Best Online Social Work Programs in Cleveland, TN (2026)

Cleveland, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $10,144 to $37,875 per year for indexed programs. Cleveland has a population of about 48,185. Median household income is $55,904 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $88,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Cleveland

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

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

Social Work Wages Near Cleveland

Cleveland is part of the Cleveland, TN metro area (BLS area code 17420). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee 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.

Cleveland at a Glance

Other Cleveland-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Chattanooga, TN – 22.8 mi away (403,618 pop)
• East Ridge, TN – 23.9 mi away (21,302 pop)
• Dalton, GA – 29.1 mi away (87,688 pop)
• Calhoun, GA – 47.8 mi away (33,092 pop)
• Harriman, TN – 54.6 mi away (23,026 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Cleveland, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Cleveland. The closest is Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, TN (13.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Georgia Northwestern Technical College (68.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near Cleveland?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Cleveland are: Social and Community Service Manager ($88,240), Healthcare Social Worker ($58,240), Child, Family, and School Social Worker ($58,020). 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 Chattanooga instead of Cleveland?

Chattanooga, TN is 22.8 miles from Cleveland 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 Cleveland an affordable place to study social work?

Cleveland’s median household income of $55,904 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cleveland 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 Cleveland

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

• Criminal Justice programs in Cleveland, TN
• Nursing programs in Cleveland, TN
• Business Administration programs in Cleveland, TN
• Computer Science programs in Cleveland, TN
• Psychology programs in Cleveland, TN
• Education programs in Cleveland, TN
• Engineering programs in Cleveland, TN
• Technology programs in Cleveland, TN
• Liberal Arts programs in Cleveland, TN
• Healthcare programs in Cleveland, TN
• Cybersecurity programs in Cleveland, TN
• Accounting programs in Cleveland, TN
• Healthcare Administration programs in Cleveland, TN
• Counseling programs in Cleveland, TN

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.