Best Online Social Work Programs in Garden City, KS (2026)

Garden City, Kansas has 1 accredited school offering social work programs. Garden City has a population of about 27,781. Median household income is $72,511 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.7% 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 Garden City

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

#1

Fort Hays State University

Hays, KS 102.6 miles from Garden City BOC Score 59.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,928
Avg net price $12,569/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Kansas Wesleyan University

Salina, KS 185.2 miles from Garden City 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

#3

Newman University

Wichita, KS 187.6 miles from Garden City BOC Score 57.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,041
Avg net price $19,971/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Bethel College-North Newton

North Newton, KS 191.4 miles from Garden City 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

#5

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 194.1 miles from Garden City 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

#6

Tabor College

Hillsboro, KS 200.3 miles from Garden City 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

#7

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 245.8 miles from Garden City 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

#8

Washburn University

Topeka, KS 288.2 miles from Garden City 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

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


Social Work Wages Near Garden City

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.


Garden City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population27,781Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$72,511Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+18.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Garden City-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Garden City, KS?

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Garden City 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 Garden City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Dodge City instead of Garden City?

Dodge City, KS is 48.2 miles from Garden City 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 Garden City an affordable place to study social work?

Garden City’s median household income of $72,511 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Garden City 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 Garden City

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

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.