# Western Illinois University: Social Work (bachelor's)

Macomb, IL. IPEDS 149772, CIP 44.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-illinois-university/majors/social-work

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $39,641
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $54,063 (U.S. median for this major: $51,748 across 419 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $29,850 (U.S. median $26,579)
- Rank in IL: 7 of 16 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the IL median for this major (16 colleges, $53,782): +$281
- Versus the U.S. median: +$2,315

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.38 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $54,063 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $6,941 | $30,402 | 1.7 years |
| 30-48k | $8,787 | $38,487 | 2.1 years |
| 48-75k | $12,062 | $52,832 | 2.9 years |
| 75-110k | $16,294 | $71,368 | 3.9 years |
| 110k+ | $19,701 | $86,290 | 4.7 years |

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

## Social Work at IL colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola University Chicago | $59,206 | $21,133 | $36,079 | 73% |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $56,917 | $19,344 | $14,355 | 85% |
| University of St Francis | $56,259 | $25,000 | $13,006 | 67% |
| Governors State University | $56,123 | $33,983 | $12,329 | 22% |
| Aurora University | $55,546 | $27,000 | $18,838 | 60% |
| Illinois State University | $55,089 | $25,000 | $19,398 | 65% |
| Western Illinois University | $54,063 | $29,850 | $12,937 | 45% |
| Northeastern Illinois University | $53,848 | $17,500 | $14,109 | 22% |
| Bradley University | $53,715 | $25,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| Millikin University | $52,870 | $27,000 | $21,989 | 55% |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $52,480 | $25,000 | $14,889 | 57% |
| Trinity Christian College | $52,382 | not reported | $19,125 | 57% |
| Olivet Nazarene University | $52,114 | $27,000 | $20,729 | 61% |
| Lewis University | $51,859 | $27,000 | $17,028 | 67% |
| University of Illinois Springfield | $50,516 | $24,810 | $9,833 | 53% |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $49,952 | $27,000 | $13,297 | 62% |

## Careers
- Social worker (SOC 21-1021): median wage not reported metro, $63,220 IL, $59,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.4% by 2035
- Social and Community Service Managers (SOC 11-9151): median wage not reported metro, $78,380 IL, $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, $74,390 IL, $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).