U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 83 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 39% 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 $28,679. College Scorecard.
University of Wisconsin-Madison 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 Wisconsin-Madison'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 | $4,200 | $17,640 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $4,101 | $17,224 | 1.0 years |
| $48–75k | $8,134 | $34,163 | 2.0 years |
| $75–110k | $17,763 | $74,605 | 4.4 years |
| $110k+ | $27,292 | $114,626 | 6.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (73% 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 ($54,375) minus $37,564 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,811 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 Wisconsin colleges
Every Wisconsin 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 | Viterbo University | $57,159 | $31,000 | $21,260 | 68% |
| 2 | Concordia University-Wisconsin | $55,600 | $27,000 | $36,201 | 68% |
| 3 | Carthage College | $54,975 | $26,449 | $26,565 | 64% |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | $54,375 | $21,398 | $17,354 | 90% |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | $54,252 | $25,237 | $13,369 | 48% |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Superior | $54,195 | $29,166 | $12,220 | 42% |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | $52,888 | $25,912 | $14,158 | 59% |
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire | $52,461 | $23,000 | $16,550 | 64% |
| 9 | Marian University | $51,997 | — | $21,937 | 44% |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls | $51,694 | $26,303 | $14,054 | 57% |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh | $51,044 | $26,750 | $14,305 | 46% |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point | $50,710 | $26,500 | $14,559 | 51% |
| 13 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee | $50,392 | $29,610 | $15,014 | 49% |
3 more Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin-Madison, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Acceptance rate: 45% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 90% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $73,792
- Full cost breakdown · all 99 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Psychology$58,901
- Sociology$58,007
University of Wisconsin-Madison Social Work questions
How much do University of Wisconsin-Madison Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn a median $54,375 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do University of Wisconsin-Madison Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison is $21,398, about 39% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is University of Wisconsin-Madison a good school for Social Work in Wisconsin?
On pay, Social Work graduates of University of Wisconsin-Madison earn $54,375 four years out, $1,487 above the median for the same major across 13 Wisconsin colleges ($52,888) and $2,627 above the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Wisconsin-Madison rank for Social Work in Wisconsin?
Of 13 Wisconsin colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, University of Wisconsin-Madison ranks 4th. The highest is Viterbo University at $57,159.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $62,020 in the Madison, WI 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 Wisconsin-Madison Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-wisconsin-madison/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).