Social Work at University of Southern Indiana

University of Southern Indiana's social work program sits in the bottom half of both state and national rankings, though the manageable debt load prevents it from being a poor value. At $36,126 starting out, graduates earn about $1,700 less than Indiana's median for the field and trail the top state programs by $5,000-6,000 annually. That gap translates to roughly $400-500 less per month in take-home pay compared to IU-Indianapolis graduates entering the same field.

The program's strength is its debt profile. At $21,500, graduates owe about $5,500 less than the typical Indiana social work student and roughly $5,000 below the national median. This lower debt burden matters in a helping profession where salaries rarely allow aggressive loan repayment. The 0.60 debt-to-earnings ratio means monthly payments should remain manageable on an entry-level salary, and the 14% earnings growth to year four brings graduates closer to state norms.

For families prioritizing affordability over prestige, this program offers a workable path into social work without the debt burden that crushes many in this field. Just understand your child will start near the bottom of Indiana's salary range—appropriate for an open-access institution, but worth considering if higher-paying programs like IU-Indianapolis are accessible alternatives.