Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $35,544 track close to the $36,554 national median for Social Work programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 12.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Social Work programs nationally.
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 3% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $22,974 represents roughly 8 months of the $35,544 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
Ranked #210 of 338 Social Work programs, Missouri State University-Springfield falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $42,226 are relatively flat compared to the $35,544 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.