Social Work at University of Iowa
IA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 44.07
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Social Work degree from University of Iowa earn a median salary of $53,298 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $59,751. The degree typically pays for itself in 10.8 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$41,875
Typical Career
$53,298
Top Performers
$64,447
Estimated break-even: 10.8 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$355
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $4,442. Most students can comfortably afford about a $355 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.7x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Iowa buys what costs $0.89 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.
Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$59,751
Nominal: $53,298 in Iowa (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $28,103 | $35,196 | $44,230 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $41,875 | $53,298 | $64,447 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $50,482 | $64,859 | $79,241 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $53,298 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IA, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $53,298 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920)
= $59,751 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (17.6%), Educational Services (15.2%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (14.4%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree in Social Work versus a high-school-only path is approximately 10.8 years, suggesting that while the initial financial return may be modest, the long-term benefits and career opportunities in these sectors can provide a favorable return on investment for graduates.
AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.
Compare with Another School
See how the Social Work degree at University of Iowa stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.