StepEx

Social work

Social work: postgraduate courses compared

Universities ranked by graduate outcomes, with the fee and the ways to pay for each course: SLC loans, paying the university directly and a StepEx loan.

£41,100

median pay 1 year after

£42,800

3 years after

£46,100

5 years after (middle half £32,800 to £54,400)

92.4%

in sustained work or study 5 years on

UK master’s graduates in social work, all universities in England, from tax records. Department for Education, LEO, tax year 2023-24, brought to August 2026 earnings levels (published 25 June 2026), 1,975 graduates at 5 years. Not a prediction of what you will earn.

You are seeing example figures, not yours

We have filled in figures for a typical applicant so you can see how the finder works. Change them to yours and every result updates.

Our ranking is impartial: whether a course has a StepEx loan is not a factor. All courses are ranked by affordability, then graduate pay at 5 years. Courses with a StepEx loan are also shown in a separate section above.

More about how we rank

Top 5 of 28 courses

13 likely affordable · affordable first, then highest graduate pay at 5 years

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Hull

MA Social Work

MA · Full time · 2 years

Fee
£18,540

Fee for 2027 entry · whole course, over 2 years

£5,334 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: not available

Staffordshire University

Social Work MA

MA · Full time · 2 years

Fee
£13,000

Fee for 2027/28 · whole course, over 2 years

The SLC master's loan covers the fee
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: not available

UEA

MA Social Work (Two-years)

MA · Full time · 2 years

Fee
£17,950

Fee for 2027/28 · whole course, over 2 years

£4,744 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: not available

Northampton

MA Social Work Degree

MA · Full time · 2 years

Fee
£12,980

Fee for 2026/27 · whole course, over 2 years

The SLC master's loan covers the fee
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: not available

Sheffield Hallam University

MA Social Work

MA · Full time · 23 months

Fee
£18,720

Fee for 2027/28 · whole course, over 2 years

£5,514 more than the SLC master's loan covers
Affordability
Outcomes
University employment rate: not available

Open Affordability or Outcomes on any course for the detail. Courses with a StepEx loan are marked and get no preference in the order. How we work it out

Paying the university directly assumes three instalments: at the start, after 4 months and after 7 months. Estimates based on the figures shown, not advice. A StepEx loan is subject to identity, affordability and credit checks; approval is not guaranteed.
Check what you could afford