Social Work: University of Nevada-Reno vs University of North Dakota

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
In-State
18.4x
$35,976 tuition
12.2x
$43,804 tuition
Out-of-State
6.4x
$103,800 tuition
8.5x
$62,280 tuition
$663,164 10-yr earnings · Public
$532,280 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

University of Nevada-Reno University of North Dakota
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.4x 12.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.4x 8.5x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $35,976 $43,804
Year 1 Earnings $40,530 $49,695
10-Year Earnings $663K $532K
Median Debt $19,019 $22,250
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 5.6 months 5.4 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 61/100 61/100
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 77.1%

Both programs have moderate AI automation risk (24% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Social Work graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Social Work graduates.

University of Nevada-Reno University of North Dakota
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $35,976 $43,804
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $103,800 $62,280
10-Year Projected Earnings $663K $532K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.4x 12.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.4x 8.5x
5-Year Salary Growth +62% +9%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Social Work (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

University of Nevada-Reno University of North Dakota
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $664K $663K $616K $532K $532K $507K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 18.5x 18.4x 17.1x 12.2x 12.2x 11.6x
DegreeWorth Score 61 61 66 60 61 62

For the full AI analysis of Social Work career paths, see the University of Nevada-Reno or University of North Dakota program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Social Work graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$7,828
University of Nevada-Reno saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$9,165/yr
University of North Dakota grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
18.4x / 12.2x
Out-of-state: 6.4x / 8.5x

Career Paths

Social Work graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Social and community service managers $78,240 18,600 +6.4% 39%
Social work teachers, postsecondary $76,210 1,300 +2.3% 42%
Social workers, all other $69,480 7,000 +3.9% 0%
Healthcare social workers $68,090 18,400 +7.7% 34%
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists $64,520 7,900 +2.6% 39%
Marriage and family therapists $63,780 7,700 +12.6% 11%
Mental health and substance abuse social workers $60,060 13,500 +9.7% 27%
Child, family, and school social workers $58,570 35,100 +3.4% 24%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Social Work: University of Nevada-Reno or University of North Dakota?
University of Nevada-Reno scores 61/100 while University of North Dakota scores 61/100. University of Nevada-Reno has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Social Work?
University of Nevada-Reno has an in-state earnings multiple of 18.4x vs University of North Dakota's 12.2x. That means University of Nevada-Reno grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do University of Nevada-Reno and University of North Dakota compare on Social Work earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $40,530 at University of Nevada-Reno vs $49,695 at University of North Dakota. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $663,164 vs $532,280 — a difference of $130,884.
How much does Social Work cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $35,976 at University of Nevada-Reno and $43,804 at University of North Dakota. Median debt at graduation is $19,019 vs $22,250. Both programs lead to the same Social Work career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.