Best Online Social Work Programs in Austin, MN (2026)

Austin, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $50,320 to $62,845 per year for indexed programs. Austin has a population of about 26,167. Median household income is $66,488 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Minnesota, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $84,220 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Austin

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

#1

Rochester Community and Technical College

Rochester, MN 36.3 miles from Austin BOC Score50.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

St Olaf College

Northfield, MN 55.4 miles from Austin BOC Score67.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#3

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 60.5 miles from Austin BOC Score58.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

South Central College

North Mankato, MN 63.6 miles from Austin BOC Score60.0
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Luther College

Decorah, IA 63.8 miles from Austin BOC Score56.1
Published tuition$50,320 - $62,845
Online programs--

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


Social Work Wages Near Austin

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Minnesota, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$67,450
Healthcare Social Worker$73,970
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$75,020
Social Worker, All Other$79,790
Social and Community Service Manager$84,220
Social and Human Service Assistant$49,940
Community Health Worker$47,560

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.


Austin at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population26,167Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$66,488Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Mower County434 workers, 102 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Austin-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Austin, MN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Austin. The closest is Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, MN (36.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Luther College (63.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles in Minnesota?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Minnesota are: Social and Community Service Manager ($84,220), Social Worker, All Other ($79,790), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($75,020). Wages for Austin workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Owatonna instead of Austin?

Owatonna, MN is 31.7 miles from Austin 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 Austin an affordable place to study social work?

Austin’s median household income of $66,488 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Austin while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Minnesota 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 Austin

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

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.