# Western New Mexico University: Social Work (bachelor's)

Silver City, NM. IPEDS 188304, CIP 44.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-new-mexico-university/majors/social-work

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $42,250
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $49,567 (U.S. median for this major: $51,748 across 419 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $35,448 (U.S. median $26,579)
- Rank in NM: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$2,181

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.44 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $49,567 minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $8,381 | $37,212 | 2.0 years |
| 30-48k | $8,336 | $37,012 | 2.0 years |
| 48-75k | $12,493 | $55,469 | 2.9 years |
| 75-110k | not reported | not reported | not available |
| 110k+ | $13,210 | $58,652 | 3.1 years |

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

## Social Work at NM colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico State University | $50,295 | $24,500 | $8,889 | 55% |
| Western New Mexico University | $49,567 | $35,448 | $8,522 | 32% |

## Careers
- Social worker (SOC 21-1021): median wage not reported metro, $56,160 NM, $59,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.4% by 2035
- Social and Community Service Managers (SOC 11-9151): median wage not reported metro, $81,290 NM, $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, $66,000 NM, $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).