Providence, Rhode Island has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Providence has a population of about 190,214. Median household income is $66,772 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $108,740 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Providence
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Providence, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Providence 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Providence.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
51%
Graduation rate
87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$87,054
Avg net price
$48,523/yr
TuitionIn‑state$63,550
Out‑of‑state$63,550
Key stats- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 31
Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
92%
Graduation rate
47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,318
Avg net price
$9,478/yr
TuitionIn‑state$11,300
Out‑of‑state$27,299
Key stats- Retention rate: 73%
- Programs offered: 61
Source:Accreditor: New England Commission on Higher Education · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Rhode Island schools on the Rhode Island social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Providence
Providence is part of the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (BLS area code 39300). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Rhode Island statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $70,900 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $69,646 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $74,350 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $73,035 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $59,930 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $58,870 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $108,740 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $106,817 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $77,490 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $76,120 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $47,440 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,601 |
| Community Health Worker | $52,130 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $51,208 |
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.
Providence at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 190,214 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $66,772 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 34.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 101.8 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Providence County | 9,126 workers, 1,751 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Providence-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- East Providence, RI – 3.4 mi away (47,337 pop)
- Pawtucket, RI – 4.2 mi away (71,427 pop)
- Cranston, RI – 5.2 mi away (81,034 pop)
- Warwick, RI – 8.1 mi away (81,579 pop)
- Attleboro, MA – 9.8 mi away (44,434 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Providence, RI?
Accredited schools offering social work programs near Providence 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 Providence?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Providence are: Social Worker, All Other ($108,740), Social and Community Service Manager ($77,490), Healthcare Social Worker ($74,350). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Rhode Island statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in East Providence instead of Providence?
East Providence, RI is 3.4 miles from Providence 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 Providence an affordable place to study social work?
Providence’s median household income of $66,772 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Providence while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Rhode Island 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 Providence
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Providence:
- Criminal Justice programs in Providence, RI
- Nursing programs in Providence, RI
- Business Administration programs in Providence, RI
- Computer Science programs in Providence, RI
- Psychology programs in Providence, RI
- Education programs in Providence, RI
- Engineering programs in Providence, RI
- Technology programs in Providence, RI
- Liberal Arts programs in Providence, RI
- Healthcare programs in Providence, RI
- Cybersecurity programs in Providence, RI
- Accounting programs in Providence, RI
- Healthcare Administration programs in Providence, RI
- Counseling programs in Providence, RI
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.
← Back to Best Online Social Work Programs in Rhode Island (2026)
