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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $30-$48k) in California

17 Ranked Colleges
1,465 Degrees Awarded
$12,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 56,762 social work students received their degree, making the major the 8th most popular in the country.

Across California, there were 4,945 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,465 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking looked at 17 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social work. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great social work programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The social work school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k”.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Social Work (Income $30-$48k) in California

#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 224 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $2,117 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.

The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 full report on Social Work at Cal State LA

#1 in overall quality

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 90 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Berkeley is $9,130 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at UC Berkeley

#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Fresno State is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 119 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $3,731 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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 87%.

Read more about Social Work at Fresno State

#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. CSULB is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 69 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB also took the #7 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $7,595 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 full report on Social Work at California State University - Long Beach

#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - San Bernardino. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. This fairly large school is located in San Bernardino, California, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Bernardino is $5,869 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Social Work at California State University - San Bernardino

#6

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#6 in overall quality

San Diego State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 106 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,594 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SDSU.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SDSU Social Work Report

#8 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 244 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $7,823 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Sac State.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Social Work at California State University - Sacramento

#8

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#4 in overall quality

San Francisco State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. SFSU is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 23 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,517 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SFSU.

Full SFSU Social Work Report

#9

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#3 in overall quality

San Jose State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 77 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social work students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $11,752 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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 San Jose State University

#15 in overall quality

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. California State University - East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Cal State East Bay not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal State East Bay is $8,891 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k.

Full Cal State East Bay Social Work Report

#10 in overall quality

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s social work degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.

Chico State also took the #10 spot in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,576 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Chico State.

The 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 California State University - Chico

#12

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California
#18 in overall quality

Humboldt State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 52 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k list, Humboldt State University has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $12,775 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Social Work at Humboldt State University

#13

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, California
#13 in overall quality

Fresno Pacific University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #13. Fresno Pacific University is located in Fresno, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 79 bachelors’s social work degrees to qualified students.

Fresno Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Fresno Pacific University is $14,346 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Social Work at Fresno Pacific University

#14

La Sierra University

Riverside, California
#12 in overall quality

La Sierra University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. La Sierra is a small school located in Riverside, California that handed out 17 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

La Sierra also made our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for La Sierra University is $21,494 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 La Sierra Social Work Report

#15

Whittier College

Whittier, California
#16 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Whittier College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Whittier College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Whittier, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k list, Whittier has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Whittier is $20,721 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Whittier Social Work Report

#16

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#14 in overall quality

Azusa Pacific University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Azusa Pacific University is a medium-sized school located in Azusa, California that handed out 48 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

Azusa Pacific did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $23,272 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Work students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Azusa Pacific.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive 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.

Full Azusa Pacific Social Work Report

#17

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, California
#17 in overall quality

Mount Saint Mary’s University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 22 bachelors’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.

MSMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Social Work Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $27,376 for california bachelor’s degree social work students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend MSMU.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full MSMU Social Work Report

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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