Best Online Social Work Programs in Rockford, IL (2026)

Rockford, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $3,432 to $14,661 per year for indexed programs. Rockford has a population of about 147,649. Median household income is $53,328 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Rockford, IL metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $74,990 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Rockford

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

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

Social Work Wages Near Rockford

Rockford is part of the Rockford, IL metro area (BLS area code 40420). 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.

Rockford at a Glance

Other Rockford-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Loves Park, IL – 6.3 mi away (23,413 pop)
• Machesney Park, IL – 7.7 mi away (22,873 pop)
• Belvidere, IL – 10.2 mi away (25,070 pop)
• Beloit, WI – 18.4 mi away (63,470 pop)
• DeKalb, IL – 28.0 mi away (67,501 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Rockford. The closest is University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Whitewater, WI (43.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Chamberlain University-Illinois (56.8 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Rockford are: Social and Community Service Manager ($74,990), Healthcare Social Worker ($63,070), Child, Family, and School Social Worker ($61,940). 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 Loves Park instead of Rockford?

Loves Park, IL is 6.3 miles from Rockford 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 Rockford an affordable place to study social work?

Rockford’s median household income of $53,328 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rockford 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 Rockford

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

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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.