Social Work at CUNY Hunter College

CUNY Hunter College's social work program delivers an unusually strong combination: graduates earn $42,227 in their first year—well above the national median of $37,296—while carrying just $9,608 in debt. That's less than three months of salary, compared to the national average of eight months. With 55% of students on Pell grants, this represents genuine social mobility at an accessible price point.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift, but the pattern is clear. Hunter ranks in the 91st percentile nationally for earnings, and its debt load is in the 95th percentile for affordability. Within New York, the earnings picture is more moderate—60th percentile among state programs—but consider that Hunter's debt is roughly one-third of the $25,000 state median. Several other CUNY campuses (York, Medgar Evers, Lehman) report marginally higher earnings, though none combine Hunter's salary level with such minimal debt.

For families concerned about educational ROI in a helping profession known for modest pay, this is about as favorable as it gets. Your child would enter a demanding but meaningful field without the burden of substantial loans, graduating from a selective CUNY campus (54% admission rate, 1350 average SAT) that clearly knows how to place social work graduates effectively.