Best Social Work Schools Near Sterling, IL (2026)

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

Sterling, Illinois has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $36,658 to $51,141 per year for indexed programs. Sterling has a population of about 14,670. Median household income is $52,647 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Illinois, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $78,380 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Sterling

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

Aurora University

Aurora, IL 69.4 miles from Sterling
  • 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

#2

Methodist College

Peoria, IL 70.4 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,800
Avg net price $41,787/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Bradley University

Peoria, IL 76.3 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,852
Avg net price $22,719/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 97

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lewis University

Romeoville, IL 84.4 miles from Sterling
  • 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

University of St Francis

Joliet, IL 84.6 miles from Sterling
  • 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

#6

Chamberlain University-Illinois

Addison, IL 85.9 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,405
Avg net price $31,837/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Illinois State University

Normal, IL 96.4 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
71.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,117
Avg net price $19,398/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,144
Out‑of‑state$28,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 112

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Dominican University

River Forest, IL 96.6 miles from Sterling
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,327
Avg net price $11,745/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 63

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 Sterling

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Illinois, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $63,220
Healthcare Social Worker $64,270
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $49,960
Social Worker, All Other $64,030
Social and Community Service Manager $78,380
Social and Human Service Assistant $46,950
Community Health Worker $49,240

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.

Sterling at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 14,670 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $52,647 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 18.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Whiteside County 331 workers, 30 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sterling-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Sterling. The closest is Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, IA (49.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loras College (70.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles in Illinois?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Illinois are: Social and Community Service Manager ($78,380), Healthcare Social Worker ($64,270), Social Worker, All Other ($64,030). Wages for Sterling workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Clinton instead of Sterling?

Clinton, IA is 28.3 miles from Sterling 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 Sterling an affordable place to study social work?

Sterling’s median household income of $52,647 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sterling 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 Sterling

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

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)