Bachelor's · Champaign, Illinois

Is Social Work at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign worth it?

Medium confidence Medium confidence: 40–99 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back in time: graduates typically recover the cost in about 4.8 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating: $39,832; Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating: $61,136; Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation: $13,677; NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families: $55k (likely $55k – $65k); AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4: $23k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in IL; 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback: 4.8 years (likely 3.9–6.2); Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return: −$22k (likely −$88k – $36k); Today's dollars
20-year net return: $263k (likely $118k – $408k); Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide): 86%; Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in: not reported / ≤ 20%; NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Social Work at other schools

🍎 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward teaching & helping people majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

AP Psychology
AP English Language and Composition
AP Statistics

IB Higher Level

Psychology HL
Language A HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer Science (Bachelor's)$181,981
Computer Science (Master's)$179,395
Physics (Doctoral)$163,024
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)$159,855
Mathematics and Computer Science (Bachelor's)$155,503
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's)$151,907
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)$146,946
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Master's)$142,725
Veterinary Medicine (Doctoral)$133,973
Chemistry (Doctoral)$131,278
Law (Doctoral)$130,428
Mechanical Engineering (Master's)$127,773

Social Work at other schools in Illinois

Loyola University Chicago$59,206
University of St Francis$56,259
Governors State University$56,123
Aurora University$55,546
Illinois State University$55,089
Western Illinois University$54,063
Northeastern Illinois University$53,848
Bradley University$53,715
Millikin University$52,870
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville$52,480