Best Online Social Work Programs in Emporia, KS (2026)

Emporia, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $9,578 to $48,360 per year for indexed programs. Emporia has a population of about 24,098. Median household income is $52,787 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,260 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Emporia

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

#1

Washburn University

Topeka, KS 51.0 miles from Emporia BOC Score 53.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,774
Avg net price $15,280/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Tabor College

Hillsboro, KS 54.7 miles from Emporia BOC Score 45.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,058
Avg net price $20,205/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 59.7 miles from Emporia BOC Score 67.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,262
Avg net price $19,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 63.8 miles from Emporia BOC Score 72.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,945
Avg net price $18,059/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Haskell Indian Nations University

Lawrence, KS 63.8 miles from Emporia BOC Score 57.6
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,043
Avg net price $3,134/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Bethel College-North Newton

North Newton, KS 66.4 miles from Emporia BOC Score 25.7
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,898
Avg net price $32,917/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 77.5 miles from Emporia BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,532
Avg net price $13,194/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Kansas Wesleyan University

Salina, KS 81.6 miles from Emporia BOC Score 36.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,152
Avg net price $22,671/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Social Work Wages Near Emporia

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$54,300
Healthcare Social Worker$64,440
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$56,330
Social Worker, All OtherN/A
Social and Community Service Manager$79,260
Social and Human Service Assistant$42,570
Community Health Worker$47,300

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.


Emporia at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,098Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,787Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Lyon County274 workers, 26 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Emporia-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Emporia, KS?

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Emporia 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 in Kansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Kansas are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,260), Healthcare Social Worker ($64,440), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($56,330). Wages for Emporia workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Topeka instead of Emporia?

Topeka, KS is 51.3 miles from Emporia 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 Emporia an affordable place to study social work?

Emporia’s median household income of $52,787 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Emporia while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas 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 Emporia

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.