Oglala Lakota College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Best Online Social Work Programs in Rapid City, SD (2026)
Rapid City, South Dakota has 2 accredited schools offering social work programs. Rapid City has a population of about 76,836. Median household income is $65,712 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Dakota, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $93,760 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Rapid City
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Rapid City. Distances are calculated from Rapid City 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 Rapid City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Chadron State College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Dakota schools on the South Dakota social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Rapid City
Rapid City is part of the Rapid City, SD metro area (BLS area code 39660). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Dakota statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $50,490 | Rapid City, SD | $56,603 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $77,790 | Rapid City, SD | $87,209 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $44,250 | Rapid City, SD | $49,608 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $93,760 | SD statewide | $105,112 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $83,550 | Rapid City, SD | $93,666 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $38,440 | Rapid City, SD | $43,094 |
| Community Health Worker | $45,700 | Rapid City, SD | $51,233 |
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.
Rapid City at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,836 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $65,712 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 36.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 89.2 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Rapid City, SD?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering social work programs near Rapid City. The closest is Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, SD (68.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Chadron State College (87.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near Rapid City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Rapid City are: Social Worker, All Other ($93,760), Social and Community Service Manager ($83,550), Healthcare Social Worker ($77,790). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Dakota statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Is Rapid City an affordable place to study social work?
Rapid City’s median household income of $65,712 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rapid City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Dakota 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 Dakota
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Rapid City
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Rapid City:
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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.
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