Social Work at University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

This program's earnings fall about $5,000 short of the national median for social work degrees, landing in just the 21st percentile nationally. However, within Arkansas, it performs closer to the middle of the pack—ranking in the 40th percentile among the state's 10 social work programs. That's still below competitors like Harding ($41,835) and the University of Arkansas ($35,424), but the gap isn't as dramatic as the national comparison suggests.

The debt load of $23,500 is actually lower than both state and national medians, which matters in a field where social workers rarely see dramatic salary growth. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72, graduates could feasibly manage repayment, though starting at $32,532 leaves little room for error in the budget. Social work often requires additional credentials for advancement, which means more education costs down the road.

The critical caveat: these numbers come from fewer than 30 graduates, so they could swing significantly with a different cohort. If your child is committed to social work and needs to stay in-state, this program won't bury them in unmanageable debt. But if they have the grades to compete for admission elsewhere, Arkansas's flagship program or Harding both deliver noticeably better earnings outcomes for similar or comparable debt levels.