Best Online Social Work Programs in Lakeland, FL (2026)

Lakeland, Florida has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $28,360 to $41,727 per year for indexed programs. Lakeland has a population of about 117,030. Median household income is $60,947 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $70,400 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Lakeland

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

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

Social Work Wages Near Lakeland

Lakeland is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area (BLS area code 29460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Florida 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.

Lakeland at a Glance

Other Lakeland-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Plant City, FL – 10.5 mi away (38,200 pop)
• Winter Haven, FL – 15.7 mi away (231,412 pop)
• Zephyrhills, FL – 18.8 mi away (74,712 pop)
• Haines City, FL – 21.0 mi away (23,454 pop)
• Temple Terrace, FL – 25.9 mi away (26,515 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Lakeland, FL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Lakeland. The closest is Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL (2.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Central Florida (59.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Lakeland are: Social and Community Service Manager ($70,400), Healthcare Social Worker ($69,810), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($55,190). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Florida statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Plant City instead of Lakeland?

Plant City, FL is 10.5 miles from Lakeland 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 Lakeland an affordable place to study social work?

Lakeland’s median household income of $60,947 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lakeland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Florida 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 Florida
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Lakeland

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

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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.