Best Online Social Work Programs in Bellingham, WA (2026)

Bellingham, Washington has 4 accredited schools offering social work programs. Bellingham has a population of about 92,367. Median household income is $65,821 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 46.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Washington, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $102,520 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Bellingham

The 4 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 4 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Bellingham. Distances are calculated from Bellingham city center.

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

Social Work Wages Near Bellingham

Bellingham is part of the Bellingham, WA metro area (BLS area code 13380). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington 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.

Bellingham at a Glance

Other Bellingham-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Mount Vernon, WA – 24.1 mi away (68,613 pop)
• Oak Harbor, WA – 32.5 mi away (34,689 pop)
• Marysville, WA – 48.6 mi away (163,547 pop)
• Lake Stevens, WA – 54.6 mi away (31,679 pop)
• Sequim, WA – 55.0 mi away (20,330 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Bellingham, WA?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering social work programs near Bellingham. The closest is Edmonds College in Lynnwood, WA (65.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Highline College (94.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Bellingham are: Social Worker, All Other ($102,520), Social and Community Service Manager ($97,380), Healthcare Social Worker ($75,470). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Washington statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Mount Vernon instead of Bellingham?

Mount Vernon, WA is 24.1 miles from Bellingham 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 Bellingham an affordable place to study social work?

Bellingham’s median household income of $65,821 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bellingham while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Washington 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 Washington
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in Bellingham

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

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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.