Grand View University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Social Work Programs in West Des Moines, IA (2026)
West Des Moines, Iowa has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $5,376 to $15,405 per year for indexed programs. West Des Moines has a population of about 69,893. Median household income is $84,925 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 54.6% 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 West Des Moines
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near West Des Moines. Distances are calculated from West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Iowa Central Community College
Published tuition$5,376 - $15,405
Online programsYes
Ellsworth Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of Northern Iowa
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Hawkeye Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Iowa schools on the Iowa social work page.
Social Work Wages Near West Des Moines
West Des Moines 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.
West Des Moines at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,893 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $84,925 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 54.6% | 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 West Des Moines-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Urbandale, IA – 6.0 mi away (43,018 pop)
- Des Moines, IA – 8.9 mi away (476,689 pop)
- Johnston, IA – 9.7 mi away (21,114 pop)
- Ankeny, IA – 15.2 mi away (58,627 pop)
- Ames, IA – 33.6 mi away (67,841 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near West Des Moines, IA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near West Des Moines. The closest is Grand View University in Des Moines, IA (10.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hawkeye Community College (95.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near West Des Moines?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near West Des Moines 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 Urbandale instead of West Des Moines?
Urbandale, IA is 6.0 miles from West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines an affordable place to study social work?
West Des Moines’s median household income of $84,925 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for West Des Moines:
- Criminal Justice programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Nursing programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Business Administration programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Computer Science programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Psychology programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Education programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Engineering programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Technology programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Liberal Arts programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Healthcare programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Cybersecurity programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Accounting programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Healthcare Administration programs in West Des Moines, IA
- Counseling programs in West Des Moines, IA
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
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.