Social Work at Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg State's social work program earns slightly above the national median but falls below most Kansas alternatives, ranking in just the 40th percentile statewide. New graduates earn $38,288—about $900 less than the Kansas median and roughly $4,000 behind the state's top programs at Fort Hays State and Kansas State. While the debt load of $27,000 is manageable at 0.71 times first-year earnings, earnings growth over four years is modest at 7%, reaching only $40,794.

The challenge here is that Kansas has strong social work programs, and this one doesn't stand out among them. Five other in-state options deliver higher starting salaries, and the earnings gap persists even after four years. For Kansas families, this matters—you could access comparable or better outcomes at several public universities across the state, potentially with lower tuition costs. That said, the small sample size means a handful of graduates could be skewing these numbers either direction.

If your child is drawn to Pittsburg State for location or community fit, the program won't burden them with excessive debt. But if career earnings matter and you have flexibility on location, Kansas State or Fort Hays State would give them a stronger financial foundation in the same field.