The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Published tuition$10,144 - $23,563
Online programsYes
Best Online Social Work Programs in Chattanooga, TN (2026)
Chattanooga, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $10,144 to $37,875 per year for indexed programs. Chattanooga has a population of about 182,832. Median household income is $61,028 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $78,400 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Chattanooga
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Chattanooga. Distances are calculated from Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Southern Adventist University
Published tuition$25,590 - $37,875
Online programs--
Dalton State College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Tennessee Wesleyan University
Published tuition$29,264 - $36,828
Online programsYes
Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Chattanooga
Chattanooga is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area (BLS area code 16860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $52,330 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $57,191 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $59,950 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $65,519 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $45,360 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $49,574 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $53,640 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $58,623 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $78,400 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $85,683 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $39,520 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $43,191 |
| Community Health Worker | $42,310 | TN statewide | $46,240 |
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.
Chattanooga at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 182,832 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $61,028 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 35.5% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 91.5 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Hamilton County | 3,910 workers, 365 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Chattanooga-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- East Ridge, TN – 4.9 mi away (21,302 pop)
- Cleveland, TN – 22.8 mi away (71,601 pop)
- Dalton, GA – 25.9 mi away (87,688 pop)
- Calhoun, GA – 43.3 mi away (33,092 pop)
- Rome, GA – 55.4 mi away (61,019 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Chattanooga, TN?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Chattanooga. The closest is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in Chattanooga, TN (3.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Georgia Northwestern Technical College (58.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near Chattanooga?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Chattanooga are: Social and Community Service Manager ($78,400), Healthcare Social Worker ($59,950), Social Worker, All Other ($53,640). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in East Ridge instead of Chattanooga?
East Ridge, TN is 4.9 miles from Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga an affordable place to study social work?
Chattanooga’s median household income of $61,028 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chattanooga while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee 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 Tennessee
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Chattanooga
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Chattanooga:
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- Nursing programs in Chattanooga, TN
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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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