Best Social Work Schools Near Wheeling, WV (2026)

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

Wheeling, West Virginia has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs. Wheeling has a population of about 26,670. Median household income is $48,498 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Healthcare Social Worker at a median $60,830 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to Wheeling

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Wheeling, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Wheeling 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 Wheeling. 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

West Virginia Northern Community College

Wheeling, WV 1.6 miles from Wheeling
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $30,162
Avg net price $5,329/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Social Work Wages Near Wheeling

Wheeling is part of the Wheeling, WV-OH metro area (BLS area code 48540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to West Virginia statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker $50,450 Wheeling, WV-OH $57,135
Healthcare Social Worker $60,830 Wheeling, WV-OH $68,890
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker $45,920 Wheeling, WV-OH $52,005
Social Worker, All Other $60,570 Wheeling, WV-OH $68,596
Social and Community Service Manager $60,010 Wheeling, WV-OH $67,961
Social and Human Service Assistant $36,960 Wheeling, WV-OH $41,857
Community Health Worker $37,950 WV statewide $42,978

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.

Wheeling at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,670 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $48,498 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 32.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Social Work-related employment in Ohio County 706 workers, 99 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Wheeling-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Wheeling, WV?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Wheeling. The closest is West Virginia Northern Community College in Wheeling, WV (1.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Eastern Gateway Community College (20.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Wheeling are: Healthcare Social Worker ($60,830), Social Worker, All Other ($60,570), Social and Community Service Manager ($60,010). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with West Virginia statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Weirton instead of Wheeling?

Weirton, WV is 23.8 miles from Wheeling 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 Wheeling an affordable place to study social work?

Wheeling’s median household income of $48,498 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wheeling while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and West 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

Other Programs Available in Wheeling

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

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.

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