Best Social Work Schools Near Gardner, MA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Gardner, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Gardner has a population of about 21,075. Median household income is $62,948 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Worcester, MA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $112,960 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Gardner

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Anna Maria College

Paxton, MA 17.9 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,651
Avg net price $28,333/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Amherst, MA 30.7 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,631
Avg net price $22,383/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 166

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Smith College

Northampton, MA 38.0 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
66.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,027
Avg net price $27,579/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Regis College

Weston, MA 38.0 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,873
Avg net price $27,477/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

College of Our Lady of the Elms

Chicopee, MA 43.8 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,540
Avg net price $17,545/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Merrimack College

North Andover, MA 44.2 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,584
Avg net price $37,927/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Springfield College

Springfield, MA 44.2 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
46.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,036
Avg net price $30,587/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA 45.1 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $103,937
Avg net price $41,704/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Social Work Wages Near Gardner

Gardner is part of the Worcester, MA metro area (BLS area code 49340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $70,900 Worcester, MA $69,171
Healthcare Social Worker $74,520 Worcester, MA $72,702
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $60,480 Worcester, MA $59,005
Social Worker, All Other $112,960 Worcester, MA $110,205
Social and Community Service Manager $77,500 Worcester, MA $75,610
Social and Human Service Assistant $46,030 Worcester, MA $44,907
Community Health Worker $53,620 Worcester, MA $52,312

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.

Gardner at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 21,075 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $62,948 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 22.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 102.5 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Worcester County 18,695 workers, 7,676 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Gardner-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Gardner, MA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Gardner. The closest is Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA (17.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Regis College (38.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Gardner are: Social Worker, All Other ($112,960), Social and Community Service Manager ($77,500), Healthcare Social Worker ($74,520). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Fitchburg instead of Gardner?

Fitchburg, MA is 8.7 miles from Gardner 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 Gardner an affordable place to study social work?

Gardner’s median household income of $62,948 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gardner while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts 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 Gardner

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

Data verified: September 6, 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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