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Best Online Social Work Programs in Ankeny, IA (2026)
Ankeny, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $5,376 to $15,405 per year for indexed programs. Ankeny has a population of about 70,542. Median household income is $106,603 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 53.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $94,930 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Ankeny
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Ankeny, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ankeny city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Ankeny
Ankeny is part of the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro area (BLS area code 19780). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $56,280 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $61,374 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $62,360 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $68,004 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $49,750 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $54,253 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $94,930 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $103,522 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $73,840 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $80,523 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $45,760 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $49,902 |
| Community Health Worker | $46,790 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $51,025 |
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.
Ankeny at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,542 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $106,603 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 53.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.7 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Polk County | 9,182 workers, 706 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Ankeny-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Johnston, IA – 6.6 mi away (21,114 pop)
- Des Moines, IA – 10.7 mi away (476,689 pop)
- Urbandale, IA – 11.1 mi away (43,018 pop)
- West Des Moines, IA – 15.2 mi away (64,560 pop)
- Ames, IA – 20.6 mi away (67,841 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Ankeny, IA?
Accredited schools offering social work programs near Ankeny are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near Ankeny?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Ankeny are: Social Worker, All Other ($94,930), Social and Community Service Manager ($73,840), Healthcare Social Worker ($62,360). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Iowa statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Johnston instead of Ankeny?
Johnston, IA is 6.6 miles from Ankeny 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 Ankeny an affordable place to study social work?
Ankeny’s median household income of $106,603 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ankeny while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Iowa 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 Iowa
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Ankeny
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Ankeny:
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Data verified: July 23, 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.