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

Lima, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $7,504 to $17,116 per year for indexed programs. Lima has a population of about 35,304. Median household income is $43,370 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 11.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lima, OH metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $67,190 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Lima

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

#1

James A. Rhodes State College

Lima, OH 0.4 miles from Lima BOC Score60.9
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Ohio State University-Lima Campus

Lima, OH 0.4 miles from Lima BOC Score35.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#3

Bluffton University

Bluffton, OH 15.4 miles from Lima BOC Score46.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Wright State University-Lake Campus

Celina, OH 27.4 miles from Lima BOC Score40.7
Published tuition$7,504 - $17,116
Online programsYes

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#5

The University of Findlay

Findlay, OH 32.4 miles from Lima BOC Score50.5
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 Lima

Lima is part of the Lima, OH metro area (BLS area code 30620). 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$50,020Lima, OH$55,764
Healthcare Social Worker$61,290Lima, OH$68,328
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$47,910Lima, OH$53,411
Social Worker, All Other$59,780OH statewide$66,644
Social and Community Service Manager$67,190Lima, OH$74,905
Social and Human Service Assistant$37,560Lima, OH$41,873
Community Health Worker$50,650OH statewide$56,466

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.


Lima at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population35,304Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,370Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+11.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.7 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Allen County1,278 workers, 74 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Lima-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Lima. The closest is James A. Rhodes State College in Lima, OH (0.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Findlay (32.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Lima are: Social and Community Service Manager ($67,190), Healthcare Social Worker ($61,290), Social Worker, All Other ($59,780). 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 Sidney instead of Lima?

Sidney, OH is 31.3 miles from Lima 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 Lima an affordable place to study social work?

Lima’s median household income of $43,370 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lima 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 Lima

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

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.