BestOnlineCollege.org is an advertising-supported website. Many of the school and program listings that appear on this site are from partners who compensate us, and this compensation may affect how, where, and in what order listings appear (such as featured placements). This compensation does not influence our editorial content, evaluations, or rankings, which are determined independently using publicly available data. We do not review or feature every school or program available in the marketplace. Our goal is to provide accurate, unbiased information so you can make informed decisions. Read our full Advertiser Disclosure.
Best Online Social Work Programs in Worcester, MA (2026)
Worcester, Massachusetts has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $43,064 to $61,106 per year for indexed programs. Worcester has a population of about 205,501. Median household income is $67,544 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.1% 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 Worcester
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Worcester, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Worcester city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Massachusetts schools on the Massachusetts social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Worcester
Worcester 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.
Worcester at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 205,501 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $67,544 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 34.1% | 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 Worcester-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Marlborough, MA – 14.4 mi away (39,697 pop)
- Leominster, MA – 17.4 mi away (119,538 pop)
- Fitchburg, MA – 22.2 mi away (40,414 pop)
- Gardner, MA – 23.5 mi away (20,430 pop)
- Woonsocket, RI – 24.4 mi away (41,406 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Worcester, MA?
Accredited schools offering social work programs near Worcester 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 Worcester?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Worcester 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 Marlborough instead of Worcester?
Marlborough, MA is 14.4 miles from Worcester 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 Worcester an affordable place to study social work?
Worcester’s median household income of $67,544 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Worcester 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
- Social Work accreditation: what to look for
- Social Work concentrations and specializations
- Is a Social Work degree worth it?
- Main Social Work degree guide
- Online Social Work programs in Massachusetts
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Worcester
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Worcester:
- Criminal Justice programs in Worcester, MA
- Nursing programs in Worcester, MA
- Business Administration programs in Worcester, MA
- Computer Science programs in Worcester, MA
- Psychology programs in Worcester, MA
- Education programs in Worcester, MA
- Engineering programs in Worcester, MA
- Technology programs in Worcester, MA
- Liberal Arts programs in Worcester, MA
- Healthcare programs in Worcester, MA
- Cybersecurity programs in Worcester, MA
- Accounting programs in Worcester, MA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Worcester, MA
- Counseling programs in Worcester, MA
Related from Our Editorial Library
- Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
- Best Online Colleges Ranking
- Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students
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.
Back to Best Online Social Work Programs in Massachusetts (2026)