Best Online Social Work Programs in Ridgeland, MS (2026)

Ridgeland, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $3,510 to $39,167 per year for indexed programs. Ridgeland has a population of about 24,548. Median household income is $63,470 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 50.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Jackson, MS metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $94,520 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Ridgeland

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

#1

Belhaven University

Jackson, MS 7.2 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 42.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,440
Avg net price $15,676/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS 9.4 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 27.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,060
Avg net price $23,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS 12.5 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 44.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $27,712/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Alcorn State University

Alcorn State, MS 69.3 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 45.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,421
Avg net price $13,265/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Mississippi Valley State University

Itta Bena, MS 74.8 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 36.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,919
Avg net price $9,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 89.2 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 39.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Delta State University

Cleveland, MS 97.7 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 45.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,991
Avg net price $13,540/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 106.1 miles from Ridgeland BOC Score 61.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,513
Avg net price $17,595/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Social Work Wages Near Ridgeland

Ridgeland is part of the Jackson, MS metro area (BLS area code 27140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Mississippi statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$46,610Jackson, MS$52,371
Healthcare Social Worker$61,890Jackson, MS$69,539
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$48,610Jackson, MS$54,618
Social Worker, All Other$94,520Jackson, MS$106,202
Social and Community Service Manager$71,470Jackson, MS$80,303
Social and Human Service Assistant$31,270Jackson, MS$35,135
Community Health Worker$41,990Jackson, MS$47,180

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.


Ridgeland at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,548Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,470Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+50.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Ridgeland-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Ridgeland, MS?

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Ridgeland 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 Ridgeland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Ridgeland are: Social Worker, All Other ($94,520), Social and Community Service Manager ($71,470), Healthcare Social Worker ($61,890). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Mississippi statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Madison instead of Ridgeland?

Madison, MS is 3.7 miles from Ridgeland 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 Ridgeland an affordable place to study social work?

Ridgeland’s median household income of $63,470 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgeland while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi 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 Ridgeland

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

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.