The University of Texas Permian Basin
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Social Work Programs in Odessa, TX (2026)
Odessa, Texas has 2 accredited schools offering social work programs. Odessa has a population of about 114,080. Median household income is $73,030 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 18.3% 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 Odessa
The 2 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 2 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Odessa. Distances are calculated from Odessa 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 Odessa. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Howard College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Texas schools on the Texas social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Odessa
Odessa is part of the Odessa, TX metro area (BLS area code 36220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $54,510 | Odessa, TX | $58,051 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $81,310 | Odessa, TX | $86,592 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $46,630 | TX statewide | $49,659 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $84,240 | TX statewide | $89,712 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $75,390 | Odessa, TX | $80,288 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $43,560 | Odessa, TX | $46,390 |
| Community Health Worker | $48,720 | TX statewide | $51,885 |
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.
Odessa at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 114,080 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $73,030 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 18.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 93.9 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Ector County | 775 workers, 60 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Odessa-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Midland, TX – 16.8 mi away (142,680 pop)
- Big Spring, TX – 56.1 mi away (29,267 pop)
- Hobbs, NM – 75.5 mi away (41,021 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Odessa, TX?
Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering social work programs near Odessa. The closest is The University of Texas Permian Basin in Odessa, TX (1.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Howard College (58.2 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near Odessa?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Odessa are: Social Worker, All Other ($84,240), Healthcare Social Worker ($81,310), Social and Community Service Manager ($75,390). 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 Midland instead of Odessa?
Midland, TX is 16.8 miles from Odessa 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 Odessa an affordable place to study social work?
Odessa’s median household income of $73,030 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Odessa 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
- 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 Texas
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Odessa
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Odessa:
- Criminal Justice programs in Odessa, TX
- Nursing programs in Odessa, TX
- Business Administration programs in Odessa, TX
- Computer Science programs in Odessa, TX
- Psychology programs in Odessa, TX
- Education programs in Odessa, TX
- Engineering programs in Odessa, TX
- Technology programs in Odessa, TX
- Liberal Arts programs in Odessa, TX
- Healthcare programs in Odessa, TX
- Cybersecurity programs in Odessa, TX
- Accounting programs in Odessa, TX
- Healthcare Administration programs in Odessa, TX
- Counseling programs in Odessa, TX
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.