Best Online Social Work Programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA (2026)

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $6,450 to $52,673 per year for indexed programs. Wilkes-Barre has a population of about 44,217. Median household income is $47,970 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $75,710 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Wilkes-Barre

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Wilkes-Barre. Distances are calculated from Wilkes-Barre city center.

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

Social Work Wages Near Wilkes-Barre

Wilkes-Barre is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area (BLS area code 42540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

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.

Wilkes-Barre at a Glance

Other Wilkes-Barre-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Scranton, PA – 15.4 mi away (387,448 pop)
• Hazleton, PA – 21.1 mi away (55,301 pop)
• Mount Pocono, PA – 28.3 mi away (23,308 pop)
• Bloomsburg, PA – 34.6 mi away (52,637 pop)
• East Stroudsburg, PA – 40.1 mi away (56,230 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Wilkes-Barre. The closest is Luzerne County Community College in Nanticoke, PA (7.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (40.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near Wilkes-Barre?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Wilkes-Barre are: Social and Community Service Manager ($75,710), Healthcare Social Worker ($61,590), Social Worker, All Other ($61,230). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Scranton instead of Wilkes-Barre?

Scranton, PA is 15.4 miles from Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre an affordable place to study social work?

Wilkes-Barre’s median household income of $47,970 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilkes-Barre while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Wilkes-Barre

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

• Criminal Justice programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Nursing programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Business Administration programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Computer Science programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Psychology programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Education programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Engineering programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Technology programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Liberal Arts programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Healthcare programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Cybersecurity programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Accounting programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Healthcare Administration programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA
• Counseling programs in Wilkes-Barre, PA

Related from Our Editorial Library

• Best Accredited Online Colleges (2026)
• Best Online Colleges Ranking
• Effective Learning Strategies for Online Students

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.