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

Columbia, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Columbia has a population of about 43,971. Median household income is $61,204 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $89,840 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.

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 Columbia. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 36.2 miles from Columbia BOC Score 62.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,541
Avg net price $24,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 38.2 miles from Columbia BOC Score 61.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,930
Avg net price $33,147/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,540
Out‑of‑state$42,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN 39.5 miles from Columbia BOC Score 52.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,378
Avg net price $16,813/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Tennessee State University

Nashville, TN 39.7 miles from Columbia BOC Score 34.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,730
Avg net price $15,796/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 52%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 41.6 miles from Columbia BOC Score 56.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,541
Avg net price $13,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, TN 65.3 miles from Columbia BOC Score 44.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,301
Avg net price $9,735/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,006
Out‑of‑state$14,766
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Freed-Hardeman University

Henderson, TN 90.2 miles from Columbia BOC Score 55.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $21,574/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Union University

Jackson, TN 101.6 miles from Columbia BOC Score 58.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,990
Avg net price $27,171/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Social Work Wages Near Columbia

Columbia is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN metro area (BLS area code 34980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$55,630Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$57,767
Healthcare Social Worker$65,040Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$67,539
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$48,630Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$50,498
Social Worker, All Other$58,780Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$61,038
Social and Community Service Manager$89,840Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$93,292
Social and Human Service Assistant$43,860Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$45,545
Community Health Worker$44,440Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN$46,147

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

MetricValueSource
Population43,971Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$61,204Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+23.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Columbia-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

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 and Community Service Manager ($89,840), Healthcare Social Worker ($65,040), Social Worker, All Other ($58,780). 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 Spring Hill instead of Columbia?

Spring Hill, TN is 11.3 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 $61,204 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbia 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

Other Programs Available in Columbia

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

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.