U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 80 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 43% 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 $26,751. College Scorecard.
KU 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 KU'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 | $12,544 | $53,437 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $12,942 | $55,133 | 2.6 years |
| $48–75k | $15,154 | $64,556 | 3.0 years |
| $75–110k | $19,169 | $81,660 | 3.8 years |
| $110k+ | $22,544 | $96,037 | 4.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($55,582) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $21,366 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 Kansas colleges
Every Kansas 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 Kansas | $55,582 | $24,000 | $18,059 | 69% |
| 2 | Pittsburg State Universitybachelor's & associate | $53,878 | $27,000 | $15,784 | 57% |
| 3 | Fort Hays State University | $53,549 | $27,000 | $12,569 | 48% |
| 4 | Kansas State University | $50,480 | $24,603 | $19,406 | 71% |
| 5 | Washburn University | $50,122 | $24,623 | $15,280 | 53% |
| 6 | Wichita State University | $49,670 | $31,000 | $13,194 | 51% |
4 more Kansas 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 KU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About KU
- Acceptance rate: 93% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 69% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,945
- Full cost breakdown · all 83 majors · overview
Related majors at KU
- Psychology (Research)—
- Psychology$55,329
- Sociology$48,146
- Public Administration—
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions$57,252
KU Social Work questions
How much do KU Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of University of Kansas earn a median $55,582 four years after graduating and $40,032 one year after. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do KU Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of University of Kansas is $24,000, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is KU a good school for Social Work in Kansas?
On pay, Social Work graduates of University of Kansas earn $55,582 four years out, $3,568 above the median for the same major across 6 Kansas colleges ($52,014) and $3,834 above the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does KU rank for Social Work in Kansas?
Of 6 Kansas colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, University of Kansas ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $60,980 in the Lawrence, KS area and $59,550 nationally. Others include social and community service managers and probation officers and correctional treatment specialists.
Is KU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing KU 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: “University of Kansas Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-kansas/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).