Social Work at Bradley University

Bradley's social work program produces graduates earning below both the Illinois median ($38,382) and national average ($37,296), ranking in just the 40th percentile among Illinois programs—a concerning position given that several public universities in the state offer notably stronger outcomes. The $36,017 first-year salary sits about $8,000 behind Governors State's graduates and trails options like Western Illinois and Illinois State by $3,000-4,000. While the 23% earnings growth to $44,117 by year four shows positive trajectory, graduates start from a lower baseline that takes years to overcome.

The $25,000 debt load is slightly below state and national medians, yielding a manageable 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio—so graduates aren't drowning in loans. However, the core issue is the earnings gap: you're paying private school costs (even with aid) for outcomes that lag behind Illinois public universities that cost less upfront. The small sample size adds uncertainty to these numbers, but the pattern of underperformance relative to state peers is hard to ignore.

If your child is committed to social work and specifically drawn to Bradley's campus culture, the debt is at least reasonable. But financially, this looks like paying a premium for below-average results when stronger, more affordable in-state options exist. Illinois State or Western Illinois would deliver better starting salaries at lower total cost.