Social Work at Olivet Nazarene University

Olivet Nazarene's social work program starts graduates at $31,720—roughly $7,000 below the Illinois median and in the bottom quarter of state programs. That initial earnings gap matters, though there's meaningful growth potential: graduates see a 37% earnings jump by year four, reaching $43,407. The $27,000 debt load sits close to both national and state averages, but paired with that low starting salary, it creates a tight first-year budget. For context, comparable Illinois programs like Illinois State and Northeastern Illinois start graduates $7,000-8,000 higher.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty to these figures, so they may not fully represent typical outcomes. Social work generally requires careful financial planning regardless of school—it's a field where passion often outweighs earnings potential—but Olivet's graduates appear to face a steeper initial climb than peers at other Illinois schools.

If your child is committed to social work and Olivet is the right fit culturally, the manageable debt keeps this program from being a financial disaster. But the below-average starting salary means they should enter with eyes open about living frugally in those early years, and they might consider whether a state university could offer similar training with better initial earnings prospects.