Social Work at University of Nebraska at Omaha

UNO's social work program graduates carry notably less debt than most of their peers—roughly $20,000 compared to a national median of $26,000—but their earnings lag behind other Nebraska programs. At $37,404 in the first year, graduates earn about $2,000 less than the state median and fall in the 40th percentile statewide. That's a meaningful gap when Nebraska Wesleyan and UNK graduates start closer to $40,000, though the lower debt load partially offsets this difference.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53 is solid for social work, a field where starting salaries rarely exceed $40,000 regardless of school. Graduates see their earnings climb to about $40,600 by year four, which brings them closer to state norms. The real advantage here is graduating with $4,000-6,000 less debt than peers at other Nebraska schools, which translates to lower monthly payments during the early career years when social workers are building experience.

For families considering UNO versus other in-state options, this comes down to a tradeoff: slightly lower starting earnings in exchange for meaningfully less debt. Given social work's modest salary trajectory regardless of institution, the lower debt burden makes this a practical choice, particularly for students who can commute or otherwise minimize additional costs during school.