Best Online Social Work Programs in Joplin, MO (2026)

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

Joplin, Missouri has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $9,024 to $38,035 per year for indexed programs. Joplin has a population of about 52,218. Median household income is $51,154 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Missouri, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $98,740 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Joplin

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

#1

Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, MO 3.5 miles from Joplin BOC Score42.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg, KS 24.2 miles from Joplin BOC Score57.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO 67.8 miles from Joplin BOC Score56.3
Published tuition$9,024 - $24,022
Online programsYes

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#4

Evangel University

Springfield, MO 68.8 miles from Joplin BOC Score54.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Southwest Baptist University

Bolivar, MO 70.1 miles from Joplin BOC Score36.8
Published tuition$28,320 - $38,035
Online programsYes

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

Social Work Wages Near Joplin

Joplin is part of the Joplin, MO-KS metro area (BLS area code 27900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Missouri statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$48,600Joplin, MO-KS$56,709
Healthcare Social Worker$55,510Joplin, MO-KS$64,772
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$44,420Joplin, MO-KS$51,832
Social Worker, All Other$98,740MO statewide$115,216
Social and Community Service Manager$62,930Joplin, MO-KS$73,431
Social and Human Service Assistant$38,650Joplin, MO-KS$45,099
Community Health Worker$46,700Joplin, MO-KS$54,492

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.

Joplin at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population52,218Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$51,154Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+26.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)85.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Jasper County2,030 workers, 491 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Joplin-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Joplin, MO?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Joplin. The closest is Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, MO (3.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southwest Baptist University (70.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near Joplin?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Joplin are: Social Worker, All Other ($98,740), Social and Community Service Manager ($62,930), Healthcare Social Worker ($55,510). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Missouri statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Pittsburg instead of Joplin?

Pittsburg, KS is 25.7 miles from Joplin 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 Joplin an affordable place to study social work?

Joplin’s median household income of $51,154 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Joplin while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Missouri 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 Joplin

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

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.

Back to Best Online Social Work Programs in Missouri (2026)

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