Social Work at Lorain County Community College
OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 44.07
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Social Work degree from Lorain County Community College earn a median salary of $37,788 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $41,940. The degree typically pays for itself in 20.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$26,843
Typical Career
$37,788
Top Performers
$46,777
Estimated break-even: 20.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$252
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,149. Most students can comfortably afford about a $252 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Educational Services.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$41,940
Nominal: $37,788 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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 | $23,648 | $31,089 | $38,355 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $26,843 | $37,788 | $46,777 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $39,793 | $51,851 | $69,727 |
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 $37,788 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $37,788 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010)
= $41,940 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 66.1% of them finding employment in this field. This trend continues with 42.7% and 40.2% of graduates also entering similar roles, indicating a strong demand for social work professionals in these industries. The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 20.7 years, suggesting that while the initial financial return may be modest, the long-term benefits of a degree in social work can provide a favorable return on investment.
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Other Degrees at Lorain County Community College
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.