Best Online Social Work Programs in Downers Grove, IL (2026)

Downers Grove, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Downers Grove has a population of about 49,867. Median household income is $119,649 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 58.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,150 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Downers Grove

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

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

Social Work Wages Near Downers Grove

Downers Grove is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (BLS area code 16980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois 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.

Downers Grove at a Glance

Other Downers Grove-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Westmont, IL – 2.2 mi away (24,767 pop)
• Lisle, IL – 3.7 mi away (22,930 pop)
• Darien, IL – 3.9 mi away (22,085 pop)
• Woodridge, IL – 4.2 mi away (33,476 pop)
• Lombard, IL – 5.5 mi away (43,815 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Downers Grove, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Downers Grove. The closest is College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL (4.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lewis University (13.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near Downers Grove?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Downers Grove are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,150), Social Worker, All Other ($71,740), Healthcare Social Worker ($71,430). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Illinois statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Westmont instead of Downers Grove?

Westmont, IL is 2.2 miles from Downers Grove 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 Downers Grove an affordable place to study social work?

Downers Grove’s median household income of $119,649 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Downers Grove while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Illinois 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 Illinois
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Downers Grove

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

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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.