Best Online Social Work Programs in Hickory, NC (2026)

Hickory, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Hickory has a population of about 43,747. Median household income is $63,361 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $77,030 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Hickory

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

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

Social Work Wages Near Hickory

Hickory is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area (BLS area code 25860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina 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.

Hickory at a Glance

Other Hickory-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Lincolnton, NC – 19.1 mi away (23,264 pop)
• Statesville, NC – 25.5 mi away (26,506 pop)
• Mooresville, NC – 30.0 mi away (36,543 pop)
• Cornelius, NC – 30.9 mi away (28,515 pop)
• Shelby, NC – 33.7 mi away (27,288 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Hickory, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Hickory. The closest is Appalachian State University in Boone, NC (38.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Limestone University (50.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Hickory are: Social and Community Service Manager ($77,030), Healthcare Social Worker ($60,570), Child, Family, and School Social Worker ($59,840). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lincolnton instead of Hickory?

Lincolnton, NC is 19.1 miles from Hickory 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 Hickory an affordable place to study social work?

Hickory’s median household income of $63,361 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hickory while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 North Carolina
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Hickory

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

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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.