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Social Work at California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
52 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
53
Optimistic
52
Base Case
63
Pessimistic
Earnings $37,290/yr (2% vs median)
AI Risk Moderate (24% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (116,900 openings/yr)
ROI 19.3x earnings multiple (7.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #40 of 338 Social Work programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Social Work graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $587K $586K $552K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.3x 19.3x 18.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.5x 7.5x 7.1x
Probability of Field Employment 70% 69% 58%
DegreeOutlook Score 53 52 63

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,408
Out-of-state: $77,928 (7.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$42,048
-38% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,750
5.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$56,867
52% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $37,290/yr, Social Work graduates from California State University-Sacramento land near the $36,554 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 19.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 24% task exposure — and the 6% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $16,750 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #40 out of 338 programs, California State University-Sacramento's Social Work program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $37,290 to $56,867 over five years (52% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Sacramento

With 94% of applicants admitted, California State University-Sacramento prioritizes broad access, one of the larger campuses at 27,867 students in Sacramento, CA. 49% of students receive Pell Grants, indicating strong socioeconomic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Sacramento →

Top Career Paths

Social and community service managers $78,240/yr
Social work teachers, postsecondary $76,210/yr
Social workers, all other $69,480/yr
View all 9 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 338 schools offering Social Work →

Social Work at Other Schools

University of North Dakota ($49,695) San Francisco State University ($48,750) University of Alaska Fairbanks ($48,151) Seton Hall University ($47,734) Metropolitan State University ($47,637) Bemidji State University ($47,192) Viterbo University ($46,384) Southwest Minnesota State University ($46,368)

Other Majors at California State University-Sacramento

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($116,001) Construction Engineering ($90,836) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($74,450) Civil Engineering ($71,342) Mechanical Engineering ($66,462) Computer Engineering ($66,266) Computer Science ($60,028) Interior Architecture ($50,108)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Social Work trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Sacramento's Social Work program score?
This program scores 52/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Social Work graduates.
Why does California State University-Sacramento rank so high for Social Work?
The #40 ranking out of 338 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →