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2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California

25 Ranked Colleges
3,073 Degrees Awarded
$27,800 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 57,401 social work students received their degree, making the major the 9th most popular in the country.

Across California, there were 4,817 social work graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 3,073 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.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California” list to help you make the college decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

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

1
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. USC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 888 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. 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 impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full University of Southern California Social Work Report

2
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

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, California Baptist University landed the #2 spot on the list. Cal Baptist 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%.

Read more about Social Work at Cal Baptist

3
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Azusa Pacific University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. Azusa, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Social Work at Azusa Pacific

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Stanislaus. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California. 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.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 full report on Social Work at California State University - Stanislaus

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Bakersfield. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. CSUB is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 81 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Social Work at California State University - Bakersfield

6
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

With a ranking of #6, Humboldt State University 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 Arcata, California, and it awarded 49 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Social Work at Humboldt State University

7
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California

Brandman University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 83 masters’s social work degrees 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%.

Full Brandman University Social Work Report

8

California State University - Long Beach came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 236 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full CSULB Social Work Report

9

California State University - San Bernardino came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. CSUSB is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 102 masters’s social work degrees to qualified students.

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

Read full report on Social Work at California State University - San Bernardino

10

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #10. California State University - Chico is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 97 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%.

Read more about Social Work at California State University - Chico

11

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. California State University - Monterey Bay is a public institution located in Seaside, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 42 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on Social Work at California State University - Monterey Bay

12

With a ranking of #12, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. CSUDH is a fairly large public school situated in Carson, California. It awarded 86 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

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 more about Social Work at CSUDH

13
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

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 University is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 162 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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 more about Social Work at San Jose State

14

California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 110 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Los Angeles Social Work Report

15

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #15. California State University - East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 74 masters’s social work degrees 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%.

Full California State University - East Bay Social Work Report

16

California State University - San Marcos ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. California State University - San Marcos is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 58 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 California State University - San Marcos

17

California State University - Northridge landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. California State University - Northridge is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 148 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

18

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 California State University - Sacramento Social Work Report

19
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 104 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Work at SDSU

20

California State University - Fullerton came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 107 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 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 full report on Social Work at Cal State Fullerton

21

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #21. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 54 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%.

Read more about Social Work at California State University - Fresno

22

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 87 masters’s social work degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UCLA Social Work Report

23

With a ranking of #23, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 86 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Social Work at University of California - Berkeley

24
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco 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 #24. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s social work degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 San Francisco State University

25
Northcentral University crest
Northcentral University
San Diego, California

Northcentral University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Work Major in California ranking, coming in at #25. Located in San Diego, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 2 degrees to qualified masters’s social work students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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 Northcentral University

Notes and References

References

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