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

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Northfield, Minnesota has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Northfield has a population of about 20,678. Median household income is $92,000 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 51.5% 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 Northfield

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

#1

St Olaf College

Northfield, MN 0.6 miles from Northfield BOC Score67.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#2

Inver Hills Community College

Inver Grove Heights, MN 26.8 miles from Northfield BOC Score50.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, MN 32.6 miles from Northfield BOC Score61.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

University of St Thomas

Saint Paul, MN 33.8 miles from Northfield BOC Score73.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Bethel University

Saint Paul, MN 34.4 miles from Northfield BOC Score68.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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

Social Work Wages Near Northfield

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.

Northfield at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population20,678Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$92,000Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+51.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Rice County744 workers, 200 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Northfield-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Northfield. The closest is St Olaf College in Northfield, MN (0.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bethel University (34.4 miles). 4 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 Northfield workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Faribault instead of Northfield?

Faribault, MN is 12.1 miles from Northfield 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 Northfield an affordable place to study social work?

Northfield’s median household income of $92,000 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Northfield 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 Northfield

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

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.

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