Best Online Social Work Programs in Marion, IA (2026)

Marion, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $5,980 to $32,927 per year for indexed programs. Marion has a population of about 41,690. Median household income is $87,105 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 39.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Iowa, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $91,170 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Marion

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Marion, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Marion 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 Marion. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 4.6 miles from Marion BOC Score 59.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,787
Avg net price $20,168/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 28.6 miles from Marion BOC Score 73.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,762
Avg net price $22,531/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Northern Iowa

Cedar Falls, IA 55.4 miles from Marion BOC Score 68.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,177
Avg net price $15,901/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,936
Out‑of‑state$21,712
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Clarke University

Dubuque, IA 55.9 miles from Marion BOC Score 46.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,396
Avg net price $24,479/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Loras College

Dubuque, IA 56.1 miles from Marion BOC Score 67.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,289
Avg net price $20,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Saint Ambrose University

Davenport, IA 62.4 miles from Marion BOC Score 62.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,531
Avg net price $24,691/yr
Tuition
In‑state$36,658
Out‑of‑state$36,658
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wartburg College

Waverly, IA 66.1 miles from Marion BOC Score 56.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,201
Avg net price $32,908/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Luther College

Decorah, IA 88.4 miles from Marion BOC Score 56.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,850
Avg net price $23,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Social Work Wages Near Marion

Marion is part of the Cedar Rapids, IA metro area (BLS area code 16300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Iowa statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$49,250Cedar Rapids, IA$55,337
Healthcare Social Worker$62,400Cedar Rapids, IA$70,112
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$47,240Cedar Rapids, IA$53,079
Social Worker, All Other$91,170IA statewide$102,438
Social and Community Service Manager$64,380Cedar Rapids, IA$72,337
Social and Human Service Assistant$37,490Cedar Rapids, IA$42,124
Community Health Worker$47,780IA statewide$53,685

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.


Marion at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population41,690Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$87,105Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+39.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Marion-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Marion, IA?

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Marion 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 Marion?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Marion are: Social Worker, All Other ($91,170), Social and Community Service Manager ($64,380), Healthcare Social Worker ($62,400). 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 Cedar Rapids instead of Marion?

Cedar Rapids, IA is 7.2 miles from Marion 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 Marion an affordable place to study social work?

Marion’s median household income of $87,105 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Marion 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

Other Programs Available in Marion

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

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.