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. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find where social work graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose social work graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in social work, no school beat Providence College this year. Set in the city of Providence, Providence College is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career social work graduates from Providence College make a median of around $57,571 per year.
A rank of #2 makes Salve Regina University one of the highest-paying schools for social work. Set in the suburb of Newport, Salve Regina University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career social work graduates from Salve Regina University make a median of around $52,695 per year.
A rank of #3 makes Rhode Island College one of the highest-paying schools for social work. Located in the suburb of Providence, Rhode Island College is a public institution. Social Work graduates of Rhode Island College earn a median of about $60,227 a year early in their careers.
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 · 3 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.