Social Work at Clark State College

Clark State's social work program comes with an important caveat: we're looking at data from fewer than 30 graduates, which means these figures could swing significantly with just a few data points. That said, the pattern here is worth examining. Graduates earn close to $30,000 in their first year—right at the state median and slightly above the national average—but they're carrying $25,631 in debt, which ranks among the highest nationally for this degree. With debt at 85% of first-year earnings, students are looking at loan payments that will consume a substantial portion of their entry-level social work salary.

The debt load is the real concern. While this program sits in the 60th percentile for earnings among Ohio social work programs, it's in the 5th percentile for debt—meaning 95% of similar programs nationwide saddle graduates with less borrowing. Social work is a field where earnings grow slowly, so starting with this much debt creates real financial pressure. The small sample size means we can't be certain this pattern holds consistently, but for a two-year degree in a helping profession, these debt levels deserve serious scrutiny. Parents should understand that their student might be facing monthly loan payments of $300-400 on a salary just shy of $30,000—a tight squeeze that could delay other financial goals for years.