Social Work at George Fox University

The first-year earnings here are alarmingly low—$27,755 puts George Fox's social work program in the 5th percentile nationally and well below Oregon's state median of $34,674. Even among Oregon's five social work programs, this ranks near the bottom (25th percentile), trailing Portland State by nearly $14,000. The debt load of $21,500 is actually below both state and national medians, but that's small comfort when graduates are earning just over minimum wage in their first year out.

The 56% earnings jump to $43,147 by year four offers some relief, eventually surpassing both state and national benchmarks. This suggests graduates may be entering the field through low-paying internships or entry positions before advancing to standard social work roles. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) makes it difficult to know if this pattern holds consistently.

For a parent considering this $21,500 investment, the question is whether your child can weather those difficult first years financially. If they'll need to support themselves immediately after graduation or start repaying loans right away, those early earnings will be extremely tight. If they can rely on family support while building experience, the later earnings are more reasonable for the social work field—though still nothing special.