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Public Administration · Social Work Rank #28 of 338

Social Workat University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Graduates earn $40,969/yr in their first year — about 12.0% above the national Social Work average. Base-case 10-year earnings $646K; scenarios range from $602K to $647K depending on AI disruption.

Seattle, WA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
55 SOLID
56
Optimistic
62
Pessimistic
Earnings
$40,969
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$646K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Moderate
37% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Washington

University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Social Work graduates start at $40,969/yr — above the $36,554 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 12.8x 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 7% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $13,400 in median debt clears quickly against $40,969 in annual earnings.

Ranked #28 of 338 programs, University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Social Work program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Five-year earnings of $64,100 show a 56% jump from the $40,969 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$602K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple11.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$646K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple12.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$647K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple12.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Washington's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Social Work graduates typically work

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.

1
Social and community service managers
+6.4% 10-yr growth · 18,600 openings/yr
$78,240/yr
Moderate
2
Social work teachers, postsecondary
+2.3% 10-yr growth · 1,300 openings/yr
$76,210/yr
Moderate
3
Social workers, all other
+3.9% 10-yr growth · 7,000 openings/yr
$69,480/yr
Low
4
Healthcare social workers
+7.7% 10-yr growth · 18,400 openings/yr
$68,090/yr
Moderate
5
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists
+2.6% 10-yr growth · 7,900 openings/yr
$64,520/yr
Moderate
6
Marriage and family therapists
+12.6% 10-yr growth · 7,700 openings/yr
$63,780/yr
Low
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Social Work

How University of Washington stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of North Dakota
ND · Public
60
DW Score
$50K
1-yr earn
11.4x
ROI
Top score
San Francisco State University
CA · Public
69
DW Score
$49K
1-yr earn
21.5x
ROI
University of Alaska Fairbanks
AK · Public
54
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
11.4x
ROI
Seton Hall University
NJ · Private nonprofit
42
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
1.5x
ROI
Metropolitan State University
MN · Public
62
DW Score
$48K
1-yr earn
13.6x
ROI
Also at University of Washington

Other top programs at University of Washington

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Washington, 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Social Work at University of Washington

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Social Work at University of Washington-Seattle Campus?

A score of 55/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Social Work field.