Social Work at Trevecca Nazarene University

Trevecca's social work graduates start at just over $30,000—about $4,000 below Tennessee's median for the field and $7,000 below the national average. That puts this program near the bottom nationally (11th percentile), though it sits closer to the middle among Tennessee schools (40th percentile). The modest debt load of $21,500 is actually lower than both state and national averages, which helps offset the earnings gap, but graduates still face a debt burden equal to 71% of their first-year salary.

The small sample size here matters—we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift significantly with a larger cohort. Still, the pattern is worth noting: even Tennessee's top social work programs (like Union University at $38,000) don't produce high earners by national standards. Social work simply isn't a high-paying field early on, and Trevecca graduates are earning less than peers at comparable Tennessee schools like MTSU and Austin Peay.

For families committed to social work, the lower debt here provides some breathing room compared to costlier options. But if maximizing early earnings matters—perhaps to pay down debt faster—the state's public universities consistently produce better results while likely charging less in tuition. Given the field's modest pay scale, every few thousand dollars in starting salary makes a meaningful difference.