Social Work at Western Kentucky University

Bowling Green, KY · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $34,748/yr (-5% vs median)

AI Risk Moderate (24% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (116,900 openings/yr)

ROI 9.6x earnings multiple (4.1x out-of-state)

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Social Work graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$441K	$441K	$431K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	9.6x	9.6x	9.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.1x	4.1x	4.0x
Probability of Field Employment	70%	69%	58%
DegreeOutlook Score	35	34	47

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$45,744

Out-of-state: $108,000 (4.1x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$43,664

5% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,827

7.5 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$40,739

17% growth from Year 1

Western Kentucky University accepts 97% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, enrolling 12,267 students in Bowling Green, KY.

Social and community service managers $78,240/yr

Social work teachers, postsecondary $76,210/yr

Social workers, all other $69,480/yr

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

What does a 34/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Social Work at Western Kentucky University?

At 34/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Social Work programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →