11 Social Work colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $65,994.
These 11 Social Work programs in California aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
University of California-Berkeley leads the rankings, producing Social Work graduates earning $92,446 while maintaining a 99th percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $47,626 to $92,446 across these programs, demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
California State University-Los Angeles serves 66% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $59,211. Even better: these mobility-focused programs maintain excellent affordability, with top performers like UC Berkeley showing just a 4.7% payment burden. Access AND affordability delivered.
Earnings: $92,446 | Mobility: 99th percentile
66% Pell students with $59,211 earnings
4.7% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
11.7% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $78,988 | $15,000 | Excellent | $20,820 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Good | $25,565 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $64,172 | $16,552 | Good | $17,585 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $61,244 | $14,505 | Good | $12,050 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $59,977 | $14,715 | Excellent | $12,000 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $59,211 | $13,000 | Excellent | $12,526 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $47,626 | $18,000 | Good | $18,257 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
