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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 accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Hickory, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hickory city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $59,840 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $67,616 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $60,570 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $68,441 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $57,150 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $64,576 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $49,470 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $55,898 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $77,030 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $87,040 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $40,250 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $45,480 |
| Community Health Worker | $42,450 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $47,966 |
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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 43,747 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $63,361 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 35.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 88.5 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
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?
Accredited schools offering social work programs near Hickory are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.
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:
- Criminal Justice programs in Hickory, NC
- Nursing programs in Hickory, NC
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Data verified: July 23, 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.
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