U.S. median for this major: $51,748.
College Scorecard field of study; 133 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 $29,237. College Scorecard.
WMU 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 WMU'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 | $5,263 | $24,262 | 1.5 years |
| $30–48k | $5,734 | $26,434 | 1.6 years |
| $48–75k | $13,833 | $63,770 | 3.9 years |
| $75–110k | $18,307 | $84,395 | 5.1 years |
| $110k+ | $23,625 | $108,911 | 6.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (29% 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 ($49,850) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,439 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | Madonna University | $58,037 | $25,597 | $17,755 | 60% |
| 2 | Michigan State University | $57,321 | $26,169 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 3 | Saginaw Valley State University | $56,961 | $31,000 | $10,775 | 48% |
| 4 | Wayne State University | $56,152 | $28,012 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 5 | Oakland University | $55,754 | $28,250 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 6 | Concordia University Ann Arbor | $55,600 | $27,000 | $32,811 | 48% |
| 7 | Northern Michigan University | $54,836 | $24,301 | $14,085 | 52% |
| 8 | Adrian College | $54,277 | $27,000 | $25,368 | 48% |
| 9 | Ferris State University | $53,351 | $27,500 | $8,624 | 47% |
| 10 | Central Michigan University | $53,279 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 11 | Eastern Michigan University | $52,962 | $31,111 | $15,407 | 46% |
| 12 | Cornerstone University | $52,568 | $25,000 | $20,301 | 62% |
| 13 | Grand Valley State University | $50,690 | $27,000 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 14 | Davenport University | $50,627 | — | $17,707 | 57% |
| 15 | Siena Heights University | $50,593 | — | $17,124 | 39% |
| 16 | University of Detroit Mercy | $50,535 | $52,651 | $15,232 | 67% |
| 17 | Western Michigan University | $49,850 | $27,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 18 | Calvin University | $49,811 | $27,000 | $22,992 | 74% |
| 19 | Spring Arbor University | $49,642 | $29,893 | $19,353 | 64% |
| 20 | Hope College | $49,587 | $26,670 | $27,182 | 80% |
| 21 | University of Michigan-Flint | $49,165 | $38,000 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 22 | Kuyper College | $35,472 | — | $15,644 | 50% |
1 more Michigan college offers Social Work but has 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 WMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WMU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 58% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,562
- Full cost breakdown · all 99 majors · overview
Related majors at WMU
- Psychology (Research)—
- Psychology$50,655
- Sociology$51,835
WMU Social Work questions
How much do WMU Social Work graduates earn?
Social Work graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median $49,850 four years after graduating and $37,205 one year after. The U.S. median for Social Work graduates across 419 colleges is $51,748.
How much debt do WMU Social Work graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Social Work graduates of Western Michigan University is $27,000, about 54% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $26,579.
Is WMU a good school for Social Work in Michigan?
On pay, Social Work graduates of Western Michigan University earn $49,850 four years out, $2,915 below the median for the same major across 22 Michigan colleges ($52,765) and $1,898 below the U.S. median ($51,748). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WMU rank for Social Work in Michigan?
Of 22 Michigan colleges reporting Social Work graduate earnings, Western Michigan University ranks 17th. The highest is Madonna University at $58,037.
What jobs do Social Work graduates get?
A common career is social worker, with a median wage of $48,040 in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 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: “Western Michigan University Social Work: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/social-work (College Scorecard and BLS data).