Social Work at Indiana University-Indianapolis

Indiana University-Indianapolis's social work program delivers something relatively rare: above-national-average earnings combined with well-below-average debt. At $41,657 starting, graduates earn about $4,000 more than the national median for social work majors, placing this program in the 87th percentile nationally. More importantly, they're doing it with just $18,410 in debt—roughly $8,000 less than typical social work graduates carry. That 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe less than half their first-year salary, making the financial burden quite manageable even in a traditionally lower-paying helping profession.

The program sits in the middle of Indiana's pack (60th percentile in-state), trailing more established campuses like IU-Bloomington and Ball State by a few thousand dollars. But those schools typically saddle students with significantly more debt. What matters here is the combination: decent starting pay that grows to $44,208 by year four, paired with debt levels that won't force graduates into higher-paying but less mission-aligned work just to make loan payments.

For families concerned about financing a social work degree—where passion often conflicts with practical financial concerns—this program offers a viable path. Your child can enter a field they care about without the crushing debt that sometimes forces career compromises.