000 | $20,729 | 61% |
| 14 | Lewis University | $51,859 | $27,000 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 15 | University of Illinois Springfield | $50,516 | $24,810 | $9,833 | 53% |
| 16 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $49,952 | $27,000 | $13,297 | 62% |
5 more Illinois 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 Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,390
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Psychology$48,728
- Sociology—
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Social Work questions
How much do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median $49,952 four years after graduating and $34,664 one year after. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $27,000, about 54% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale a good school for Social Work in Illinois?
On pay, Social Work graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn $49,952 four years out, $3,830 below the median for the same major across 16 Illinois colleges ($53,782) and $1,796 below the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale rank for Social Work in Illinois?
Of 16 Illinois colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 16th. The highest is Loyola University Chicago at $59,206.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $63,220 in Illinois and $59,550 nationally. Others include social and community service managers and probation officers and correctional treatment specialists.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Southern Illinois University-Carbondale with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).