Social Work at CUNY Medgar Evers College

CUNY Medgar Evers College's social work program offers something genuinely rare: strong career outcomes at a price that makes sense. Graduates earn $44,311 their first year—nearly $7,000 above the national median for social work degrees—while carrying just $15,096 in debt. That's less than half the typical debt load for this field. The 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates can realistically manage payments while building their careers in a notoriously underpaid profession.

Within New York, the picture is more nuanced but still positive. At the 60th percentile statewide, Medgar Evers places in the same tier as larger CUNY schools like Hunter and Lehman, and just slightly behind York. Given that New York social workers generally earn more than the national average anyway, holding your own here while avoiding debt is the smarter play. The school serves predominantly Pell-eligible students (57%), suggesting it's effectively preparing a diverse student body for stable employment.

For families concerned about social work's financial viability, this program demonstrates how to make it work: keep debt minimal while securing access to New York City's robust social services job market. The combination of low debt and above-average earnings gives graduates actual financial breathing room in their first years—a luxury most social work programs don't provide.