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Best Online Social Work Programs in Merced, CA (2026)
Merced, California has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $6,980 to $18,860 per year for indexed programs. Merced has a population of about 89,766. Median household income is $59,938 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Merced, CA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $76,760 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Merced
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Merced, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Merced city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Merced
Merced is part of the Merced, CA metro area (BLS area code 32900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $60,200 | Merced, CA | $61,241 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $74,880 | Merced, CA | $76,175 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $59,500 | Merced, CA | $60,529 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $63,010 | CA statewide | $64,100 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $76,760 | Merced, CA | $78,087 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $48,410 | Merced, CA | $49,247 |
| Community Health Worker | $58,050 | CA statewide | $59,054 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Merced at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 89,766 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $59,938 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 18.0% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 98.3 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Merced County | 4,948 workers, 4,081 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Merced-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Atwater, CA – 7.4 mi away (29,270 pop)
- Turlock, CA – 25.0 mi away (106,100 pop)
- Los Banos, CA – 26.1 mi away (37,584 pop)
- Madera, CA – 32.2 mi away (82,278 pop)
- Ceres, CA – 33.3 mi away (48,278 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Merced, CA?
Accredited schools offering social work programs near Merced are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near Merced?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Merced are: Social and Community Service Manager ($76,760), Healthcare Social Worker ($74,880), Social Worker, All Other ($63,010). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Atwater instead of Merced?
Atwater, CA is 7.4 miles from Merced and has its own set of local social work programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Merced an affordable place to study social work?
Merced’s median household income of $59,938 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Merced while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Social Work Programs
- Social Work accreditation: what to look for
- Social Work concentrations and specializations
- Is a Social Work degree worth it?
- Main Social Work degree guide
- Online Social Work programs in California
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Merced
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Merced:
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Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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