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Best Online Social Work Programs in Columbia, SC (2026)
Columbia, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $11,060 to $30,286 per year for indexed programs. Columbia has a population of about 138,019. Median household income is $55,653 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 46.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbia, SC metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $100,420 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Columbia
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Columbia, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbia city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Carolina schools on the South Carolina social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Columbia
Columbia is part of the Columbia, SC metro area (BLS area code 17900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Carolina statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $50,610 | Columbia, SC | $54,013 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $62,130 | Columbia, SC | $66,307 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $48,250 | Columbia, SC | $51,494 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $100,420 | Columbia, SC | $107,172 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $78,240 | Columbia, SC | $83,501 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $38,550 | Columbia, SC | $41,142 |
| Community Health Worker | $45,820 | Columbia, SC | $48,901 |
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.
Columbia at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 138,019 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $55,653 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 46.1% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.7 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Richland County | 4,551 workers, 552 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Columbia-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Lexington, SC – 18.4 mi away (20,988 pop)
- Sumter, SC – 30.1 mi away (73,468 pop)
- Orangeburg, SC – 37.6 mi away (31,666 pop)
- Lancaster, SC – 48.1 mi away (25,691 pop)
- Aiken, SC – 58.8 mi away (30,937 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Columbia, SC?
Accredited schools offering social work programs near Columbia 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 Columbia?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Columbia are: Social Worker, All Other ($100,420), Social and Community Service Manager ($78,240), Healthcare Social Worker ($62,130). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Lexington instead of Columbia?
Lexington, SC is 18.4 miles from Columbia 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 Columbia an affordable place to study social work?
Columbia’s median household income of $55,653 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbia while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Carolina 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 South Carolina
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Columbia
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbia:
- Criminal Justice programs in Columbia, SC
- Nursing programs in Columbia, SC
- Business Administration programs in Columbia, SC
- Computer Science programs in Columbia, SC
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- Education programs in Columbia, SC
- Engineering programs in Columbia, SC
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Related from Our Editorial Library
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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.
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