Best Online Social Work Programs in Washington, DC (2026)

Washington, District of Columbia has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $6,152 to $73,198 per year for indexed programs. Washington has a population of about 672,079. Median household income is $106,287 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 63.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $101,240 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Washington

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Washington. Distances are calculated from Washington city center.

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

Social Work Wages Near Washington

Washington is part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area (BLS area code 47900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to District of Columbia statewide.

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.

Washington at a Glance

Other Washington-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Alexandria, VA – 7.0 mi away (155,810 pop)
• College Park, MD – 7.7 mi away (32,275 pop)
• Greenbelt, MD – 9.3 mi away (23,909 pop)
• Rockville, MD – 14.4 mi away (66,940 pop)
• Bowie, MD – 15.2 mi away (58,393 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Washington, DC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Washington. The closest is Howard University in Washington, DC (1.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bowie State University (15.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near Washington?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Washington are: Social and Community Service Manager ($101,240), Social Worker, All Other ($93,220), Healthcare Social Worker ($80,710). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with District of Columbia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Alexandria instead of Washington?

Alexandria, VA is 7.0 miles from Washington 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 Washington an affordable place to study social work?

Washington’s median household income of $106,287 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Washington while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Washington

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

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Data verified: June 11, 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.