Best Online Social Work Programs in La Crosse, WI (2026)

La Crosse, Wisconsin has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $50,320 to $62,845 per year for indexed programs. La Crosse has a population of about 51,791. Median household income is $53,803 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 34.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $81,640 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Social Work Schools to La Crosse

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

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

Social Work Wages Near La Crosse

La Crosse is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area (BLS area code 29100). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Wisconsin 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.

La Crosse at a Glance

Other La Crosse-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

• Winona, MN – 27.0 mi away (30,208 pop)
• Rochester, MN – 63.6 mi away (114,976 pop)
• Eau Claire, WI – 70.1 mi away (106,681 pop)
• Wisconsin Rapids, WI – 79.9 mi away (28,406 pop)
• Austin, MN – 87.8 mi away (25,105 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near La Crosse, WI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near La Crosse. The closest is Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI (1.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Luther College (45.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near La Crosse?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near La Crosse are: Social and Community Service Manager ($81,640), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($66,770), Child, Family, and School Social Worker ($63,480). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Wisconsin statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Winona instead of La Crosse?

Winona, MN is 27.0 miles from La Crosse 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 La Crosse an affordable place to study social work?

La Crosse’s median household income of $53,803 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Crosse while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
• Social Work programs by state

Other Programs Available in La Crosse

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

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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.