Best Social Work Schools Near Shelby, NC (2026)

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

Shelby, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $21,300 to $34,923 per year for indexed programs. Shelby has a population of about 21,868. Median household income is $50,705 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,590 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Shelby

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

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

Sort:
#1

Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte, NC 38.7 miles from Shelby
  • 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 45.7 miles from Shelby
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#3

Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa, NC 55.4 miles from Shelby
  • 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

#4

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 64.5 miles from Shelby
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#5

Livingstone College

Salisbury, NC 65.1 miles from Shelby
  • 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

#6

Mars Hill University

Mars Hill, NC 67.9 miles from Shelby
  • 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

Sponsored Ad
#7

Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem, NC 92.3 miles from Shelby
  • 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

#8

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC 92.8 miles from Shelby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,458
Avg net price $13,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Social Work Wages Near Shelby

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $59,610
Healthcare Social Worker $63,280
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $58,210
Social Worker, All Other $63,490
Social and Community Service Manager $79,590
Social and Human Service Assistant $42,850
Community Health Worker $47,560

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.

Shelby at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 21,868 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $50,705 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 26.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Cleveland County 911 workers, 86 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Shelby-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Shelby. The closest is Limestone University in Gaffney, SC (17.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of North Carolina at Charlotte (45.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in North Carolina are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,590), Social Worker, All Other ($63,490), Healthcare Social Worker ($63,280). Wages for Shelby workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Gaffney instead of Shelby?

Gaffney, SC is 16.2 miles from Shelby 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 Shelby an affordable place to study social work?

Shelby’s median household income of $50,705 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Shelby 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 Shelby

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

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)