Best colleges for Social Work in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
San Francisco State University, University of California-Berkeley and California State University - Long Beach are the top bachelor's Social Work programs in California by graduate earnings. San Francisco State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,750, College Scorecard. University of Southern California, California State University - Los Angeles and California State University - Long Beach award the most Social Work degrees in California: 490, 365 and 317 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 37 California colleges offer Social Work and award 4,577 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Social Work program prepares students to support individuals and communities in overcoming challenges and improving their well-being. This field focuses on advocacy, education, and resource connection, making it ideal for those…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree | $48,750 | 91 | 50% | — | $17,259 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,906 | 192 | 93% | — | $13,719 |
| 3 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $42,925 | 317 | 69% | — | $11,276 |
| 4 | Fresno Pacific University Fresno Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $40,458 | 85 | 50% | $14,298 | $25,000 |
| 5 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public · Bachelor's degree | $39,145 | 200 | 55% | — | $13,018 |
| 6 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,477 | 365 | 53% | — | $11,000 |
| 7 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,290 | 233 | 56% | — | $18,000 |
| 8 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,916 | 220 | 76% | — | $15,176 |
| 9 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,840 | 168 | 63% | — | $17,000 |
| 10 | California State Polytechnic University - Humboldt Arcata Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,693 | 107 | 49% | — | $23,286 |
Colleges awarding the most Social Work degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 490 | Not reported |
| 2 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 365 | $37,477 |
| 3 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 317 | $42,925 |
| 4 | San Jose State University San Jose Public | 287 | Not reported |
| 5 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public | 233 | $37,290 |
| 6 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 220 | $36,916 |
| 7 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit | 211 | Not reported |
| 8 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public | 200 | $39,145 |
| 9 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 192 | $44,906 |
| 10 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public | 189 | $34,447 |
ShowHide the other 27 California colleges offering Social Work
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Healthcare Social Workers (SOC 21-1022).
Top skills
What Healthcare Social Workers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Social Work programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Social Work degrees?+
University of Southern California (490 graduates a year), California State University - Los Angeles (365 graduates a year) and California State University - Long Beach (317 graduates a year) award the most Social Work degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 37 California colleges offer Social Work.
What is the best college for Social Work in California?+
By graduate earnings, San Francisco State University leads among bachelor's Social Work programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $48,750, College Scorecard. University of California-Berkeley and California State University - Long Beach follow. By degrees awarded, University of Southern California is the largest, with 490 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Social Work program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, San Francisco State University tops the list at $48,750. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Healthcare Social Workers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Healthcare Social Workers in California is $93,840 (median $89,660), across about 17,690 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Social Work program?+
The Social Work program prepares students to support individuals and communities in overcoming challenges and improving their well-being. This field focuses on advocacy, education, and resource connection, making it ideal for those…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Healthcare Social Workers?+
The national job outlook is about +7.7% growth with around 18,400 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).
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.
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