Social Work at Minnesota State University Moorhead

Minnesota State University Moorhead's Social Work program earns graduates $43,471 in their first year—impressive compared to the national median of $37,296 and landing in the 95th percentile nationally. But here's the catch: within Minnesota, this performance sits at the 40th percentile, meaning six in ten social work programs in the state produce higher earnings. Metropolitan State and Bemidji State graduates, for instance, earn roughly $4,000 more annually.

The $27,000 debt load is manageable at 0.62 times first-year earnings, below the concerning 1.0 threshold and matching both state and national medians. Earnings grow modestly to $45,091 by year four, which is typical for social work roles where growth comes more from experience than rapid salary acceleration. For a field that's never going to generate high salaries, these debt levels won't become crushing.

If your child is drawn to social work and committed to staying in Minnesota, this program offers solid preparation with reasonable debt. However, if maximizing earning potential within the field matters—perhaps to offset living expenses in the Twin Cities or Duluth—programs like Metropolitan State or Bemidji State deliver meaningfully higher returns for similar debt. The difference of $3,000-4,000 annually adds up to $12,000-16,000 over four years.