Best Social Work Schools Near Hastings, NE (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Hastings, Nebraska has 4 accredited schools offering social work programs. Hastings has a population of about 25,005. Median household income is $61,202 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Nebraska, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $76,520 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Hastings

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

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Nebraska at Kearney

Kearney, NE 37.7 miles from Hastings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,105
Avg net price $16,242/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, NE 89.9 miles from Hastings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,887
Avg net price $17,747/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 155

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Union Adventist University

Lincoln, NE 92.1 miles from Hastings
  • 4 year
43.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,045
Avg net price $23,716/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Lincoln, NE 92.9 miles from Hastings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,405
Avg net price $18,327/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Northeast Community College

Norfolk, NE 112.9 miles from Hastings
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,634
Avg net price $8,544/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, NE 132.6 miles from Hastings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,909
Avg net price $13,441/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Creighton University

Omaha, NE 135.7 miles from Hastings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $73,911
Avg net price $31,568/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 90

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Chadron State College

Chadron, NE 283.0 miles from Hastings
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,002
Avg net price $12,549/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Social Work Wages Near Hastings

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Nebraska, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $47,770
Healthcare Social Worker $62,420
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $43,240
Social Worker, All Other $76,520
Social and Community Service Manager $73,790
Social and Human Service Assistant $38,940
Community Health Worker $51,780

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.

Hastings at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,005 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $61,202 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Adams County 478 workers, 52 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Hastings-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Hastings, NE?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering social work programs near Hastings. The closest is University of Nebraska at Kearney in Kearney, NE (37.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Nebraska Wesleyan University (92.9 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Nebraska are: Social Worker, All Other ($76,520), Social and Community Service Manager ($73,790), Healthcare Social Worker ($62,420). Wages for Hastings workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Grand Island instead of Hastings?

Grand Island, NE is 22.5 miles from Hastings 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 Hastings an affordable place to study social work?

Hastings’s median household income of $61,202 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hastings while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nebraska 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 Hastings

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

Data verified: September 6, 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 Social Work Schools in Nebraska: Online Programs (2026)