Social Work at Washburn University

Washburn's social work program sits in an awkward middle position within Kansas: earnings trail the state median by nearly $2,000 annually, placing graduates in the 40th percentile among Kansas schools. While the program beats the national median slightly, within the state it falls behind larger programs at Fort Hays ($42,413), Kansas State ($41,833), and even Kansas University ($40,032). For families considering this degree in-state, that gap matters—it's about $4,500 less per year than the top-performing program.

The debt load of $24,623 is manageable relative to first-year earnings, creating a ratio of 0.65 that suggests graduates can realistically handle payments. Earnings do grow nicely—19% over four years—reaching $45,074, which brings alumni closer to competitive territory. However, the program serves fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers could shift considerably year to year.

If your child is committed to social work and Washburn offers other compelling reasons to attend (location, financial aid, campus fit), the modest debt makes this workable. But purely from an earnings standpoint, Kansas families would do better exploring Fort Hays or Kansas State, where social work graduates start stronger and the credential appears to carry more weight in the job market.