Social Work at Defiance College

The $27,000 debt burden here sits right at the national median for social work bachelor's programs, but peer programs in Ohio suggest first-year earnings around $38,000—creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 that's manageable compared to many fields. For context, Ohio's largest social work programs with reported data show graduates earning between $39,000 and $44,000 in their first year, placing Defiance's estimated outcomes toward the lower end but still within a reasonable range for the field.

What matters most for assessing value is understanding social work's inherent trade-offs. This is a helping profession with structured licensing requirements and clear career pathways, but modest initial pay is the norm everywhere. Based on comparable programs statewide, graduates can expect to service their debt with roughly 13-15% of gross income in standard repayment—tight but workable, especially given that many social workers qualify for public service loan forgiveness programs.

The key uncertainty is whether Defiance's actual outcomes fall near the state median or trail it significantly. With nearly half the student body receiving Pell grants and smaller graduate cohorts (hence the suppressed data), individual results likely vary more than at larger public programs. If your child is committed to social work and values a small-college environment, the estimated financial picture is reasonable—just recognize you're making this choice without the certainty that reported graduate outcomes would provide.