Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $32,913 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 14.8x 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 6% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $20,565 represents roughly 7 months of the $32,913 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #131 of 338 Social Work programs, University at Albany scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Five-year earnings of $57,591 show a 75% jump from the $32,913 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.