Social Work at Concordia University-Chicago

The most troubling signal here isn't the debt load—at $27,000, it sits right at the state median—but rather the earnings trajectory. Based on comparable programs in Illinois, first-year earnings should land around $38,382, yet by year four, this program's actual reported median drops to $34,810. That backward slide is unusual in social work, where earnings typically stabilize or modestly increase as graduates gain licensure hours and experience.

This earnings dip becomes harder to explain when you look at peer programs across Illinois. Governors State graduates earn $44,133 their first year out, while even mid-tier state schools like Illinois State and Western Illinois report outcomes in the $39,000-$41,000 range. The gap suggests either that Concordia-Chicago's program pipeline leads to lower-paying practice settings or that graduates face obstacles converting their degree into stable employment.

The 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio technically qualifies as manageable by federal standards, but it's calculated against that estimated first-year figure, not the lower actual earnings reported four years later. If the pattern holds, graduates are carrying debt equivalent to 78% of their mid-career earnings—a heavier burden than it first appears. For parents weighing this investment, the comparison is stark: peer programs in Illinois are producing measurably better outcomes with similar debt levels, making this particular bachelor's degree a weaker financial bet unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to choose Concordia-Chicago specifically.