Best Online Social Work Programs in Salem, VA (2026)

Salem, Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $9,700 to $26,681 per year for indexed programs. Salem has a population of about 25,477. Median household income is $66,716 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Roanoke, VA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $97,060 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Salem

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

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

Social Work Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Roanoke, VA metro area (BLS area code 40220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Virginia 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.

Salem at a Glance

Other Salem-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Roanoke, VA – 5.4 mi away (215,793 pop)
• Blacksburg, VA – 20.8 mi away (93,560 pop)
• Christiansburg, VA – 21.6 mi away (22,088 pop)
• Martinsville, VA – 43.0 mi away (34,132 pop)
• Lynchburg, VA – 48.1 mi away (123,795 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Salem, VA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Salem. The closest is Ferrum College in Ferrum, VA (24.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mary Baldwin University (80.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Salem are: Social Worker, All Other ($97,060), Social and Community Service Manager ($81,440), Healthcare Social Worker ($60,430). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Roanoke instead of Salem?

Roanoke, VA is 5.4 miles from Salem 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 Salem an affordable place to study social work?

Salem’s median household income of $66,716 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Virginia 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 Virginia
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Salem

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

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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.