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 schools below stand out for the salaries their social work graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying social work schools.
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.
Harding University tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools in Arkansas. Harding University is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Searcy. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Harding University typically earn about $43,107 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Arkansas At Little Rock earned it the #2 place for social work. Set in the city of Little Rock, University Of Arkansas At Little Rock is a public institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $51,585.
University Of Arkansas came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. University Of Arkansas is a public school located in the city of Fayetteville. After graduating, social work degree recipients from University Of Arkansas typically earn about $47,137 annually.
A rank of #4 makes Arkansas State University Main Campus one of the highest-paying schools for social work. Set in the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas State University Main Campus is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from Arkansas State University Main Campus make a median of around $49,629 per year.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff one of the highest-paying schools for social work. Set in the town of Pine Bluff, University Of Arkansas At Pine Bluff is a public institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $41,063.
University Of Arkansas Fort Smith came in at #6 for social work graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Fort Smith, University Of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $32,532.
Henderson State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Located in the town of Arkadelphia, Henderson State University is a public institution. Social Work graduates of Henderson State University earn a median of about $22,458 a year early in their careers.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries social work graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 7 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.