Best Online Social Work Programs in Abilene, TX (2026)

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

Abilene, Texas has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Abilene has a population of about 127,130. Median household income is $62,720 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Texas, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $84,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Abilene

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

#1

Abilene Christian University

Abilene, TX 0.8 miles from Abilene BOC Score54.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Hardin-Simmons University

Abilene, TX 1.7 miles from Abilene BOC Score48.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Howard Payne University

Brownwood, TX 67.4 miles from Abilene BOC Score30.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Angelo State University

San Angelo, TX 81.8 miles from Abilene BOC Score47.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 90.2 miles from Abilene BOC Score51.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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

Social Work Wages Near Abilene

Abilene is part of the Abilene, TX metro area (BLS area code 10180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$48,790Abilene, TX$53,971
Healthcare Social Worker$60,800Abilene, TX$67,257
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$43,140Abilene, TX$47,721
Social Worker, All Other$84,240TX statewide$93,186
Social and Community Service Manager$68,900Abilene, TX$76,217
Social and Human Service Assistant$42,450Abilene, TX$46,958
Community Health Worker$48,720TX statewide$53,894

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.

Abilene at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population127,130Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,720Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)90.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Taylor County1,587 workers, 122 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Abilene-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Abilene, TX?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Abilene. The closest is Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX (0.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tarleton State University (90.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Abilene are: Social Worker, All Other ($84,240), Social and Community Service Manager ($68,900), Healthcare Social Worker ($60,800). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Brownwood instead of Abilene?

Brownwood, TX is 67.9 miles from Abilene 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 Abilene an affordable place to study social work?

Abilene’s median household income of $62,720 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Abilene while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Abilene

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

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 Texas (2026)

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