Social Work at Union University

Union University's social work graduates earn above-average salaries by both state and national standards—about 60th percentile in Tennessee and 58th nationally—with first-year earnings of $38,056 outpacing the state median by over $3,600. That's competitive with larger public universities like UT-Knoxville. However, the $39,415 in median debt sits nearly $14,000 above what Tennessee social work students typically borrow, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio just over 1:1 that's concerning for a profession known for modest pay scales.

The real worry isn't the starting salary—it's what happens next. Earnings actually slip to $37,136 by year four, suggesting limited room for growth in the field. While this stagnation affects social workers broadly, entering with significantly higher debt than peers at other Tennessee programs means Union graduates face tighter financial constraints during exactly the years when many social workers are still paying down loans and establishing their careers.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift with more data, but the debt burden is hard to ignore. If your child is committed to social work, the slightly higher starting salary doesn't offset borrowing 50% more than they would at comparable Tennessee programs. Lower-debt alternatives like MTSU or University of Memphis would provide similar career outcomes with substantially more financial breathing room.