Social Work Degree Programs in Panama City, FL (2026)

Quick answer: Child, Family, and School Social Workers in the Panama City area earn a median $48,940 per year, below the national median of $59,550, and the metro employs about 170 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Social Work Pay in Panama City, FL

MetricPanama City metroFloridaNational
Median annual wage$48,940$56,550$59,550
10th percentile$37,510$39,760$42,280
25th percentile$46,420$47,130$48,270
75th percentile$60,510$64,940$76,070
90th percentile$76,790$79,580$95,530
Employment17014,000392,550
Location quotient0.74-1.00

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metropolitan statistical area.

What the Numbers Say About This Market

The Panama City median of $48,940 is below the national median of $59,550, and below the Florida statewide median of $56,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

The metro’s location quotient of 0.74 means child, family, and school social workers are less concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.

Social work demand follows local school districts, hospital systems, county agencies and nonprofit providers.

Other Florida Metro Areas

Metro areaMedian annual wageEmployment
Miami$59,7104,460
Tampa$58,5402,160
Orlando$56,9301,460
Jacksonville$55,6301,050
Cape Coral$55,650610
Lakeland$53,800510
North Port$56,070430
Deltona$52,220330

Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Licensing

Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor’s and master’s level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master’s plus supervised post-graduate experience.

See the Florida licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.

Schools Near You

Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.

How We Rank Schools

We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
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 federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#2

Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL 80.7 miles away BOC Score 86.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 84.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 13
  • Annual completions: 2581
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $66,924 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

University of South Florida

Tampa, FL 243.1 miles away BOC Score 81.8
Tuition $6,410 - $22,859
Contact
Key stats
  • Admission rate: 43.2%
  • Graduation rate: 75.7%
  • Programs offered: 19
  • Annual completions: 1522
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $62,079 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

St Petersburg College

St. Petersburg, FL 245.5 miles away BOC Score 74.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 56
  • Annual completions: 2563
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,088 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

University of West Florida

Pensacola, FL 98.7 miles away BOC Score 66.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 60.3% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 15
  • Annual completions: 743
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $67,723 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Pasco-Hernando State College

New Port Richey, FL 221.4 miles away BOC Score 65.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 67
  • Annual completions: 1097
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,981 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

Jacksonville University

Jacksonville, FL 239.7 miles away BOC Score 54.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 53.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 13
  • Annual completions: 165
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $77,058 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do child, family, and school social workers make in Panama City?

The median annual wage for child, family, and school social workers in the Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metro area is $48,940, below the national median of $59,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many child, family, and school social workers work in the Panama City area?

The Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL metro area employs about 170 child, family, and school social workers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Do child, family, and school social workers in Panama City need a license?

Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Social work licensure is tiered, and both the tier names and what each permits differ by state. The national constants are CSWE accreditation of the degree - required at both bachelor's and master's level - and the ASWB examinations. Clinical practice requires the master's plus supervised post-graduate experience. Confirm current requirements with your state social work licensing board.

Can I study social work online from Panama City?

The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state social work licensing board.

Is Panama City a better market than the rest of Florida?

The Panama City metro median is $48,940 against a statewide median of $56,550 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.

Sources

  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Child, Family, and School Social Workers (SOC 21-1021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
  • U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements

Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.