College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges for Social services Careers
If you want to bring people together, help people live better lives by keeping them safe and/or healthy, and want to help to promote equality and opportunity, a career in Community and Social Services Occupations is something you should consider. Well-known jobs that fall within social services include jobs in public broadcasting, urban planning, social work, electrical infrastructure, and the water, sewer, and waste-management industries, among others.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:21 | School Name: California State University-Chico (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-21,400 | Total 4 Year Cost:$104,000 | Graduation Rate:64% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$22,200 |
| Rank:22 | School Name:_50px.jpg) California State University-Fullerton (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-21,500 | Total 4 Year Cost:$113,000 | Graduation Rate:69% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$23,300 |
| Rank:23 | School Name:_50px.jpg) San Francisco State University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-23,900 | Total 4 Year Cost:$111,000 | Graduation Rate:55% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$22,200 |
| Rank:24 | School Name: Sonoma State University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-24,100 | Total 4 Year Cost:$109,000 | Graduation Rate:60% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$25,400 |
| Rank:25 | School Name: Saint Cloud State University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-28,600 | Total 4 Year Cost:$89,300 | Graduation Rate:44% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$32,700 |
| Rank:26 | School Name:_50px.png) California State University-Fresno (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-33,400 | Total 4 Year Cost:$89,200 | Graduation Rate:56% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$20,700 |
| Rank:27 | School Name:_50px.jpg) San Jose State University (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-37,600 | Total 4 Year Cost:$167,000 | Graduation Rate:68% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$22,400 |
| Rank:28 | School Name:_50px.jpg) California State University-Dominguez Hills (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-39,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$152,000 | Graduation Rate:46% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$18,600 |
| Rank:29 | School Name:_50px.jpg) University of Nevada-Las Vegas (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-42,300 | Total 4 Year Cost:$102,000 | Graduation Rate:47% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$22,900 |
| Rank:30 | School Name: CUNY Hunter College (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$-45,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$131,000 | Graduation Rate:56% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$28,700 |
Every community needs community and social services, so jobs of this type can be found almost anywhere. And though the financial ROI of working in social services may not measure up to a job in engineering or computer science, for example – in terms of wages – the difference is reduced when benefits and hours are included. Additionally, public workers have other intangible benefits such as increased job security.
If you’re considering going to school to specialize in social services, use Payscale’s College ROI report to make sure you don’t start your civil service career at a disadvantage.
More rankings for best-value colleges:
Put a badge on it
Did your school rank well in one or more of the categories of the 2024 Payscale College ROI Report? You can easily share that good news with the world by placing a College ROI Report badge on your website.
EMBED CODE:
College salary report
Get up-to-date information on which colleges, degrees, and majors pay the most with breakouts for bachelor's degrees and associate's degrees by state and by type as well as common jobs by major with mid-career median pay.
Go to the report
The impact of a college degree on compensation
Learn how a bachelor’s degree affects salaries and which jobs see the most differentiation and get thought leadership and HR industry insights on how to manage graduate pay premiums and prepare for skills-based pay.
Go to the report