Social Work at King University

King University's social work program sits right at Tennessee's median for earnings ($34,380), which means half the state's programs do better and half do worse. But here's the context that matters: nearly all Tennessee social work programs underperform the national median of $37,296. You're looking at about $3,000 less annually than the typical social work graduate nationwide, though your child would at least avoid being at the bottom of Tennessee's range—Union and UT-Knoxville graduates earn roughly $3,500-$4,000 more.

The debt picture is actually the stronger part of this story. At $28,732, your child would borrow slightly more than Tennessee's median but less than the national average. The 0.84 debt-to-earnings ratio means manageable monthly payments, especially for a helping profession known for modest salaries. With 42% of students receiving Pell grants, King clearly serves students who need financial aid, and the relatively controlled debt load suggests they're not overleveraging their students.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) is worth noting—these numbers could shift significantly with more data. But if your child is committed to social work and King offers the right fit otherwise, the combination of moderate debt and middle-of-the-pack Tennessee earnings makes this workable. Just understand that social work salaries in Tennessee lag behind the national market, regardless of which school your child attends.