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

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Manhattan, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $9,578 to $48,360 per year for indexed programs. Manhattan has a population of about 53,951. Median household income is $58,441 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 52.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Manhattan, KS metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $78,750 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Manhattan

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Manhattan. Distances are calculated from Manhattan 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 Manhattan. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 1.7 miles from Manhattan BOC Score67.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Washburn University

Topeka, KS 49.6 miles from Manhattan BOC Score53.8
Published tuition$9,578 - $20,949
Online programsYes

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#3

Kansas Wesleyan University

Salina, KS 59.8 miles from Manhattan BOC Score36.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Tabor College

Hillsboro, KS 66.3 miles from Manhattan BOC Score45.0
Published tuition$35,050 - $48,360
Online programsYes

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#5

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 74.5 miles from Manhattan BOC Score72.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

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

Social Work Wages Near Manhattan

Manhattan is part of the Manhattan, KS metro area (BLS area code 31740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$53,130Manhattan, KS$58,902
Healthcare Social Worker$64,440KS statewide$71,441
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$56,330KS statewide$62,450
Social Worker, All OtherN/AKS statewide–
Social and Community Service Manager$78,750Manhattan, KS$87,306
Social and Human Service Assistant$42,520Manhattan, KS$47,140
Community Health Worker$47,300KS statewide$52,439

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.

Manhattan at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population53,951Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$58,441Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+52.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.2 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Manhattan-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Manhattan. The closest is Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS (1.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Kansas (74.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near Manhattan?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Manhattan are: Social and Community Service Manager ($78,750), Healthcare Social Worker ($64,440), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($56,330). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Junction City instead of Manhattan?

Junction City, KS is 17.2 miles from Manhattan 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 Manhattan an affordable place to study social work?

Manhattan’s median household income of $58,441 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Manhattan 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 Manhattan

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

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.

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