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

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Cookeville, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $29,264 to $36,828 per year for indexed programs. Cookeville has a population of about 35,544. Median household income is $48,501 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.4% 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 Cookeville

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Cookeville. Distances are calculated from Cookeville 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 Cookeville. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 51.8 miles from Cookeville BOC Score56.4
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Trevecca Nazarene University

Nashville, TN 64.5 miles from Cookeville BOC Score52.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Tennessee Wesleyan University

Athens, TN 70.8 miles from Cookeville BOC Score48.1
Published tuition$29,264 - $36,828
Online programsYes

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#4

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 71.7 miles from Cookeville BOC Score61.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 72.0 miles from Cookeville BOC Score62.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

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

Social Work Wages Near Cookeville

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Tennessee, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$56,310
Healthcare Social Worker$61,240
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$46,500
Social Worker, All Other$51,460
Social and Community Service Manager$88,240
Social and Human Service Assistant$40,310
Community Health Worker$42,310

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.

Cookeville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population35,544Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,501Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Putnam County1,222 workers, 156 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Cookeville-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Cookeville. The closest is Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN (51.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lipscomb University (72.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles in Tennessee?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Tennessee are: Social and Community Service Manager ($88,240), Healthcare Social Worker ($61,240), Child, Family, and School Social Worker ($56,310). Wages for Cookeville workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Cookeville?

Lebanon, TN is 46.7 miles from Cookeville 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 Cookeville an affordable place to study social work?

Cookeville’s median household income of $48,501 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cookeville 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 Cookeville

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

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.

Back to Best Online Social Work Programs in Tennessee (2026)

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