by our College Data Analytics Team
[Social Work](/majors/social-services-public-administration/social-work/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. The highest-paying schools turn a social work degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 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.
West Virginia University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid social work graduates in West Virginia. Located in the city of Morgantown, West Virginia University is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from West Virginia University typically earn about $56,148 annually.
Concord University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Set in the rural area of Athens, Concord University is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Concord University typically earn about $53,065 annually.
Marshall University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Located in the city of Huntington, Marshall University is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from Marshall University make a median of around $47,490 per year.
This ranking is produced 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 · 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.