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

Ellensburg, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Ellensburg has a population of about 18,913. Median household income is $49,888 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 41.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Washington, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $103,000 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Ellensburg

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

#1

Heritage University

Toppenish, WA 43.9 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score50.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Highline College

Des Moines, WA 86.5 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score68.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#3

Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma, WA 89.7 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score73.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA 90.5 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score83.8
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 94.2 miles from Ellensburg BOC Score89.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Social Work Wages Near Ellensburg

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Washington, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$74,480
Healthcare Social Worker$78,570
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$70,460
Social Worker, All Other$102,520
Social and Community Service Manager$103,000
Social and Human Service Assistant$54,770
Community Health Worker$57,070

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.


Ellensburg at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population18,913Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$49,888Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+41.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Kittitas County518 workers, 31 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ellensburg-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Ellensburg. The closest is Heritage University in Toppenish, WA (43.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Washington-Seattle Campus (94.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in Washington are: Social and Community Service Manager ($103,000), Social Worker, All Other ($102,520), Healthcare Social Worker ($78,570). Wages for Ellensburg workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Yakima instead of Ellensburg?

Yakima, WA is 28.2 miles from Ellensburg 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 Ellensburg an affordable place to study social work?

Ellensburg’s median household income of $49,888 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ellensburg 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

Other Programs Available in Ellensburg

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

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.