Social Work · Howard University
How much do Howard University Social Work graduates earn?
Howard University's master's graduates in Social Work earned a median $75,734 four years after graduating, 16% above the $65,123 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 $57,362; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $86,750 in federal loans at this college (about $987 a month on a 10-year plan).
- Median earnings, 4 years after:
- $75,734
- National median, same program:
- $65,123
- Federal debt borrowed at this college (median):
- $86,750
- Monthly payment, 10-year plan:
- $987
Howard University, master'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. College Scorecard, 10 June 2026.
Quick answers
- What do Social Work graduates of Howard University earn?
- Howard University's master's graduates in Social Work earned a median $75,734 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How much federal debt do Social Work graduates of Howard University have?
- Graduates who borrowed took out a median $86,750 in federal loans at Howard University (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20).
- How does Howard University compare with the national median for Social Work?
- $75,734 is 16% above the $65,123 national median for master's programs in the same field (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- How does Howard University compare with other Social Work programs in the South Atlantic states?
- It is 26% above the $60,297 earned by graduates of the typical South Atlantic master's program in the field (40 programs, College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23).
- Is a Social Work degree from Howard University worth it?
- Federal data cannot decide that for you, but it puts the figures side by side: Howard University's master's graduates in Social Work earned a median $75,734 four years after graduating (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23), and those who borrowed took out a median $86,750 in federal loans there, about $987 a month on a 10-year plan, roughly 16% of the median graduate's monthly earnings before tax (College Scorecard, graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20).
Social Work at Howard University, by credential
One credential level has federal figures. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master's | 143 | $57,362 | $75,734 | +16% | $86,750 | — | $987/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
- Howard University's master's graduates in Social Work earned a median $75,734 four years after graduating, against a national median of $65,123 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 (139 graduates measured).
- Source
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data (release of 10 June 2026)
- Page
- https://campuspin.com/schools/howard-university/programs/social-work
- Suggested citation
- CampusPin (2026). Howard University Social Work: graduate earnings and debt. Data: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study, 10 June 2026. https://campuspin.com/schools/howard-university/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 Howard University compare with Social Work programs in the South Atlantic states?
District of Columbia has fewer than 3 master's programs in Social Work with a federal earnings figure, so the comparison is regional. Across the 40 such programs in the South Atlantic states (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV), the typical program's graduates earned $60,297; Howard University's $75,734 is 26% above that (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
The typical program is the median across every program in the region with at least 30 graduates in the earnings cohort (U.S. Census Bureau division). One federal measure, not a ranking of program quality.
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). Howard University's master's graduates in Social Work borrowed a median $86,750 under the old rules. Which graduate programs' typical debt is over the new caps.
Questions about Social Work at Howard University
- How much do Howard University Social Work graduates earn?
- Howard University's master's graduates in Social Work earned a median $75,734 four years after graduating, 16% above the $65,123 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 $57,362; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $86,750 in federal loans at this college (about $987 a month on a 10-year plan).
- How much student debt do Howard University Social Work graduates have?
- Howard University's master's graduates in Social Work who borrowed took out a median $86,750 in federal loans at Howard University, about $987 a month on a standard 10-year plan (graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20, College Scorecard). 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 Howard University's Social Work program compare with others in the South Atlantic states?
- District of Columbia has fewer than 3 master's programs in Social Work with a federal earnings figure, so the comparison is regional. Across the 40 such programs in the South Atlantic states (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV), the typical program's graduates earned $60,297; Howard University's $75,734 is 26% above that (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard).
Keep going
- Howard University: 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 District of Columbia
- Child, family, and school social workers: pay in District of Columbia
- Healthcare social workers: pay in District of Columbia
- Mental health and substance abuse social workers: pay in District of Columbia
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 Howard University with graduate earnings
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 Howard University 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). Howard University Social Work: graduate earnings and debt. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/howard-university/programs/social-work