U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 93 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 44% 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 $20,749. College Scorecard.
University of Houston-Downtown 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 Houston-Downtown'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 | $9,439 | $44,835 | 2.1 years |
| $30–48k | $10,048 | $47,728 | 2.2 years |
| $48–75k | $11,247 | $53,423 | 2.5 years |
| $75–110k | $15,488 | $73,568 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $19,380 | $92,055 | 4.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.8 years, the average time graduates took (15% 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 ($54,784) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,268 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | Texas Christian University | $65,536 | $24,000 | $36,660 | 86% |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin | $59,850 | $21,506 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 3 | Texas Tech University | $58,441 | $29,875 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 4 | Baylor University | $58,293 | $23,198 | $41,104 | 80% |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-Central Texas | $58,052 | $26,631 | $1,300 | — |
| 6 | Saint Edward's University | $56,637 | $27,000 | $25,578 | 63% |
| 7 | University of Houston-Downtown | $54,784 | $24,186 | $10,542 | 33% |
| 8 | The University of Texas at El Paso | $53,995 | $15,500 | $9,403 | 50% |
| 9 | Abilene Christian University | $53,877 | $25,000 | $26,182 | 59% |
| 10 | Texas State University | $52,766 | $21,500 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 11 | East Texas A&M University | $52,013 | $25,313 | $11,841 | 43% |
| 12 | Our Lady of the Lake University | $51,943 | $27,250 | $16,442 | 46% |
| 13 | Midwestern State University | $51,901 | $35,135 | $11,656 | 43% |
| 14 | Stephen F Austin State University | $50,754 | $30,543 | $14,260 | 53% |
| 15 | Angelo State University | $50,651 | $27,178 | $15,091 | 44% |
| 16 | University of North Texas | $50,579 | $22,500 | $15,649 | 61% |
| 17 | Lamar University | $50,453 | $32,705 | $9,366 | 37% |
| 18 | The University of Texas at Arlington | $50,388 | $21,546 | $13,951 | 54% |
| 19 | Tarleton State University | $50,275 | $28,836 | $20,783 | 48% |
| 20 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $50,073 | $16,526 | $4,831 | 51% |
| 21 | Texas Southern University | $49,871 | $38,162 | $16,590 | 22% |
| 22 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor | $49,816 | $27,296 | $26,106 | 49% |
| 23 | University of Houston-Clear Lake | $49,513 | $31,578 | $15,563 | 52% |
| 24 | Lubbock Christian University | $49,193 | $36,750 | $24,456 | 51% |
| 25 | Texas Woman's University | $45,761 | $24,000 | $11,963 | 49% |
| 26 | Prairie View A & M University | $45,742 | $31,750 | $13,570 | 43% |
| 27 | West Texas A & M University | $44,174 | $26,000 | $19,487 | 55% |
8 more Texas 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 Houston-Downtown, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Houston-Downtown
- Acceptance rate: 90% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 33% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,551
- Full cost breakdown · all 43 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Houston-Downtown
- Psychology$48,234
- Sociology$46,106
University of Houston-Downtown Social Work questions
How much do University of Houston-Downtown Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of University of Houston-Downtown earn a median $54,784 four years after graduating and $37,365 one year after. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do University of Houston-Downtown Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of University of Houston-Downtown is $24,186, about 44% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is University of Houston-Downtown a good school for Social Work in Texas?
On pay, Social Work graduates of University of Houston-Downtown earn $54,784 four years out, $4,030 above the median for the same major across 27 Texas colleges ($50,754) and $3,036 above the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Houston-Downtown rank for Social Work in Texas?
Of 27 Texas colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, University of Houston-Downtown ranks 7th. The highest is Texas Christian University at $65,536.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $56,670 in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 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 Houston-Downtown Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-houston-downtown/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).