Best Online Social Work Programs in Sanford, ME (2026)

Sanford, Maine has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Sanford has a population of about 22,095. Median household income is $70,570 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Healthcare Social Worker at a median $74,650 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Sanford

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

#1

York County Community College

Wells, ME 11.5 miles from Sanford BOC Score 56.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,873
Avg net price $5,875/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,156
Out‑of‑state$7,036
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of New England

Biddeford, ME 18.6 miles from Sanford BOC Score 53.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 92%
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,921
Avg net price $38,107/yr
Tuition
In‑state$44,210
Out‑of‑state$44,210
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of Southern Maine

Portland, ME 29.2 miles from Sanford BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,958
Avg net price $13,596/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME 31.0 miles from Sanford BOC Score 49.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,045
Avg net price $27,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Maine

Orono, ME 145.6 miles from Sanford BOC Score 53.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,653
Avg net price $17,510/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,326
Out‑of‑state$36,756
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Maine at Presque Isle

Presque Isle, ME 261.2 miles from Sanford BOC Score 42.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 100%
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,956
Avg net price $7,035/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,402
Out‑of‑state$14,862
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Social Work Wages Near Sanford

Sanford is part of the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area (BLS area code 38860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Maine statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$63,700Portland-South Portland, ME$62,512
Healthcare Social Worker$74,650Portland-South Portland, ME$73,258
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$59,010Portland-South Portland, ME$57,910
Social Worker, All Other$60,280Portland-South Portland, ME$59,156
Social and Community Service Manager$74,650Portland-South Portland, ME$73,258
Social and Human Service Assistant$49,110Portland-South Portland, ME$48,194
Community Health Worker$47,600Portland-South Portland, ME$46,712

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.


Sanford at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population22,095Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$70,570Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)101.9 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Sanford-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Sanford, ME?

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Sanford 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 near Sanford?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Sanford are: Healthcare Social Worker ($74,650), Social and Community Service Manager ($74,650), Child, Family, and School Social Worker ($63,700). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Maine statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Rochester instead of Sanford?

Rochester, NH is 14.1 miles from Sanford 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 Sanford an affordable place to study social work?

Sanford’s median household income of $70,570 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sanford while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Maine 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 Sanford

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

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 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.