Program Analysis
At $45,450 per year, Social Work graduates from Salem State University earn slightly above the $36,554 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 11.1x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Social Work programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Social Work's typical career paths, with 24% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 5% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $24,991 represents roughly 7 months of the $45,450 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #25 of 338 programs, Salem State University's Social Work program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.
Five-year earnings of $53,211 are relatively flat compared to the $45,450 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.