Best Online Social Work Programs in Lancaster, OH (2026)

Lancaster, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Lancaster has a population of about 40,902. Median household income is $54,901 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.3% 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 Lancaster

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Lancaster. Distances are calculated from Lancaster 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 Lancaster. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

Lancaster, OH 1.4 miles from Lancaster BOC Score45.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Capital University

Columbus, OH 23.8 miles from Lancaster BOC Score45.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#3

Ohio State University-Newark Campus

Newark, OH 25.2 miles from Lancaster BOC Score44.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#4

Ohio Dominican University

Columbus, OH 25.8 miles from Lancaster BOC Score43.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH 28.6 miles from Lancaster BOC Score80.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Social Work Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$58,460Columbus, OH$61,215
Healthcare Social Worker$65,280Columbus, OH$68,356
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$47,820Columbus, OH$50,073
Social Worker, All Other$59,690Columbus, OH$62,503
Social and Community Service Manager$79,830Columbus, OH$83,592
Social and Human Service Assistant$42,190Columbus, OH$44,178
Community Health Worker$64,810Columbus, 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.


Lancaster at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population40,902Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$54,901Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Lancaster, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Lancaster. The closest is Ohio University-Lancaster Campus in Lancaster, OH (1.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ohio State University-Main Campus (28.6 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Lancaster 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 Pickerington instead of Lancaster?

Pickerington, OH is 14.3 miles from Lancaster 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 Lancaster an affordable place to study social work?

Lancaster’s median household income of $54,901 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster 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

Other Programs Available in Lancaster

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

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.