Social Work at Murray State University

Murray State's social work program lands near the middle of Kentucky options but trails the national picture by a significant margin. At $31,692 in first-year earnings, graduates earn about 15% less than the national median for social work majors and roughly 10% below Kentucky's median. That 40th percentile state ranking means three of every five Kentucky social work programs produce better initial outcomes. The debt burden of $28,000 matches the state median but sits slightly above the national benchmark, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio that requires nearly a full year's salary to repay.

The modest 10% earnings growth to $34,856 by year four offers some improvement, but even at that point, Murray State graduates remain behind peers from Brescia, Northern Kentucky, and UK—schools that start their grads $3,000-$6,000 higher. For families considering this program, the core question becomes whether Murray State's lower selectivity and regional accessibility justify accepting below-average earnings in a field already known for modest pay.

This isn't a disastrous outcome—the debt load is manageable and earnings do climb—but parents should know their child would likely start their social work career earning less than most Kentucky peers and considerably less than the typical social work graduate nationwide. If Murray State offers substantial cost advantages through scholarships or proximity to home, that could offset the earnings gap, but purely on post-graduation numbers, stronger options exist within the state.