by our College Data Analytics Team
[Social Work](/majors/social-services-public-administration/social-work/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find where social work graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send social work graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis the top school for social work graduate earnings in Indiana. Located in the city of Indianapolis, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis typically earn about $59,572 annually.
Indiana Wesleyan University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Located in the town of Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,415.
Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global is a private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Marion. Social Work graduates of Indiana Wesleyan University National And Global earn a median of about $53,415 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Indiana University Bloomington earned it the #4 place for social work. Set in the city of Bloomington, Indiana University Bloomington is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Indiana University Bloomington typically earn about $49,230 annually.
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 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.
