Compare 26 Social Work. programs in New York. Average earnings: $51,245.
With top graduates earning $65,182, Social Work stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $14K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige across New York's 26 ranked programs.
Molloy College's Social Work program leads with graduates earning $65,182, well above the state average of $51,245. New York University follows at $64,289, but CUNY York College proves regional publics compete, delivering $58,778 while maintaining a substantial 79-student cohort size.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. CUNY York College graduates borrow $11,000 and face just a 4.2% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. That means loan payments take a minimal bite out of their post-grad income compared to other options.
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Molloy CollegePrivate | $65,182 | 28 | $27,000 | Good | $39,248 | Challenging |
| #2 | New York UniversityPrivate | $64,289 | 40 | $20,500 | Excellent | $64,795 | High |
| #3 | Cuny York CollegePublic | $58,778 | 79 | $11,000 | Excellent | $11,018 | Good |
| #4 | $58,038 | 72 | $10,988 | Excellent | $10,068 | Good | |
| #5 | Stony Brook UniversityPublic | $57,000 | 58 | $18,228 | Excellent | $21,400 | Manageable |
| #6 | $56,620 | 33 | $14,350 | Excellent | $15,568 | Manageable | |
| #7 | Adelphi UniversityPrivate | $55,710 | 43 | $25,000 | Good | $48,005 | High |
| #8 | Long Island UniversityPrivate | $54,857 | 16 | $23,577 | Good | $36,515 | High |
| #9 | Marist CollegePrivate | $54,749 | 20 | $25,000 | Good | $51,958 | High |
| #10 | University At AlbanyPublic | $54,302 | 26 | $19,500 | Good | $22,398 | Challenging |
| #11 | Syracuse UniversityPrivate | $53,811 | 31 | $26,000 | Good | $39,841 | High |
| #12 | Iona UniversityPrivate | $53,702 | 17 | $25,999 | Good | $43,691 | High |
| #13 | Mercy UniversityPrivate | $52,184 | 45 | $19,637 | Good | $20,710 | Challenging |
| #14 | Siena CollegePrivate | $51,476 | 15 | $26,561 | Manageable | $40,800 | High |
| #15 | Cuny Lehman CollegePublic | $50,858 | 136 | $10,950 | Excellent | $11,955 | Good |
| #16 | $49,990 | 11 | $25,000 | Manageable | $23,900 | High | |
| #17 | Nazareth UniversityPrivate | $47,905 | 37 | $26,038 | Manageable | $42,000 | High |
| #18 | Keuka CollegePrivate | $46,999 | 91 | $27,000 | Manageable | $29,800 | High |
| #19 | Daemen UniversityPrivate | $46,534 | 16 | $22,091 | Manageable | $19,290 | High |
| #20 | $46,466 | 30 | $21,196 | Manageable | $19,010 | Challenging | |
| #21 | The College Of Saint RosePrivate | $45,919 | 15 | $24,749 | Manageable | $25,176 | High |
| #22 | Suny At FredoniaPublic | $43,679 | 39 | $24,250 | Manageable | $17,580 | High |
| #23 | $42,984 | 62 | $21,028 | Manageable | $12,951 | Challenging | |
| #24 | Cuny Hunter CollegePublic | $42,227 | 49 | $11,000 | Excellent | $20,252 | Challenging |
| #25 | Suny BrockportPublic | $41,017 | 54 | $20,000 | Manageable | $16,353 | High |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
