Bachelor's-10% vs national median718 grads tracked
Social Work at Western Illinois University
Ranked 158th of 197 bachelor's programs in Social Work by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$33,893
middle 50%: $26,553 – $40,927
Median · 5 years out
$46,793
middle 50%: $37,650 – $57,941
Median · 10 years out
$58,333
middle 50%: $43,689 – $72,189
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Social Work (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Social Work graduates from Western Illinois University earn a median of $34k in year one. Long-term median earnings hit $58k.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
8.9 yrs
≈ $10,591 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Alabama
$47,507 · 5 yrs out
Ferrum College
$47,460 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Union University
$47,460 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Wesleyan University
$47,315 · 5 yrs out
University of Southern Maine
$47,306 · 5 yrs out
Winthrop University
$46,832 · 5 yrs out
Indiana Wesleyan University
$46,777 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
$46,574 · 5 yrs out
National Louis University
$46,571 · 5 yrs out
Southwestern Oklahoma State University
$46,532 · 5 yrs out
Northwestern State University
$46,426 · 5 yrs out
University of Montana (The)
$46,298 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Western Illinois University
Education (Doctorate)
$163,593 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$107,538 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$98,269 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Master's)
$97,417 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Master's)
$97,160 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Bachelor's)
$97,133 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Bachelor's)
$96,422 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$84,414 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$82,090 · 5 yrs out
Construction Management (Bachelor's)
$82,014 · 5 yrs out
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (Bachelor's)
$81,320 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$80,729 · 5 yrs out
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