2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Work in California
25
Ranked Colleges
3,075
Degrees Awarded
$55,218
Avg Salary
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 58,326 people earned their degree in social work, making the major the 13th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, social work graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $37,651 and had an average of $26,679 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 4,819 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,229 and $20,404 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 3,075 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California” ranking looked at 25 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social work. That schools that top this list have a program in social work in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California
The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California”.
Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Work in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 888 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at University of Southern California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Baptist University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. California Baptist University is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 108 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Cal Baptist Social Work Report
Out of the 25 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Azusa Pacific University landed the #3 spot on the list. Azusa Pacific University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Azusa, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 84 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at Azusa Pacific University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Stanislaus. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. Turlock, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 87 students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Stan State Social Work Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Bakersfield. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school handed out 81 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - Bakersfield
Humboldt State University ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. Located in Arcata, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 49 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Social Work at Humboldt State University
Brandman University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. Brandman is located in Irvine, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 83 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at Brandman University
California State University - San Bernardino landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large school located in San Bernardino, California that handed out 104 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Full California State University - San Bernardino Social Work Report
California State University - Long Beach ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 236 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at CSULB
California State University - Chico landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. Chico State is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 97 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full California State University - Chico Social Work Report
With a ranking of #11, California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. This medium-sized school is located in Seaside, California, and it awarded 42 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at CSUMB
California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Carson, California, this fairly large public school awarded 86 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at CSUDH
San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. San Jose State is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 162 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full San Jose State Social Work Report
California State University - Los Angeles came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 110 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at Cal State LA
California State University - East Bay ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school awarded 74 diplomas to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - East Bay
California State University - San Marcos landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. San Marcos, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 58 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - San Marcos
California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #17. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 148 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Social Work at CSUN
California State University - Sacramento came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 100 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Sac State Social Work Report
With a ranking of #19, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 104 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about Social Work at SDSU
California State University - Fullerton landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - Fullerton
California State University - Fresno came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school awarded 54 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - Fresno
University of California - Los Angeles came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 87 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at UCLA
University of California - Berkeley landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. University of California - Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 86 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full UC Berkeley Social Work Report
San Francisco State University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 38 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Social Work at San Francisco State University
Northcentral University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. Northcentral University is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about Social Work at Northcentral University
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