2026 Best Human Services Schools in California
Human Services is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
College Factual analyzed 74 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best human services schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Human Services in California
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the human services degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Human Services
Our analysis ranked California State University Monterey Bay the best school in the country for a degree in human services. Located in the suburb of Seaside, California State University Monterey Bay is a moderately-sized public university. California State University Monterey Bay graduates 59% of students within six years. California State University Monterey Bay awarded about 71 human services degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from California State University Monterey Bay generally make around $37,501. California State University Monterey Bay graduates carry a median of $14,480 in student loans.
Read more about the human services program at California State University Monterey Bay
Students looking for a strong human services program will find one at University Of San Diego, which ranked #2. Located in the city of San Diego, University Of San Diego is a large private not-for-profit university. University Of San Diego graduates 84% of students within six years. About 13 human services degrees were awarded at University Of San Diego in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from University Of San Diego generally make around $68,281. Typical student debt for the program is $23,795.
Read more about the human services program at University Of San Diego
California State University Fullerton is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in human services, landing the #3 spot this year. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Fullerton. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. There were roughly 219 human services students who graduated with this degree at California State University Fullerton in the most recent data year. Students who receive their human services degree from California State University Fullerton earn around $54,471 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,525.
More information about a degree in human services from California State University Fullerton
Fresno City College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best human services schools. Fresno City College is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno. About 42 human services degrees were awarded at Fresno City College in the most recent year. Graduates of the human services program make about $37,470 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $6,334 to complete this degree.
See the full human services program report for Fresno City College
Students looking for a strong human services program will find one at California State University Dominguez Hills, which ranked #5. California State University Dominguez Hills is a large public school located in the city of Carson. California State University Dominguez Hills graduates 43% of students within six years. About 65 human services degrees were awarded at California State University Dominguez Hills in the most recent year. Graduates of the human services program make about $52,683 in their early career. California State University Dominguez Hills graduates carry a median of $15,886 in student loans.
More information about a degree in human services from California State University Dominguez Hills
Santa Rosa Junior College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best human services schools. Santa Rosa Junior College is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Rosa. About 55 human services degrees were awarded at Santa Rosa Junior College in the most recent year. Human Services graduates of Santa Rosa Junior College earn a median of $80,047 early in their careers. Santa Rosa Junior College graduates carry a median of $14,692 in student loans.
Read more about the human services program at Santa Rosa Junior College
Santa Ana College placed #7 among the best human services schools. Located in the city of Santa Ana, Santa Ana College is a very large public university. Santa Ana College awarded about 28 human services degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their human services degree from Santa Ana College earn around $39,633 in the first couple years of their career. Santa Ana College graduates carry a median of $11,196 in student loans.
See the full human services program report for Santa Ana College
California Baptist University earned the #8 position for human services this year. Located in the city of Riverside, California Baptist University is a large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 62% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 12 human services degrees were awarded at California Baptist University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from California Baptist University generally make around $51,999. Students borrow a median of $28,169 to complete this degree.
Get the full human services details for California Baptist University
Shasta College ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best human services schools. Shasta College is a large public school located in the suburb of Redding. About 56 human services degrees were awarded at Shasta College in the most recent year. Students who receive their human services degree from Shasta College earn around $50,330 in the first couple years of their career. Shasta College graduates carry a median of $12,275 in student loans.
Read more about the human services program at Shasta College
Rio Hondo College came in at #10 for human services this year. Located in the rural area of Whittier, Rio Hondo College is a very large public university. Rio Hondo College awarded about 45 human services degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the human services program make about $95,666 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $15,510 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in human services from Rio Hondo College
Napa Valley College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best human services schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the city of Napa. There were roughly 11 human services students who graduated with this degree at Napa Valley College in the most recent data year.
See the full human services program report for Napa Valley College
Cerritos College placed #12 among the best human services schools. Cerritos College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Norwalk. Cerritos College awarded about 48 human services degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Cerritos College generally make around $29,495. Cerritos College graduates carry a median of $11,306 in student loans.
Read more about the human services program at Cerritos College
Southwestern College Chula Vista ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best human services schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Chula Vista. There were roughly 43 human services students who graduated with this degree at Southwestern College Chula Vista in the most recent data year. Human Services graduates of Southwestern College Chula Vista earn a median of $49,358 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $11,205 to complete this degree.
Read more about the human services program at Southwestern College Chula Vista
Modesto Junior College earned the #14 position for human services this year. Located in the city of Modesto, Modesto Junior College is a very large public university. About 33 human services degrees were awarded at Modesto Junior College in the most recent year. Graduates of the human services program make about $36,525 in their early career. Modesto Junior College graduates carry a median of $8,575 in student loans.
More information about a degree in human services from Modesto Junior College
Cypress College ranked #15 on our 2026 list of the best human services schools. Located in the city of Cypress, Cypress College is a very large public university. Cypress College awarded about 25 human services degrees in the most recent data year.
See the full human services program report for Cypress College
Folsom Lake College ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the best human services schools. Folsom Lake College is a large public school located in the city of Folsom. About 66 human services degrees were awarded at Folsom Lake College in the most recent year.
See the full human services program report for Folsom Lake College
Moreno Valley College came in at #17 for human services this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Moreno Valley. There were roughly 39 human services students who graduated with this degree at Moreno Valley College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the human services program make about $45,515 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $12,643 to complete this degree.
See the full human services program report for Moreno Valley College
Ashford University came in at #18 for human services this year. Ashford University is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of San Diego. Roughly 10% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 84 human services degrees were awarded at Ashford University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Ashford University generally make around $48,476. Students borrow a median of $39,515 to complete this degree.
Get the full human services details for Ashford University
Long Beach City College came in at #19 for human services this year. Long Beach City College is a very large public school located in the city of Long Beach. There were roughly 29 human services students who graduated with this degree at Long Beach City College in the most recent data year. Students borrow a median of $6,000 to complete this degree.
See the full human services program report for Long Beach City College
City College Of San Francisco earned the #20 position for human services this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, City College Of San Francisco is a very large public university. There were roughly 11 human services students who graduated with this degree at City College Of San Francisco in the most recent data year. Students who receive their human services degree from City College Of San Francisco earn around $100,031 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $10,332 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in human services from City College Of San Francisco
Solano Community College came in at #21 for human services this year. Located in the suburb of Fairfield, Solano Community College is a large public university. About 34 human services degrees were awarded at Solano Community College in the most recent year. Solano Community College graduates carry a median of $10,500 in student loans.
More information about a degree in human services from Solano Community College
San Diego City College earned the #22 position for human services this year. This very large public university is located in the city of San Diego. About 43 human services degrees were awarded at San Diego City College in the most recent year. Graduates of the human services program make about $26,218 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,514.
Get the full human services details for San Diego City College
Cuyamaca College landed the #23 spot for human services this year. Cuyamaca College is a large public school located in the suburb of El Cajon. Cuyamaca College awarded about 38 human services degrees in the most recent data year.
Read more about the human services program at Cuyamaca College
Cabrillo College came in at #24 for human services this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Aptos. About 23 human services degrees were awarded at Cabrillo College in the most recent year. Human Services graduates of Cabrillo College earn a median of $47,750 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $10,425.
Get the full human services details for Cabrillo College
Contra Costa College earned the #25 position for human services this year. Located in the suburb of San Pablo, Contra Costa College is a moderately-sized public university. About 23 human services degrees were awarded at Contra Costa College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, human services degree recipients from Contra Costa College generally make around $65,024. Contra Costa College graduates carry a median of $11,602 in student loans.
Get the full human services details for Contra Costa College
Rest of the Top 31 Human Services Schools
Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong human services education:
More Human Services Rankings
View All Human Services Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 74 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
