Ohio State University-Main Campus
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Social Work Programs in Columbus, OH (2026)
Columbus, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Columbus has a population of about 906,480. Median household income is $65,327 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbus, OH metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,830 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Columbus
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Columbus. Distances are calculated from Columbus city center.
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 Columbus. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Ohio Dominican University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Capital University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Ohio State University-Newark Campus
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Ohio schools on the Ohio social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Columbus
Columbus is part of the Columbus, OH metro area (BLS area code 18140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $58,460 | Columbus, OH | $61,215 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $65,280 | Columbus, OH | $68,356 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $47,820 | Columbus, OH | $50,073 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $59,690 | Columbus, OH | $62,503 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $79,830 | Columbus, OH | $83,592 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $42,190 | Columbus, OH | $44,178 |
| Community Health Worker | $64,810 | Columbus, OH | $67,864 |
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.
Columbus at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 906,480 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $65,327 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 38.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 95.5 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Franklin County | 24,836 workers, 1,174 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Columbus-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Upper Arlington, OH – 5.3 mi away (34,997 pop)
- Gahanna, OH – 7.0 mi away (34,956 pop)
- Grove City, OH – 9.4 mi away (39,721 pop)
- Hilliard, OH – 9.6 mi away (34,905 pop)
- Westerville, OH – 10.1 mi away (38,985 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Columbus, OH?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Columbus. The closest is Ohio State University-Main Campus in Columbus, OH (1.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ohio State University-Newark Campus (29.0 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near Columbus?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Columbus are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,830), Healthcare Social Worker ($65,280), Community Health Worker ($64,810). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Upper Arlington instead of Columbus?
Upper Arlington, OH is 5.3 miles from Columbus 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 Columbus an affordable place to study social work?
Columbus’s median household income of $65,327 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Ohio
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Columbus
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbus:
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- Nursing programs in Columbus, OH
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- Liberal Arts programs in Columbus, OH
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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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.