Best Online Social Work Programs in Rochester, NY (2026)

Rochester, New York has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $33,724 to $49,621 per year for indexed programs. Rochester has a population of about 209,720. Median household income is $46,628 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 29.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Rochester, NY metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $81,890 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Rochester

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Rochester. Distances are calculated from Rochester city center.

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

Social Work Wages Near Rochester

Rochester is part of the Rochester, NY metro area (BLS area code 40380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to New York statewide.

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.

Rochester at a Glance

Other Rochester-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Brockport, NY – 16.6 mi away (20,142 pop)
• Geneva, NY – 38.3 mi away (29,371 pop)
• Lockport, NY – 54.4 mi away (34,859 pop)
• Auburn, NY – 55.3 mi away (31,263 pop)
• Oswego, NY – 59.4 mi away (38,208 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Rochester, NY?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Rochester. The closest is Nazareth University in Rochester, NY (6.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Daemen University (60.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Rochester are: Social Worker, All Other ($81,890), Social and Community Service Manager ($80,200), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($68,880). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with New York statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Brockport instead of Rochester?

Brockport, NY is 16.6 miles from Rochester 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 Rochester an affordable place to study social work?

Rochester’s median household income of $46,628 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rochester while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and New York 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

• Social Work accreditation: what to look for
• Social Work concentrations and specializations
• Is a Social Work degree worth it?
• Main Social Work degree guide
• Online Social Work programs in New York
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Rochester

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

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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.