# Murray State University: Social Work (bachelor's)

Murray, KY. IPEDS 157401, CIP 44.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/murray-state-university/majors/social-work

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $31,692
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $41,165 (U.S. median for this major: $51,748 across 419 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $28,000 (U.S. median $26,579)
- Rank in KY: 10 of 10 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the KY median for this major (10 colleges, $47,738): -$6,573
- Versus the U.S. median: -$10,583

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.28 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $41,165 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $6,242 | $26,716 | 3.5 years |
| 30-48k | $6,347 | $27,165 | 3.6 years |
| 48-75k | $8,104 | $34,685 | 4.5 years |
| 75-110k | $12,811 | $54,831 | 7.2 years |
| 110k+ | $15,450 | $66,126 | 8.6 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Social Work at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brescia University | $56,285 | $49,254 | $8,709 | 54% |
| Campbellsville University | $55,942 | $27,360 | $19,341 | 42% |
| University of Louisville | $54,437 | $25,209 | $17,988 | 61% |
| University of Kentucky | $51,313 | $26,875 | $18,851 | 71% |
| Western Kentucky University | $48,771 | $26,000 | $10,990 | 56% |
| Eastern Kentucky University | $46,705 | $30,750 | $11,040 | 50% |
| Morehead State University | $45,201 | $32,002 | $9,793 | 52% |
| Northern Kentucky University | $44,914 | $28,906 | $8,191 | 52% |
| University of Pikeville | $41,979 | not reported | $20,311 | 42% |
| Murray State University | $41,165 | $28,000 | $9,096 | 61% |

## Careers
- Social worker (SOC 21-1021): median wage not reported metro, $59,100 KY, $59,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.4% by 2035
- Social and Community Service Managers (SOC 11-9151): median wage not reported metro, $76,960 KY, $80,390 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.2% by 2035
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists (SOC 21-1092): median wage not reported metro, $59,610 KY, $66,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 3% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).