Social Work at University of Illinois Springfield

UIS's social work program produces graduates earning slightly above both national and Illinois medians—though with just a handful of graduates tracked, these numbers deserve healthy skepticism. The $38,707 starting salary beats the national figure by about $1,400 and edges out the state median, while the $24,810 in debt sits comfortably below typical borrowing for this field. That 0.64 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe roughly eight months of salary, which is manageable territory for a helping profession known for modest compensation.

The 13% earnings bump from year one to year four suggests reasonable career momentum, though this program doesn't crack the top tier of Illinois options—schools like Governors State and Millikin see graduates earning $2,000-$5,000 more right out of the gate. Still, for a field where passion often matters more than paychecks, UIS delivers competitive preparation without burying students in debt. The relatively low barriers to admission (84% acceptance rate) mean this path remains accessible to students genuinely committed to social services work.

The small sample size is the elephant in the room here. With fewer than 30 graduates measured, one outlier salary or debt load could skew these figures significantly. Parents should verify current outcomes directly with the program before assuming these numbers reflect what their student will experience. If the pattern holds, though, this represents solid middle-of-the-pack performance for future social workers.