by our College Data Analytics Team
[Social Work](/majors/social-services-public-administration/social-work/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a social work degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying social work schools.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose social work graduates go on to earn the most.
University Of Washington Seattle Campus tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools in Washington. Set in the city of Seattle, University Of Washington Seattle Campus is a public institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $73,295.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Washington Tacoma Campus earned it the #2 place for social work. University Of Washington Tacoma Campus is a public school located in the city of Tacoma. Early-career social work graduates from University Of Washington Tacoma Campus make a median of around $73,295 per year.
Students chasing top earnings in social work will find them at Seattle University, which ranked #3. Seattle University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Seattle. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Seattle University typically earn about $65,650 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in social work will find them at Eastern Washington University, which ranked #4. Located in the town of Cheney, Eastern Washington University is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Eastern Washington University typically earn about $69,161 annually.
A rank of #5 makes Walla Walla University one of the highest-paying schools for social work. Walla Walla University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of College Place. Social Work graduates of Walla Walla University earn a median of about $62,081 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their social work graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.