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

Ottumwa, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $5,980 to $32,927 per year for indexed programs. Ottumwa has a population of about 25,352. Median household income is $56,994 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.1% 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 Ottumwa

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

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 Ottumwa. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 62.1 miles from Ottumwa BOC Score73.5
Published tuition$10,964 - $32,927
Online programsYes

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#2

Kirkwood Community College

Cedar Rapids, IA 73.5 miles from Ottumwa BOC Score56.3
Published tuition$5,980 - $14,797
Online programsYes

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#3

Grand View University

Des Moines, IA 74.2 miles from Ottumwa BOC Score51.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Mount Mercy University

Cedar Rapids, IA 78.6 miles from Ottumwa BOC Score59.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Hawkeye Community College

Waterloo, IA 97.2 miles from Ottumwa BOC Score54.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Social Work Wages Near Ottumwa

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Iowa, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$52,250
Healthcare Social Worker$63,050
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$48,530
Social Worker, All Other$91,170
Social and Community Service Manager$65,940
Social and Human Service Assistant$42,480
Community Health Worker$47,780

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.


Ottumwa at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population25,352Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,994Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+20.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Ottumwa-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Ottumwa. The closest is University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA (62.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hawkeye Community College (97.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Iowa are: Social Worker, All Other ($91,170), Social and Community Service Manager ($65,940), Healthcare Social Worker ($63,050). Wages for Ottumwa workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Coralville instead of Ottumwa?

Coralville, IA is 63.4 miles from Ottumwa 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 Ottumwa an affordable place to study social work?

Ottumwa’s median household income of $56,994 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ottumwa 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 Ottumwa

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

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.