Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 359 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions pays
Career outlook for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions graduates
The job market for the occupations Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family, and school social workers | 399,900 | +3.4% | $58,570 | Bachelor's degree |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Clergy | 262,000 | +1.0% | $60,820 | Bachelor's degree |
| Healthcare social workers | 193,200 | +7.7% | $68,090 | Master's degree |
| Psychiatric technicians | 144,500 | +20.0% | $42,590 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Directors, religious activities and education | 138,900 | +2.1% | $54,840 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions vs similar majors
How Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions stacks up against the closest fields in Health Professions & Nursing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions Health Professions & Nursing · this major | Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | Medicine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 16 F | 80 A | 80 A | 80 A |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $50,746 | $226,546 | $214,065 | $162,555 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $44,376 | $212,530 | $166,304 | $65,892 |
| ROI vs cost | -36% | +1,129% | +1,565% | +708% |
| Typical debt | $47,029 | $207,643 | $81,076 | $201,913 |
| Colleges offering it | 359 | 33 | 6 | 155 |
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hacienda La Puente Adult Education La Puente, CA | Certificate | $65,844 | — | +5,795% | Strong return |
| 2 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CA | Certificate | $74,904 | — | +4,508% | Strong return |
| 3 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | Certificate | $71,820 | — | +2,111% | Strong return |
| 4 | Coalinga College Coalinga, CA | Certificate | $70,740 | $9,500 | +1,747% | Strong return |
| 5 | Cuesta College San Luis Obispo, CA | Certificate | $65,866 | — | +1,621% | Strong return |
| 6 | San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino, CA | Certificate | $72,030 | — | +1,327% | Strong return |
| 7 | Napa Valley College Napa, CA | Certificate | $63,759 | — | +1,181% | Strong return |
| 8 | Napa Valley College Napa, CA | Certificate | $61,755 | — | +1,044% | Strong return |
| 9 | CUNY Brooklyn College Brooklyn, NY | Certificate | $70,418 | $36,646 | +887% | Strong return |
| 10 | College of Staten Island CUNY Staten Island, NY | Certificate | $75,565 | $31,000 | +809% | Strong return |
| 11 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY | Certificate | $68,289 | $41,000 | +767% | Strong return |
| 12 | CUNY Hostos Community College Bronx, NY | Certificate | $49,322 | — | +716% | Strong return |
| 13 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Certificate | $75,653 | $34,500 | +656% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Associate's | $91,201 | $12,634 | +645% | Strong return |
| 15 | Portland Community College Portland, OR | Certificate | $52,652 | — | +635% | Strong return |
| 16 | CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice New York, NY | Certificate | $62,124 | $30,000 | +621% | Strong return |
| 17 | CUNY Queens College Queens, NY | Certificate | $64,526 | $30,000 | +605% | Strong return |
| 18 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Certificate | $74,109 | $45,387 | +581% | Strong return |
| 19 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI | Certificate | $79,485 | — | +575% | Strong return |
| 20 | Portland Community College Portland, OR | Certificate | $51,717 | — | +546% | Strong return |
| 21 | Chicago State University Chicago, IL | Associate's | $60,704 | — | +537% | Strong return |
| 22 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH | Associate's | $55,549 | $26,000 | +509% | Strong return |
| 23 | Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis, MN | Certificate | $55,325 | $11,663 | +472% | Strong return |
| 24 | Idaho State University Pocatello, ID | Master's | $66,733 | $41,000 | +453% | Strong return |
| 25 | University of Kansas Lawrence, KS | Associate's | $69,335 | $22,784 | +448% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.