U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 21 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 52% 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 $19,048. College Scorecard.
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith'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 | $8,890 | $46,495 | 3.6 years |
| $30–48k | $9,391 | $49,115 | 3.8 years |
| $48–75k | $11,392 | $59,580 | 4.6 years |
| $75–110k | $13,804 | $72,195 | 5.6 years |
| $110k+ | $14,297 | $74,773 | 5.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 5.2 years, the average time graduates took (3% 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 ($45,275) minus $32,399 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $12,876 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 Arkansas colleges
Every Arkansas college we cover that reports Social Work graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | $49,594 | $26,980 | $17,248 | 42% |
| 2 | University of Arkansas | $49,458 | $27,000 | $18,209 | 71% |
| 3 | Harding University | $48,833 | $29,000 | $22,130 | 69% |
| 4 | Arkansas State University | $47,449 | $29,370 | $12,366 | 55% |
| 5 | University of Arkansas-Fort Smithbachelor's & associate | $45,275 | $23,500 | $10,574 | 38% |
| 6 | Henderson State University | $42,453 | $22,239 | $23,405 | 37% |
| 7 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | $38,652 | $29,145 | $12,653 | 40% |
3 more Arkansas 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 University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Acceptance rate: 80% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 38% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $41,102
- Full cost breakdown · all 29 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
- Psychology$40,519
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Social Work questions
How much do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith earn a median $45,275 four years after graduating and $32,532 one year after. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith is $23,500, about 52% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is University of Arkansas-Fort Smith a good school for Social Work in Arkansas?
On pay, Social Work graduates of University of Arkansas-Fort Smith earn $45,275 four years out, $2,174 below the median for the same major across 7 Arkansas colleges ($47,449) and $6,473 below the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Arkansas-Fort Smith rank for Social Work in Arkansas?
Of 7 Arkansas colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith ranks 5th. The highest is University of Arkansas at Little Rock at $49,594.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $42,990 in the Fort Smith, AR-OK 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: “University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-arkansas-fort-smith/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).