Best Social Work Schools Near Lincolnton, NC (2026)

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

Lincolnton, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $21,300 to $34,923 per year for indexed programs. Lincolnton has a population of about 11,503. Median household income is $43,294 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,990 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Lincolnton

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Lincolnton, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lincolnton 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 Lincolnton. 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

Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte, NC 26.8 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
33.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 45%
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,680
Avg net price $20,894/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,300
Out‑of‑state$21,300
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 67%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 30.9 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Livingstone College

Salisbury, NC 44.5 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
35.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 59%
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,600
Avg net price $13,479/yr
Tuition
In‑state$18,296
Out‑of‑state$18,296
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 56.9 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa, NC 68.3 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
24.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,260
Avg net price $21,249/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem, NC 70.9 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,344
Avg net price $13,479/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Mars Hill University

Mars Hill, NC 77.7 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
34.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 68%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,781
Avg net price $19,910/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,736
Out‑of‑state$37,736
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC 90.0 miles from Lincolnton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,160
Avg net price $10,965/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Social Work Wages Near Lincolnton

Lincolnton is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (BLS area code 16740). 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 $60,950 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $62,641
Healthcare Social Worker $66,410 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $68,253
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $58,090 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $59,702
Social Worker, All Other $69,300 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $71,223
Social and Community Service Manager $79,990 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $82,210
Social and Human Service Assistant $43,480 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $44,687
Community Health Worker $49,920 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $51,305

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.

Lincolnton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 11,503 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $43,294 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 19.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 97.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Lincolnton-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Lincolnton. The closest is Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte, NC (26.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Winthrop University (38.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Lincolnton are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,990), Social Worker, All Other ($69,300), Healthcare Social Worker ($66,410). 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 Gastonia instead of Lincolnton?

Gastonia, NC is 15.8 miles from Lincolnton 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 Lincolnton an affordable place to study social work?

Lincolnton’s median household income of $43,294 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lincolnton 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

Other Programs Available in Lincolnton

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

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 North Carolina (2026)