California · Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions

Best colleges for Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions in California

Ranked by graduate earnings

InterCoast Colleges-West Covina, Cuesta College and East Los Angeles College award the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees and certificates in California: 220, 200 and 167 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 86 California colleges offer Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions and award 4,247 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program focuses on equipping students with the skills needed to support individuals facing mental health challenges and social issues. This program is ideal for those interested…

Institutions
86
offering CIP 51.15
States offered
51
with a program page
Degrees / yr
4,247
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$37,997
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
4
College Scorecard
Median net price
$25,135
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
49%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
$91,050
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 3 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Mt San Antonio College
Walnut Public · Certificate
$59,27814245%—$10,000
2InterCoast Colleges-West Covina
West Covina Private for-profit · Certificate
$37,99722097%$26,763$14,267
3Coalinga College
Coalinga Public · Certificate Small program
$71,517543%—$11,750

Colleges awarding the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees in California

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1InterCoast Colleges-West Covina
West Covina Private for-profit
220$37,997
2Cuesta College
San Luis Obispo Public
200Not reported
3East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park Public
167Not reported
4Mt San Antonio College
Walnut Public
142$59,278
5Palo Alto University
Palo Alto Private not-for-profit
135Not reported
6San Diego State University
San Diego Public
135Not reported
7Azusa Pacific University
Azusa Private not-for-profit
124Not reported
8Loma Linda University
Loma Linda Private not-for-profit
118Not reported
9Palo Verde College
Blythe Public
117Not reported
10Pacific Oaks College
Pasadena Private not-for-profit
65Not reported
Show the other 76 California colleges offering Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Touro University Worldwide (Online)Los AlamitosPrivate not-for-profit384
Northcentral University (Online)San DiegoPrivate not-for-profit347
Alliant International University - San Diego (Online)San DiegoPrivate for-profit263
University of Massachusetts Global (Online)Aliso ViejoPublic169
The Chicago School at Los Angeles (Online)Los AngelesPrivate not-for-profit125
San Bernardino Valley CollegeSan BernardinoPublic76
Fresno City CollegeFresnoPublic69
Fuller Theological Seminary (Graduate only)PasadenaPrivate not-for-profit69
University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesPrivate not-for-profit64
San Joaquin Delta CollegeStocktonPublic59
California State University - NorthridgeNorthridgePublic53
Palomar CollegeSan MarcosPublic52
Oxnard CollegeOxnardPublic50
San Diego City CollegeSan DiegoPublic49
Long Beach City CollegeLong BeachPublic46
California Lutheran UniversityThousand OaksPrivate not-for-profit43
Porterville CollegePortervillePublic43
Allan Hancock CollegeSanta MariaPublic42
University of San DiegoSan DiegoPrivate not-for-profit40
The Chicago School at Anaheim (Graduate only)AnaheimPrivate not-for-profit40
University of the PacificStocktonPrivate not-for-profit38
The Chicago School at San Diego (Graduate only)San DiegoPrivate not-for-profit38
Cypress CollegeCypressPublic37
University of RedlandsRedlandsPrivate not-for-profit32
City College of San FranciscoSan FranciscoPublic30
Daybreak UniversityAnaheimPrivate not-for-profit29
University of California-San Francisco (Graduate only)San FranciscoPublic28
Saddleback CollegeMission ViejoPublic27
Chapman UniversityOrangePrivate not-for-profit23
Diablo Valley CollegePleasant HillPublic23
Los Angeles Pierce CollegeWoodland HillsPublic23
Yuba CollegeMarysvillePublic23
Loyola Marymount UniversityLos AngelesPrivate not-for-profit20
Keck Graduate Institute (Graduate only)ClaremontPrivate not-for-profit20
Biola UniversityLa MiradaPrivate not-for-profit19
Napa Valley CollegeNapaPublic19
Glendale Community CollegeGlendalePublic18
San Jose City CollegeSan JosePublic17
California State University - Dominguez HillsCarsonPublic16
University of La VerneLa VernePrivate not-for-profit14
College of the RedwoodsEurekaPublic14
San Francisco State UniversitySan FranciscoPublic14
Antelope Valley Community College DistrictLancasterPublic13
Fresno Pacific UniversityFresnoPrivate not-for-profit13
Hacienda La Puente Adult EducationLa PuentePublic12
University of California-IrvineIrvinePublic11
Modesto Junior CollegeModestoPublic11
American River CollegeSacramentoPublic10
University of California-Los AngelesLos AngelesPublic10
Cerro Coso Community CollegeRidgecrestPublic10
Rio Hondo CollegeWhittierPublic10
West Los Angeles CollegeCulver CityPublic10
College of the DesertPalm DesertPublic9
Southern California University of Health Sciences (Online)WhittierPrivate not-for-profit9
Los Angeles City CollegeLos AngelesPublic9
California Nurses Educational InstituteRancho MiragePrivate for-profit9
University of the WestRosemeadPrivate not-for-profit7
Hartnell CollegeSalinasPublic6
Imperial Valley CollegeImperialPublic6
Merritt CollegeOaklandPublic6
Woodland Community CollegeWoodlandPublic6
Galaxy Medical CollegeNorth HollywoodPrivate for-profit6
Cabrillo CollegeAptosPublic5
Lake Tahoe Community CollegeSouth Lake TahoePublic5
Los Angeles Southwest CollegeLos AngelesPublic5
Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta BarbaraPublic5
Coalinga CollegeCoalingaPublic5
University of California-San DiegoLa JollaPublic3
California State University - FullertonFullertonPublic1
Southern California SeminaryEl CajonPrivate not-for-profit1
Mendocino CollegeUkiahPublic1
Mission CollegeSanta ClaraPublic1
College of San MateoSan MateoPublic1
Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoragaPrivate not-for-profit1
InterCoast Colleges-RiversideRiversidePrivate for-profit1
Agape College of Business and ScienceFresnoPrivate not-for-profit1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (SOC 21-1023).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+9.7%
Much faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~13,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$60,060
typically Master's degree

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoringLearning Strategies

What Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn in California

Jobs in California
19,860
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$91,050
median $79,000
Best-paying metro
$117,050
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Related careers

Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$71,940 avg · 60,310 jobs
Marriage and Family Therapists
$79,440 avg · 34,970 jobs
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
$91,050 avg · 19,860 jobs
Healthcare Social Workers
$93,840 avg · 17,690 jobs
Psychiatric Technicians
$58,780 avg · 14,100 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions programs in California.

Which California colleges award the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees?+

InterCoast Colleges-West Covina (220 graduates a year), Cuesta College (200 graduates a year) and East Los Angeles College (167 graduates a year) award the most Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 86 California colleges offer Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions.

Which Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Mt San Antonio College tops the list at $59,278. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earn in California?+

The average annual wage for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in California is $91,050 (median $79,000), across about 19,860 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program?+

The Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions program focuses on equipping students with the skills needed to support individuals facing mental health challenges and social issues. This program is ideal for those interested…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers?+

The national job outlook is about +9.7% growth with around 13,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions in other statesColoradoGeorgiaMinnesotaWashingtonNew HampshireKansasSouth DakotaIllinois

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card