Social Work at State University of New York at Plattsburgh

The first-year earnings of $24,676 from SUNY Plattsburgh's social work program are troubling—nearly $14,000 below the New York state median for social work graduates and landing in just the 10th percentile statewide. Several CUNY programs place their graduates at almost double these starting salaries. While the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could be unrepresentative, the pattern is stark enough to warrant serious consideration of alternatives.

The good news is that earnings nearly double by year four, reaching $46,466, which suggests graduates eventually find better-paying positions. The debt load of $23,990 is actually slightly below both state and national medians for social work programs, so at least students aren't overleveraging for these outcomes. Still, that first year with debt payments consuming nearly all of a $24,676 salary would be financially brutal.

For parents considering this program, the question is whether their child can weather that difficult first year and why SUNY Plattsburgh graduates start so far behind their peers at other New York schools. If your child is already admitted to a CUNY campus offering social work, the earnings data suggests that's the smarter choice. If Plattsburgh is the only option, understand that this likely means a financially challenging start to your child's career, even if the trajectory improves later.