Best Online Social Work Programs in University Place, WA (2026)

University Place, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. University Place has a population of about 34,850. Median household income is $94,952 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $106,400 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to University Place

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

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

Social Work Wages Near University Place

University Place is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area (BLS area code 42660). 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.

University Place at a Glance

Other University Place-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Lakewood, WA – 3.7 mi away (60,665 pop)
• Tacoma, WA – 4.8 mi away (211,277 pop)
• Federal Way, WA – 11.8 mi away (96,757 pop)
• Puyallup, WA – 12.3 mi away (40,640 pop)
• Des Moines, WA – 16.3 mi away (31,172 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near University Place, WA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near University Place. The closest is University of Washington-Tacoma Campus in Tacoma, WA (5.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Washington-Seattle Campus (32.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near University Place?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near University Place are: Social and Community Service Manager ($106,400), Social Worker, All Other ($105,570), Healthcare Social Worker ($83,550). 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 Lakewood instead of University Place?

Lakewood, WA is 3.7 miles from University Place 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 University Place an affordable place to study social work?

University Place’s median household income of $94,952 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in University Place 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 University Place

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

• Criminal Justice programs in University Place, WA
• Nursing programs in University Place, WA
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• Liberal Arts programs in University Place, WA
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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.