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

Willoughby, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $37,860 to $49,537 per year for indexed programs. Willoughby has a population of about 23,934. Median household income is $70,884 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Cleveland, OH metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $77,200 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Willoughby

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

#1

Ursuline College

Pepper Pike, OH 10.7 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 54.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,878
Avg net price $16,164/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH 14.2 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 75.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $87,989
Avg net price $41,190/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH 16.8 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 53.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,131
Avg net price $14,764/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lorain County Community College

Elyria, OH 37.9 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 58.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,837
Avg net price $3,967/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Akron Main Campus

Akron, OH 39.3 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 48.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,600
Avg net price $13,946/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,135
Out‑of‑state$20,815
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Youngstown State University

Youngstown, OH 54.2 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 48.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,544
Avg net price $12,767/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 69

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Malone University

Canton, OH 56.7 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 48.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,909
Avg net price $20,948/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Akron Wayne College

Orrville, OH 57.8 miles from Willoughby BOC Score 28.6
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,600
Avg net price $6,032/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,723
Out‑of‑state$15,403
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 59%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Social Work Wages Near Willoughby

Willoughby is part of the Cleveland, OH metro area (BLS area code 17410). 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$57,860Cleveland, OH$61,619
Healthcare Social Worker$66,230Cleveland, OH$70,532
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$45,390Cleveland, OH$48,339
Social Worker, All Other$68,100Cleveland, OH$72,524
Social and Community Service Manager$77,200Cleveland, OH$82,215
Social and Human Service Assistant$39,780Cleveland, OH$42,364
Community Health Worker$48,260Cleveland, OH$51,395

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.


Willoughby at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population23,934Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$70,884Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)93.9 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Willoughby-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Willoughby are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Willoughby are: Social and Community Service Manager ($77,200), Social Worker, All Other ($68,100), Healthcare Social Worker ($66,230). 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 Mentor instead of Willoughby?

Mentor, OH is 4.8 miles from Willoughby 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 Willoughby an affordable place to study social work?

Willoughby’s median household income of $70,884 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Willoughby 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 Willoughby

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

Data verified: July 23, 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.