Home › College of Our Lady of the Elms › Social Work

Social Work at College of Our Lady of the Elms

Chicopee, MA · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree
37 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
38
Optimistic
37
Base Case
45
Pessimistic
Earnings $40,161/yr (10% vs median)
AI Risk Moderate (24% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (116,900 openings/yr)
ROI 3.3x earnings multiple
Ranked #233 of 338 Social Work programs

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 $549K $548K $520K
Earnings Multiple 3.3x 3.3x 3.1x
Probability of Field Employment 70% 69% 58%
DegreeOutlook Score 38 37 45

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$168,244
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$85,744
49% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$28,250
8.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$53,977
34% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $40,161/yr, edging above the $36,554 national average for Social Work — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

An earnings multiple of 3.3x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

Some AI exposure exists in Social Work's typical career paths, with 24% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 5% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $28,250 represents roughly 8 months of the $40,161 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #233 of 338 Social Work programs, College of Our Lady of the Elms falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Earnings grow from $40,161 to $53,977 over five years — a 34% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

About College of Our Lady of the Elms

College of Our Lady of the Elms has a 88% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, a smaller institution with 951 students in Chicopee, MA. Pell Grant recipients make up 42% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $85,744 — 49% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at College of Our Lady of the Elms →

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 College of Our Lady of the Elms

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($83,775) Health and Medical Administrative Services ($44,319) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($35,215) Communication Disorders Sciences and Services ($31,890)

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Social Work at College of Our Lady of the Elms?
A score of 37/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Social Work. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →