Best Online Social Work Programs in Poplar Bluff, MO (2026)

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

Poplar Bluff, Missouri has 4 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $7,754 to $23,337 per year for indexed programs. Poplar Bluff has a population of about 16,243. Median household income is $42,035 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.0% 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 Poplar Bluff

The 4 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 4 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Poplar Bluff. Distances are calculated from Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau, MO 62.1 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score47.0
Published tuition$9,496 - $23,337
Online programsYes

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#2

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR 65.1 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score51.5
Published tuition$7,754 - $22,823
Online programsYes

Visit website

#3

The University of Tennessee-Martin

Martin, TN 90.2 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score50.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

#4

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL 92.7 miles from Poplar Bluff BOC Score55.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

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

Social Work Wages Near Poplar Bluff

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Missouri, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$48,520
Healthcare Social Worker$59,870
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$49,560
Social Worker, All Other$98,740
Social and Community Service Manager$71,970
Social and Human Service Assistant$41,780
Community Health Worker$48,770

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.

Poplar Bluff at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population16,243Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$42,035Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+16.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Butler County1,320 workers, 482 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Poplar Bluff-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Poplar Bluff, MO?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering social work programs near Poplar Bluff. The closest is Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO (62.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (92.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Missouri are: Social Worker, All Other ($98,740), Social and Community Service Manager ($71,970), Healthcare Social Worker ($59,870). Wages for Poplar Bluff workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Paragould instead of Poplar Bluff?

Paragould, AR is 49.2 miles from Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff an affordable place to study social work?

Poplar Bluff’s median household income of $42,035 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Poplar Bluff 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 Poplar Bluff

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

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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