Best Social Work Colleges in California (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 16 colleges in California that report earnings for their Social Work graduates, ordered by median earnings of Social Work graduates four years after completing. La Sierra University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $69,244 four years after completing.
Across the 13 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $69,244 to $32,711, with a median of $59,545. For 3 of the 16 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 11 of the 16 schools, or 69%, alongside 5 private nonprofits. California State University-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price on the page at $3,967, while University of California-Berkeley reports the highest six-year completion rate at 93%.
California State University-Los Angeles ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Social Work Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Sierra University · Riverside, CA | $69,244 | $45,566 | $44,988 | 91.5% |
| La Sierra University reports $69,244 in median earnings for its Social Work graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate is 60%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (16 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $69,201 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
| With an average net price of $4,564, California State University-San Bernardino ranks 2nd on this list and posts a 55% six-year completion rate. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (43 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($69,201) | |||||
| 3 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $68,524 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University admits 96% of applicants and shows median earnings of $68,524 for its Social Work graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (28 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($68,524) | |||||
| 4 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $68,448 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| California State University-Long Beach ranks 5th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Social Work graduates earn a median of $68,448 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (72 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($68,448) | |||||
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $67,393 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley graduates 93% of its students within six years, and its Social Work graduates earn a median of $67,393 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (88 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($67,393) | |||||
| 6 | Fresno Pacific University · Fresno, CA | $61,951 | $13,630 | $11,133 | 64.1% |
| A private nonprofit university in Fresno, Fresno Pacific University reports median earnings of $61,951 for its Social Work graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (81 graduates) | |||||
| 7 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $59,545 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
| California State University-Los Angeles carries an average net price of $3,967 and ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (227 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($59,545) | |||||
| 8 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $58,280 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| Median earnings of $58,280 for its Social Work graduates four years after completing accompany a 56% six-year completion rate at California State University-Sacramento. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (196 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($58,280) | |||||
| 9 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $57,953 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
| With an admission rate of 98%, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt reports median earnings of $57,953 for its Social Work graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (60 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($57,953) | |||||
| 10 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $57,146 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
| California State University-Chico ranks 10th on this list and posts a 63% six-year completion rate, with an average net price of $14,480. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (66 graduates), Public Administration (12 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($57,146) | |||||
| 11 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $56,674 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| San Diego State University admits 36% of applicants and graduates 76% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (105 graduates), Public Administration (76 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Public Administration ($57,264), Social Work ($56,674) | |||||
| 12 | California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA | $56,038 | $7,000 | $5,105 | 95.3% |
| California State University-Fresno reports median earnings of $56,038 for its Social Work graduates four years after completing, and its average net price is $7,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (111 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Social Work ($56,038) | |||||
| 13 | Mount Saint Mary's University · Los Angeles, CA | No published median | $21,413 | $23,849 | 73.1% |
| Mount Saint Mary's University ranks 13th on this list and reports an average net price of $21,413. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Public Policy Analysis (11 graduates), Social Work (11 graduates) | |||||
| 14 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $38,289 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
| San Jose State University reports median earnings of $38,289 for its Social Work graduates two years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 69%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (79 graduates) | |||||
| 15 | Whittier College · Whittier, CA | $33,281 | $25,757 | $21,718 | 80.8% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Whittier, Whittier College admits 81% of applicants and posts an average net price of $21,718 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (16 graduates) | |||||
| 16 | Azusa Pacific University · Azusa, CA | $32,711 | $22,212 | $15,781 | 88.4% |
| Azusa Pacific University reports median earnings of $32,711 for its Social Work graduates two years after completing and ranks 481st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Social Work (36 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Social Work graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Social Work earnings cohort in California appear. The median is for federally aided completers working and not enrolled four years after completing. For 3 of the 16 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 13 schools with a published figure. La Sierra University and California State University-San Bernardino are separated by $43.
Job market context in California
The Bureau of Labor Statistics links Social Work to occupations such as Social and Human Service Assistants, Child, Family, and School Social Workers, and Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs in California. Across those occupations the median annual wage is $71,783, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $56,352. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 83,870 openings a year, or about 3,215 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 12.3% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which are not the same measure as the occupation-wide wages described here.
Related rankings
- Public Administration Colleges in the United States
- Best Colleges in California
- Best Public Administration Colleges in Missouri
- Best Social Work Colleges in New Jersey
- Best Social Work Colleges in New York
- Best Public Administration Colleges in Tennessee
- Public Administration Colleges in California for Social Mobility
- Social Work Colleges in California for Social Mobility