Social Work: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 41 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$150,417 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
—Modeled economic break-even
−139%Modeled 10-year ROI
$40,761Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$40,761Median reported earnings · year 4
$38,259Average reported earnings · year 5
$17,033Median federal debt
26thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
41Reporting programs
37With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $34,968
- Federal debt
- $11,018
- Reporting programs
- 4
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $40,761
- Federal debt
- $17,033
- Reporting programs
- 41
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $51,410
- Federal debt
- $26,475
- Reporting programs
- 463
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,275
- Federal debt
- $26,000
- Reporting programs
- 3
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,611
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 283
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $103,777
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 6
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $68,031
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $82,838
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,436
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$36,363National median$40,76175th percentile$43,871
37 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Brookdale Community College$57,5482Holyoke Community College$51,6903Community College of Allegheny County$51,4964Austin Community College District$50,6625Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus$49,8806Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus$49,8807Ferris State University$49,8198Texas Southmost College$44,9909Sinclair Community College$44,58610University of Cincinnati-Main Campus$43,871Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Child, Family, and School Social WorkersSOC 21-1021 · 4 crosswalk linksSocial and Community Service ManagersSOC 11-9151 · 4 crosswalk linksHealthcare Social WorkersSOC 21-1022 · 3 crosswalk linksSocial Work Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1113 · 3 crosswalk linksSocial Workers, All OtherSOC 21-1029 · 3 crosswalk linksMental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersSOC 21-1023 · 2 crosswalk linksCounselors, All OtherSOC 21-1019 · 1 crosswalk linksMarriage and Family TherapistsSOC 21-1013 · 1 crosswalk linksProbation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsSOC 21-1092 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brookdale Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Lincroft, NJ | $57,548 | $12,458 | +12% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Holyoke Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Holyoke, MA | $51,690 | $10,075 | -37% | Negative payoff |
| 3 | Community College of Allegheny CountyAssociate's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,496 | Not available | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 4 | Austin Community College DistrictAssociate's Degree | Austin, TX | $50,662 | $17,922 | -45% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland CampusAssociate's Degree | Vineland, NJ | $49,880 | $15,803 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester CampusAssociate's Degree | Sewell, NJ | $49,880 | $15,803 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Ferris State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Big Rapids, MI | $49,819 | $24,000 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | Texas Southmost CollegeAssociate's Degree | Brownsville, TX | $44,990 | $10,550 | -100% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Sinclair Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dayton, OH | $44,586 | $12,500 | -104% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | University of Cincinnati-Main CampusAssociate's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $43,871 | $24,075 | -108% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | University of Cincinnati-Clermont CollegeAssociate's Degree | Batavia, OH | $43,871 | $24,075 | -110% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blue Ash, OH | $43,871 | $24,075 | -109% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Owens Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Perrysburg, OH | $43,514 | Not available | -113% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Connecticut State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | New Britain, CT | $42,593 | Not available | -121% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Salt Lake Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Salt Lake City, UT | $42,206 | Not available | -125% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | Northampton County Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $41,245 | $17,500 | -133% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Southern State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Hillsboro, OH | $41,161 | Not available | -135% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | Tulsa Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tulsa, OK | $40,761 | $10,038 | -141% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | Vincennes UniversityAssociate's Degree | Vincennes, IN | $40,243 | $17,500 | -142% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Essex County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Newark, NJ | $40,064 | Not available | -150% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Iowa Central Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fort Dodge, IA | $39,933 | $29,500 | -147% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | Passaic County Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Paterson, NJ | $39,907 | Not available | -148% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | San Antonio CollegeAssociate's Degree | San Antonio, TX | $39,835 | Not available | -152% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Amarillo CollegeAssociate's Degree | Amarillo, TX | $37,711 | $22,403 | -173% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Reading Area Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Reading, PA | $37,280 | $11,725 | -171% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Camden County CollegeAssociate's Degree | Blackwood, NJ | $36,916 | $9,219 | -179% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | Clark State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Springfield, OH | $36,363 | $25,631 | -176% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | Bristol Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fall River, MA | $35,857 | $6,433 | -190% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | South Texas CollegeAssociate's Degree | McAllen, TX | $35,379 | $6,227 | -203% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | Stark State CollegeAssociate's Degree | North Canton, OH | $35,009 | $25,177 | -198% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | San Juan CollegeAssociate's Degree | Farmington, NM | $34,685 | Not available | -202% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | Tyler Junior CollegeAssociate's Degree | Tyler, TX | $34,457 | $12,000 | -195% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | Itawamba Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Fulton, MS | $33,989 | Not available | -211% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | Zane State CollegeAssociate's Degree | Zanesville, OH | $31,524 | Not available | -227% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Northwest Mississippi Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Senatobia, MS | $30,126 | Not available | -241% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | Coahoma Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Clarksdale, MS | $27,940 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 37 | North Idaho CollegeAssociate's Degree | Coeur d'Alene, ID | Not available | $20,296 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $10,575 |
| 38 | Holmes Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Goodman, MS | Not available | $10,831 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $5,643 |
| 39 | Dallas CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dallas, TX | Not available | $31,701 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $3,214 |
| 40 | Georgia Military CollegeAssociate's Degree | Milledgeville, GA | Not available | $17,033 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $16,923 |
| 41 | Manchester Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | , | $42,593 | Not available | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.