Best Social Work Schools Near Waterbury, CT (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Waterbury, Connecticut has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Waterbury has a population of about 114,356. Median household income is $51,642 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Connecticut, the top-earning social work-related role is Healthcare Social Worker at a median $79,900 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Waterbury

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Waterbury, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Waterbury city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Waterbury. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Quinnipiac University

Hamden, CT 12.1 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 79%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,759
Avg net price $40,675/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Southern Connecticut State University

New Haven, CT 16.2 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,043
Avg net price $20,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT 16.8 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,562
Avg net price $16,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Saint Joseph

West Hartford, CT 22.1 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
60.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,908
Avg net price $27,989/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Western Connecticut State University

Danbury, CT 23.8 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,115
Avg net price $17,604/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Sacred Heart University

Fairfield, CT 25.7 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,059
Avg net price $46,174/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT 29.9 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $88,794
Avg net price $48,095/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Eastern Connecticut State University

Willimantic, CT 43.7 miles from Waterbury
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,469
Avg net price $21,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Connecticut schools on the Connecticut social work page.

Social Work Wages Near Waterbury

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Connecticut, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $78,970
Healthcare Social Worker $79,900
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $78,640
Social Worker, All Other $69,080
Social and Community Service Manager $75,520
Social and Human Service Assistant $44,730
Community Health Worker $53,560

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.

Waterbury at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 114,356 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,642 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 17.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Waterbury-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Waterbury, CT?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Waterbury. The closest is Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT (12.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Connecticut State Community College (23.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles in Connecticut?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Connecticut are: Healthcare Social Worker ($79,900), Child, Family, and School Social Worker ($78,970), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($78,640). Wages for Waterbury workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Naugatuck instead of Waterbury?

Naugatuck, CT is 4.9 miles from Waterbury 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 Waterbury an affordable place to study social work?

Waterbury’s median household income of $51,642 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Waterbury while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Connecticut 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

Other Programs Available in Waterbury

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Waterbury:

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Social Work Schools in Connecticut (2026)