Social Work · California State University-Chico
How much do California State University-Chico Social Work graduates earn?
California State University-Chico's bachelor's graduates in Social Work earned a median $57,146 four years after graduating, 10% above the $51,790 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $36,840; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $15,829 in federal loans at this college (about $168 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $17,000 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- Median earnings, 4 years after:
- $57,146
- National median, same program:
- $51,790
- Federal debt borrowed at this college (median):
- $15,829
- Monthly payment, 10-year plan:
- $168
California State University-Chico, bachelor's in Social Work. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20; total including other colleges attended $17,000. College Scorecard, 10 June 2026.
Quick answers
- What do Social Work graduates of California State University-Chico earn?
- California State University-Chico's bachelor's graduates in Social Work earned a median $57,146 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How much federal debt do Social Work graduates of California State University-Chico have?
- Graduates who borrowed took out a median $15,829 in federal loans at California State University-Chico (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20); counting federal loans from every college they attended at the same degree level, their total was $17,000.
- How does California State University-Chico compare with the national median for Social Work?
- $57,146 is 10% above the $51,790 national median for bachelor's programs in the same field (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How does California State University-Chico compare with other California Social Work programs?
- It is about the same as the $58,280 earned by graduates of the typical California bachelor's program in the field (11 programs, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- Is a Social Work degree from California State University-Chico worth it?
- Federal data cannot decide that for you, but it puts the figures side by side: California State University-Chico's bachelor's graduates in Social Work earned a median $57,146 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23), and those who borrowed took out a median $15,829 in federal loans there, about $168 a month on a 10-year plan, roughly 4% of the median graduate's monthly earnings before tax (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20).
Social Work at California State University-Chico, by credential
2 credential levels have federal figures, largest graduating classes first. Federal program group: Social Work (CIP 44.07), which includes its related specialties.
| Credential | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings, 1 yr after | Earnings, 4 yrs after | vs national | Debt borrowed at this college | Total debt incl. other colleges | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 129 | $36,840 | $57,146 | +10% | $15,829 | $17,000 | $168/mo |
| Master's | 87 | $62,661 | $72,273 | +11% | $18,968 | — | $216/mo |
The one-year and four-year figures describe different graduating classes (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21 and 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23) in different dollars, so the gap between them is not one class's pay growth. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure because too few graduates were measured.
What the two debt figures mean
Federal debt borrowed at this college: the median of the federal loans (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS) that graduates who borrowed took out at this college.
Total federal debt, including other colleges attended: the same graduates' federal loans from every college they attended, counting only loans at the same level as this credential (undergraduate loans for an undergraduate credential, graduate loans for a graduate one).
Neither figure includes Parent PLUS loans, private loans or accrued interest. The two differ most for transfer students and for degree-completion programs such as RN-to-BSN. Monthly payment is for the debt borrowed at this college. Source: College Scorecard, Field of Study data documentation (September 2025), "Cumulative loan debt".
Cite this data
- Statistic
- California State University-Chico's bachelor's graduates in Social Work earned a median $57,146 four years after graduating, against a national median of $51,790 for the same program and credential.
- Data period
- Graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19 who received federal aid, worked and were not enrolled; earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars (92 graduates measured).
- Source
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data (release of 10 June 2026)
- Page
- https://campuspin.com/schools/california-state-university-chico/programs/social-work
- Suggested citation
- CampusPin (2026). California State University-Chico Social Work: graduate earnings and debt. Data: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study, 10 June 2026. https://campuspin.com/schools/california-state-university-chico/programs/social-work
Or paste these figures into your page as a small table (departments, admissions, counselors)
Plain HTML with no script and no tracking: each credential's figure with its period and source, and one link back to this page.
How does California State University-Chico compare with other California Social Work programs?
Across the 11 California bachelor's programs in Social Work with a federal earnings figure, the typical program's graduates earned $58,280; California State University-Chico's $57,146 is about the same as that.
| College (bachelor's) | Earnings, 4 yrs after | 1 yr after (later class) | Debt borrowed at this college |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-San Bernardino | $69,201 | $39,145 | $11,000 |
| California State University-Long Beach | $68,448 | $42,925 | $11,716 |
| University of California, Berkeley | $67,393 | $44,906 | $13,000 |
| Fresno Pacific University | $61,951 | $40,458 | $23,750 |
| California State University-Los Angeles | $59,545 | $37,477 | $11,000 |
| California State University-Sacramento | $58,280 | $37,290 | $16,750 |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | $57,953 | $35,693 | $18,250 |
| California State University-Chico (this college) | $57,146 | $36,840 | $15,829 |
| San Diego State University | $56,674 | $36,916 | $15,000 |
| California State University-Fresno | $56,038 | $31,986 | $12,345 |
The 10 highest of 11 California programs, ordered by one federal measure (median earnings four years after graduating), not a ranking of program quality. Only programs with at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort are listed.
Every Social Work program in California. Compare Social Work programs and share the result
What the new federal loan limits mean for this graduate program
For loans first disbursed on or after 1 July 2026, new graduate borrowers can take at most $20,500 a year and $100,000 in total in federal loans, or $50,000 and $200,000 in programs the Department treats as professional (Federal Student Aid, May 2026). California State University-Chico's master's graduates in Social Work borrowed a median $18,968 under the old rules. Which graduate programs' typical debt is over the new caps.
Questions about Social Work at California State University-Chico
- How much do California State University-Chico Social Work graduates earn?
- California State University-Chico's bachelor's graduates in Social Work earned a median $57,146 four years after graduating, 10% above the $51,790 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $36,840; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $15,829 in federal loans at this college (about $168 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $17,000 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- How much student debt do California State University-Chico Social Work graduates have?
- California State University-Chico's bachelor's graduates in Social Work who borrowed took out a median $15,829 in federal loans at California State University-Chico, about $168 a month on a standard 10-year plan (graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20, College Scorecard). Counting federal loans from every college they attended at the same degree level, their total was a median $17,000; the difference is loans taken at earlier colleges, which matters most for transfer and RN-to-BSN students. Neither figure includes Parent PLUS loans, private loans or accrued interest. The two differ most for transfer students and for degree-completion programs such as RN-to-BSN.
- How does California State University-Chico's Social Work program compare with others in California?
- Across the 11 California bachelor's programs in Social Work with a federal earnings figure, the typical program's graduates earned $58,280; California State University-Chico's $57,146 is about the same as that.
- Which Social Work degree at California State University-Chico pays more?
- Median earnings four years after graduating, by credential: bachelor's $57,146; master's $72,273 (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). Each figure describes a different group of graduates, so the gap reflects who enrolls and the jobs each credential leads to, not only the credential.
Keep going
- California State University-Chico: cost, admissions and every program
- Social Work major guide: what it pays nationally
- Same degree, different paycheck: how much the college matters
- What does Social Work pay at other colleges?
Jobs Social Work graduates often go into
- Social workers, all other: pay in California
- Child, family, and school social workers: pay in California
- Healthcare social workers: pay in California
- Mental health and substance abuse social workers: pay in California
From the Social Workmajor guide. Graduates spread across many jobs; these pay figures are for everyone in the job, not for this program's graduates.
Other programs at California State University-Chico with graduate earnings
- Animal Science
- Communications
- Journalism
- Computer Science
- Civil Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering Technology
- English & Literature
- Biology
- Microbiology
- Physiology
- Psychology
- Criminal Justice
- Anthropology
- International Relations
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Music
- Health Sciences
- Nursing
- Business Administration
- Accounting
- Construction Management
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Earnings reflect who enrolls, where graduates live and the jobs they take, as well as the program itself. Download every program (CSV).
Data sources & methodology
Figures on this page come from the Department of Education's College Scorecard field-of-study file, matched to California State University-Chico by its federal UNITID.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
Program-level median earnings one and four years after completing, and median federal loan debt at completion, by institution, 4-digit CIP field and credential level.
College Scorecard, Field of Study data documentation
How the field-of-study cohorts are built, which graduates are counted, and how small cells are suppressed and perturbed for privacy.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (10 June 2026). California State University-Chico Social Work: graduate earnings and debt. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/california-state-university-chico/programs/social-work