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. The schools below stand out for the salaries their social work graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 44 schools to find where social work graduates earn the most.
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Below are the schools whose social work graduates go on to earn the most.
Tulsa Community College earned the #1 spot for highest-paid social work graduates in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Tulsa, Tulsa Community College is a public institution. Social Work graduates of Tulsa Community College earn a median of about $48,164 a year early in their careers.
Oral Roberts University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Oral Roberts University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tulsa. Social Work graduates of Oral Roberts University earn a median of about $56,203 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #3 makes Baylor University one of the highest-paying schools for social work. Baylor University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Waco. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Baylor University typically earn about $55,750 annually.
A rank of #4 makes Abilene Christian University one of the highest-paying schools for social work. Abilene Christian University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Abilene. Early-career social work graduates from Abilene Christian University make a median of around $51,741 per year.
East Central University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Located in the town of Ada, East Central University is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from East Central University make a median of around $49,640 per year.
University Of Mary Hardin Baylor came in at #6 for social work graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Belton, University Of Mary Hardin Baylor is a private not-for-profit institution. Social Work graduates of University Of Mary Hardin Baylor earn a median of about $49,498 a year early in their careers.
University Of Houston Clear Lake placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for social work. University Of Houston Clear Lake is a public school located in the city of Houston. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,113.
The University Of Texas At Brownsville placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for social work. Set in the city of Brownsville, The University Of Texas At Brownsville is a public institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $40,062.
University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus earned the #9 position for social work graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus make a median of around $47,164 per year.
Texas Southern University landed the #10 spot for social work salaries this year. Located in the city of Houston, Texas Southern University is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Texas Southern University typically earn about $52,740 annually.
Austin Community College District landed the #11 spot for social work salaries this year. Set in the city of Austin, Austin Community College District is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from Austin Community College District make a median of around $47,997 per year.
University Of Houston Downtown came in at #12 for social work graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston Downtown is a public institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $58,711.
San Antonio College ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Located in the city of San Antonio, San Antonio College is a public institution. Social Work graduates of San Antonio College earn a median of about $39,521 a year early in their careers.
Texas Womans University earned the #14 position for social work graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Denton, Texas Womans University is a public institution. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $53,706.
Texas Christian University placed #15 among the highest-paying schools for social work. Texas Christian University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Fort Worth. Social Work graduates of Texas Christian University earn a median of about $60,687 a year early in their careers.
University Of North Texas came in at #16 for social work graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Denton, University Of North Texas is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from University Of North Texas make a median of around $56,182 per year.
Prairie View A And M University came in at #17 for social work graduate earnings this year. Set in the rural area of Prairie View, Prairie View A And M University is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from Prairie View A And M University make a median of around $49,314 per year.
The University Of Texas At Austin earned the #18 position for social work graduate earnings this year. The University Of Texas At Austin is a public school located in the city of Austin. After graduating, social work degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Austin typically earn about $53,239 annually.
Our Lady Of The Lake University San Antonio placed #19 among the highest-paying schools for social work. Our Lady Of The Lake University San Antonio is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Antonio. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $51,895.
Angelo State University ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. Angelo State University is a public school located in the city of San Angelo. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Angelo State University typically earn about $50,839 annually.
Arizona State University earned the #21 position for social work graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Arizona State University typically earn about $48,856 annually.
Northeastern State University landed the #22 spot for social work salaries this year. Set in the town of Tahlequah, Northeastern State University is a public institution. Early-career social work graduates from Northeastern State University make a median of around $50,193 per year.
Lamar University landed the #23 spot for social work salaries this year. Set in the city of Beaumont, Lamar University is a public institution. After graduating, social work degree recipients from Lamar University typically earn about $49,936 annually.
The University Of Texas At El Paso earned the #24 position for social work graduate earnings this year. The University Of Texas At El Paso is a public school located in the city of El Paso. Students who complete the social work program here go on to a median salary of roughly $48,913.
The University Of Texas At Arlington ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying social work schools. The University Of Texas At Arlington is a public school located in the city of Arlington. Early-career social work graduates from The University Of Texas At Arlington make a median of around $48,365 per year.
Not far behind, these schools also produced high-earning social work graduates:
This list is compiled 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 · 44 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.