2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 56,762 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, social work is the 8th most popular major in the United States.
Across California, there were 4,945 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 3,290 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered a degree in social work. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent social work programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the social work program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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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 “Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California.
Top 24 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Work in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Long Beach. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California list. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 230 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - San Bernardino landed the #2 spot on the list. California State University - San Bernardino is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 99 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSB, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - San Bernardino are $17,936.
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 Master’s in California. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 49 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree social work students list, Fresno State has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fresno are $17,581.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 79 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree social work students list, UCLA has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Los Angeles are $28,131.
Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #5 spot on the list. University of California - Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 91 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347.
San Diego State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 126 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - East Bay came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Cal State East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 75 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
Cal State East Bay did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State East Bay are $17,828, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
San Jose State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 156 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State University are $18,790, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Los Angeles came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 174 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree social work students list, Cal State LA has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Full California State University - Los Angeles Social Work Report
California State University - Northridge came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 184 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUN, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Northridge are $17,955, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - Northridge
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #11. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 78 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Sac State are $18,356, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - Sacramento
California State University - Chico came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 41 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree social work students list, Chico State has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Chico are $18,802, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Azusa Pacific University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Azusa, California, and it awarded 78 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree social work students list, Azusa Pacific has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Azusa Pacific University are $16,571.
California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #14. CSUMB is a medium-sized school located in Seaside, California that handed out 42 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree social work students list, CSUMB has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUMB are $18,081, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
San Francisco State University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.
SFSU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Francisco State University are $17,944, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Stanislaus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school awarded 89 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stan State, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stan State are $18,540, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - Stanislaus
California State University - Fullerton came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 93 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Social Work at California State University - Fullerton
California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in Carson, California, and it awarded 99 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
CSUDH also took the #20 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Dominguez Hills are $17,884, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Brandman University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California list. Brandman is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 28 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brandman, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Brandman are $12,540, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
With a ranking of #20, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California list. Cal Baptist is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 88 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.
Cal Baptist also made our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #18. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal Baptist are $14,140.
California State University - Bakersfield ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California list. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 70 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
CSUB also took the #23 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUB are $18,437, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Humboldt State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Arcata, California. It awarded 48 masters’s social work degrees in 2019-2020.
Humboldt State University also took the #22 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Humboldt State University are $18,802, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Social Work at Humboldt State University
California State University - San Marcos did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #23. 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 61 students in 2019-2020.
CSUSM also took the #24 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - San Marcos are $18,661, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Social Work at California State University - San Marcos
University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Work Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #24. USC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,200 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
USC also took the #1 spot in our “Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Army Medicine.
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