2027 Best Value Social Work Schools in Maryland

[Social Work](/majors/social-services-public-administration/social-work/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for social work students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Social Work Schools in Maryland
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social work, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Work Schools
For return on investment in social work, no school beat Coppin State University this year. Located in the city of Baltimore, Coppin State University is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,100, compared with $14,024 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $28,750. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Coppin State University generally make around $37,612. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%.
University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a great value for students pursuing a degree in social work, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Baltimore, University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,256, compared with $31,225 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $22,500. Early-career social work graduates make about $40,316. Set against $22,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in social work will find it at Morgan State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Baltimore, Morgan State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,229, while out-of-state students pay about $19,124. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $35,000. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Morgan State University generally make around $46,748. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Morgan State University admits about 82% of applicants.
Frostburg State University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value social work schools. Located in the town of Frostburg, Frostburg State University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $10,220 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,814 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for social work graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Frostburg State University generally make around $37,836. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Students looking for strong value in social work will find it at Salisbury University, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Salisbury, Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,084 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,174. Social Work graduates carry a median of $23,552 in student loans. Social Work graduates of Salisbury University earn a median of $43,425 early in their careers. Set against $23,552 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Bowie State University came in at #6 for value in social work this year. Bowie State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Bowie. Students from in state pay about $9,218 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $19,938. Social Work graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Early-career social work graduates make about $32,989. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Bowie State University admits about 72% of applicants.
Mcdaniel College came in at #7 for value in social work this year. Located in the town of Westminster, Mcdaniel College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $52,081 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the social work program here. Soon after graduation, social work degree recipients from Mcdaniel College generally make around $54,904. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
More Social Work Rankings
View All Social Work Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.