COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Social Work bachelor's degree at Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are close to similar programs.
$3,019 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 53.3% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- Not reached
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- −83% · Negative payoff
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$142,290
$8,000Annual price−$174,290
$11,000Current college-wide context−$186,290
$16,000Annual price−$206,290
$24,000Annual price−$238,290
$32,000Annual price−$270,290
$40,000Annual price−$302,290
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT
Size, aid and an earnings floor.
The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,058Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$48,771$14,713 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.
Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$10,990
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$26,000
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$48,771
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$276/mo
Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.
ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE PROGRAM REPORTS
1 related offering reported to the Department of Labor
These provider-reported records add named prices, completion and employment context where available. They describe a separate workforce-program cohort and may include non-degree training, so they are not blended into the College Scorecard earnings or DegreeVerdict ROI.
Social Work.
- Reported price
- $49,608
- Completion
- 57.0%
- Employed in Q2
- 71.0%
- Q2 quarterly earnings
- $4,767
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Published college costs provide the starting point.
Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$10,990Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$24,188Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE93.9%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE55.6%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?
Reported earnings after completion.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
6.8% of gross monthly earnings
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earnings$4,064
Estimated loan payment$276
77borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$48,771 vs. $51,790
$3,019 below the national median for the same field and credential.
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?
Related occupations, wages and outlook.
Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.
BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.Social and Community Service Managers$76,960 median wageKY estimate · 2,280 jobs · 11-9151$59,000–$91,120 middle 50% of KY wages+7.2% projected U.S. growth · 18,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeChild, Family, and School Social Workers$59,100 median wageKY estimate · 8,470 jobs · 21-1021$46,230–$67,260 middle 50% of KY wages+4.4% projected U.S. growth · 33,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Workers, All Other$85,160 median wageKY estimate · 610 jobs · 21-1029$49,150–$108,660 middle 50% of KY wages+2.3% projected U.S. growth · 5,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSocial Work Teachers, Postsecondary$65,260 median wageKY estimate · 280 jobs · 25-1113$50,930–$81,860 middle 50% of KY wages+2.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeHealthcare Social Workers$64,080 median wageKY estimate · 1,980 jobs · 21-1022$49,990–$77,660 middle 50% of KY wages+8.5% projected U.S. growth · 16,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeMental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$42,570 median wageKY estimate · 1,360 jobs · 21-1023$37,230–$48,780 middle 50% of KY wages+10.3% projected U.S. growth · 12,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeProbation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$59,610 median wageKY estimate · 830 jobs · 21-1092$54,070–$62,590 middle 50% of KY wages+3.0% projected U.S. growth · 7,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMarriage and Family Therapists$52,420 median wageKY estimate · 330 jobs · 21-1013$49,140–$59,660 middle 50% of KY wages+13.5% projected U.S. growth · 6,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeCounselors, All Other$40,230 median wageKY estimate · 70 jobs · 21-1019$15,170–$58,550 middle 50% of KY wages+5.9% projected U.S. growth · 4,300 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degree
Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.
Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.
Brescia University
$7,514 higher earnings · $2,281 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $56,285
- Debt
- $49,254
- Annual net price
- $8,709
University of Louisville
$5,666 higher earnings · $791 less debt
- Earnings
- $54,437
- Debt
- $25,209
- Annual net price
- $17,988
Campbellsville University
$7,171 higher earnings
- Earnings
- $55,942
- Debt
- $27,360
- Annual net price
- $19,341
University of Kentucky
$2,542 higher earnings
- Earnings
- $51,313
- Debt
- $26,875
- Annual net price
- $18,851
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
90 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
Your price and current earnings determine the result.
Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.
Calculate my payoff →