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

Mankato, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Mankato has a population of about 44,882. Median household income is $64,826 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Mankato, MN metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $86,630 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Mankato

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

#1

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN 2.1 miles from Mankato BOC Score 58.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,922
Avg net price $19,139/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Social Work Wages Near Mankato

Mankato is part of the Mankato, MN metro area (BLS area code 31860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Minnesota statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$61,500Mankato, MN$67,582
Healthcare Social Worker$78,800Mankato, MN$86,593
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$83,530Mankato, MN$91,791
Social Worker, All Other$77,990Mankato, MN$85,703
Social and Community Service Manager$86,630Mankato, MN$95,198
Social and Human Service Assistant$44,320Mankato, MN$48,703
Community Health Worker$47,560MN statewide$52,264

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.


Mankato at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population44,882Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$64,826Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+36.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)91.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Blue Earth County2,309 workers, 179 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Mankato-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Mankato 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 Mankato?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Mankato are: Social and Community Service Manager ($86,630), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($83,530), Healthcare Social Worker ($78,800). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Minnesota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Mankato?

Faribault, MN is 35.7 miles from Mankato 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 Mankato an affordable place to study social work?

Mankato’s median household income of $64,826 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Mankato 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 Mankato

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

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 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.