Best Social Work Schools Near Kankakee, IL (2026)

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

Kankakee, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $8,675 to $47,313 per year for indexed programs. Kankakee has a population of about 24,384. Median household income is $45,119 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kankakee, IL metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $77,680 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Kankakee

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Kankakee, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Kankakee 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 Kankakee. 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

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL 3.7 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,213
Avg net price $20,729/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Governors State University

University Park, IL 25.2 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,169
Avg net price $12,329/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of St Francis

Joliet, IL 32.1 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,926
Avg net price $13,006/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 36.5 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,099
Avg net price $17,028/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,200
Out‑of‑state$39,200
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 85

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, IL 39.3 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
51.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,700
Avg net price $19,125/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Chicago State University

Chicago, IL 44.6 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,778
Avg net price $12,335/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Chicago

Chicago, IL 49.3 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $91,885
Avg net price $14,860/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Aurora University

Aurora, IL 51.6 miles from Kankakee
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
66.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,709
Avg net price $18,838/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Social Work Wages Near Kankakee

Kankakee is part of the Kankakee, IL metro area (BLS area code 28100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Illinois statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $58,180 Kankakee, IL $60,353
Healthcare Social Worker $58,400 Kankakee, IL $60,581
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $49,960 IL statewide $51,826
Social Worker, All Other $64,030 IL statewide $66,421
Social and Community Service Manager $77,680 Kankakee, IL $80,581
Social and Human Service Assistant $43,250 Kankakee, IL $44,865
Community Health Worker $49,240 IL statewide $51,079

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.

Kankakee at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 24,384 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $45,119 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 12.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Kankakee County 750 workers, 72 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Kankakee-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Kankakee, IL?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Kankakee. The closest is Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL (3.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Purdue University Northwest (39.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Kankakee are: Social and Community Service Manager ($77,680), Social Worker, All Other ($64,030), Healthcare Social Worker ($58,400). 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 Braidwood instead of Kankakee?

Braidwood, IL is 22.0 miles from Kankakee 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 Kankakee an affordable place to study social work?

Kankakee’s median household income of $45,119 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kankakee 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

Other Programs Available in Kankakee

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

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 Illinois: Online Programs (2026)