Social Workat Portland State University
Graduates earn $41,594/yr in their first year — about 14.0% above the national Social Work average. Base-case 10-year earnings $566K; scenarios range from $535K to $566K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Portland State University
Graduates earn $41,594/yr, edging above the $36,554 national average for Social Work — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
The 12.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 24% task exposure — and the 5% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $23,000 debt-to-$41,594 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
A #35 ranking out of 338 Social Work programs nationally puts Portland State University in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $41,594 to $56,234 shows 35% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Portland State University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Social Work
How Portland State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Portland State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Portland State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Social Work offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Social Work trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Social Work at Portland State University
How does Portland State University's Social Work program score?
This program scores 54/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Social Work graduates.