Best Social Work Schools Near Vancouver, WA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Vancouver, Washington has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Vancouver has a population of about 192,696. Median household income is $78,156 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Healthcare Social Worker at a median $85,790 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Vancouver

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Vancouver, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Vancouver city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Vancouver. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Saint Martin's University

Lacey, WA 97.7 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
44.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,092
Avg net price $28,119/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pacific Lutheran University

Tacoma, WA 104.6 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,990
Avg net price $19,589/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

Tacoma, WA 111.5 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $10,163/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Heritage University

Toppenish, WA 117.4 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
50.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,416
Avg net price $14,598/yr
Tuition
In‑state$20,928
Out‑of‑state$20,928
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Highline College

Des Moines, WA 121.9 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,869
Avg net price $9,879/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,772
Out‑of‑state$5,332
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Seattle University

Seattle, WA 137.0 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,272
Avg net price $34,662/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA 140.3 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
89.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,466
Avg net price $14,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 234

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Edmonds College

Lynnwood, WA 151.2 miles from Vancouver
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
67.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,144
Avg net price $11,010/yr
Tuition
In‑state$4,810
Out‑of‑state$10,875
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:Accreditor: Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Social Work Wages Near Vancouver

Vancouver is part of the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area (BLS area code 38900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Washington statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $66,910 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $63,482
Healthcare Social Worker $85,790 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $81,395
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $73,740 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $69,962
Social Worker, All Other $67,820 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $64,345
Social and Community Service Manager $85,600 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $81,214
Social and Human Service Assistant $51,710 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $49,061
Community Health Worker $55,550 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $52,704

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.

Vancouver at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 192,696 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $78,156 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 31.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 105.4 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Clark County 8,199 workers, 503 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Vancouver-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Vancouver. The closest is University of Portland in Portland, OR (7.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Clackamas Community College (21.6 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Vancouver are: Healthcare Social Worker ($85,790), Social and Community Service Manager ($85,600), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($73,740). 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 Portland instead of Vancouver?

Portland, OR is 7.2 miles from Vancouver 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 Vancouver an affordable place to study social work?

Vancouver’s median household income of $78,156 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Vancouver 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 Vancouver

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.

Back to Best Social Work Schools in Washington: Online Programs (2026)