Best Social Work Degrees in the US by ROI
Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs Analyzed
37
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$286,552
Across all programs
Average Annual Cost
$13,737
Cost of attendance
| # | College | State | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Austin Community College District
Grad rate: 16.1% |
TX | +$39,113 | $46,281 | $11,156 | $17,922 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
San Antonio College
Grad rate: 23.7% |
TX | -$92,352 | $38,540 | $11,576 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Jefferson Community College
Grad rate: 26.7% |
NY | -$92,968 | $39,139 | $17,874 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Brookdale Community College
Grad rate: 28.7% |
NJ | -$94,556 | $39,650 | $15,369 | $12,458 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
Owens Community College
Grad rate: 29.4% |
OH | -$130,298 | $36,887 | $14,019 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Passaic County Community College
Grad rate: 13.8% |
NJ | -$142,994 | $36,322 | $14,717 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Tulsa Community College
Grad rate: 25.2% |
OK | -$178,235 | $35,018 | $12,522 | $10,038 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Northampton County Area Community College
Grad rate: 21.2% |
PA | -$188,107 | $35,397 | $16,211 | $17,500 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
North Idaho College
Grad rate: 30.9% |
ID | -$194,437 | $35,318 | $16,699 | $20,296 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Sinclair Community College
Grad rate: 31.2% |
OH | -$211,337 | $33,315 | $10,381 | $12,500 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
Texas Southmost College
Grad rate: 29.7% |
TX | -$234,436 | $32,139 | $11,487 | $10,550 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Amarillo College
Grad rate: 28.9% |
TX | -$236,966 | $32,805 | $11,411 | $22,403 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Bristol Community College
Grad rate: 21.3% |
MA | -$258,376 | $30,700 | $11,846 | $6,433 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Tyler Junior College
Grad rate: 23.7% |
TX | -$266,862 | $31,055 | $15,881 | $12,000 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill
Grad rate: 42.0% |
NY | -$280,356 | $30,693 | $27,108 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 16 |
Connecticut State Community College
Grad rate: 18.2% |
CT | -$283,740 | $29,349 | $15,360 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 17 |
Lake Land College
Grad rate: 50.1% |
IL | -$283,906 | $28,807 | $10,023 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 18 |
Iowa Central Community College
Grad rate: 40.7% |
IA | -$288,655 | $31,099 | $15,405 | $29,500 | Full ROI → |
| 19 |
Clackamas Community College
Grad rate: 21.2% |
OR | -$322,370 | $26,954 | $10,725 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 20 |
Itawamba Community College
Grad rate: 47.8% |
MS | -$324,494 | $26,931 | $11,557 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 21 |
Chemeketa Community College
Grad rate: 22.1% |
OR | -$326,754 | $27,205 | $15,427 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 22 |
Rowan College of South Jersey-Cumberland Campus
Grad rate: 30.5% |
NJ | -$328,094 | $27,954 | $12,920 | $15,803 | Full ROI → |
| 23 |
Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester Campus
Grad rate: 32.3% |
NJ | -$330,858 | $27,954 | $14,302 | $15,803 | Full ROI → |
| 24 |
Essex County College
Grad rate: 18.3% |
NJ | -$337,502 | $26,307 | $11,821 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 25 |
Georgia Military College
Grad rate: 35.2% |
GA | -$348,710 | $27,544 | $18,298 | $17,033 | Full ROI → |
| 26 |
Marion Technical College
Grad rate: 22.3% |
OH | -$359,412 | $25,209 | $11,796 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 27 |
Holyoke Community College
Grad rate: 27.3% |
MA | -$374,615 | $25,308 | $13,587 | $10,075 | Full ROI → |
| 28 |
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
Grad rate: 45.6% |
KY | -$388,204 | $23,940 | $13,502 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 29 |
Holmes Community College
Grad rate: 44.4% |
MS | -$388,887 | $24,560 | $12,733 | $10,831 | Full ROI → |
| 30 |
Camden County College
Grad rate: 26.2% |
NJ | -$390,821 | $24,235 | $11,538 | $9,219 | Full ROI → |
| 31 |
Zane State College
Grad rate: 53.3% |
OH | -$391,320 | $23,713 | $12,790 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 32 |
South Texas College
Grad rate: 26.8% |
TX | -$397,616 | $23,290 | $7,505 | $6,227 | Full ROI → |
| 33 |
Community College of Allegheny County
Grad rate: 20.9% |
PA | -$416,950 | $22,543 | $13,905 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 34 |
Big Sandy Community and Technical College
Grad rate: 32.0% |
KY | -$424,692 | $22,070 | $13,046 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 35 |
San Juan College
Grad rate: 25.5% |
NM | -$435,556 | $21,540 | $13,178 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 36 |
Vincennes University
Grad rate: 34.1% |
IN | -$435,637 | $23,344 | $19,446 | $17,500 | Full ROI → |
| 37 |
Stark State College
Grad rate: 21.2% |
OH | -$460,478 | $21,792 | $11,165 | $25,177 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Social Work Degrees by State
Browse Social Work programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.