Social Work at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

UW-Whitewater's social work graduates earn slightly above the national median but lag behind most other Wisconsin programs—ranking in just the 40th percentile statewide at $37,952. This matters because several comparable UW System schools produce graduates earning $6,000-8,000 more annually, including UW-River Falls and UW-Oshkosh. Given that Wisconsin's median for social work graduates is $42,034, families paying in-state tuition here are getting below-average state outcomes despite reasonable access to the program.

The debt load of $25,912 is manageable relative to first-year earnings, creating a debt-to-income ratio of 0.68 that won't be crushing for most graduates. However, social work salaries typically start modest and grow slowly, so that four-thousand-dollar earnings gap compared to the state median compounds significantly over a career. The program's moderate sample size suggests stable data, not an outlier year.

For Wisconsin families specifically: if your student is committed to social work and considering UW schools, it's worth examining why peer institutions in the system are producing stronger employment outcomes. Unless Whitewater offers specific advantages like location or program features that matter to your family, this data suggests exploring UW-River Falls or UW-Oshkosh first.