2023 Best Social Work Master's Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Social Work Master's Degree School for You
In 2020-2021, 4,819 degrees and certificates were awarded to social work students who went to a California college or university. This makes it the #26 most popular major in the state.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Social Work Master's Degree Schools in California ranking. Our analysis looked at 23 schools in California to see which master's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Social Work Master's Degree Colleges.
Top 10 Best Social Work Master's Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named University of California - Berkeley the best school in California for social work students working on their master’s degree. Located in the midsize city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public school with a very large student population.
Read full report on Social Work at University of California - Berkeley
Request Information
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public college with a very large student population.
Full Social Work at University of California - Los Angeles Report
Request Information
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means San Jose State University is a great place for social work students working on their master’s degree. Located in the large city of San Jose, San Jose State is a public college with a very large student population.
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #4 on this year’s Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California list. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Read full report on Social Work at University of Southern California
Request Information
The excellent master’s degree programs at California State University - Stanislaus helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best social work schools in California. Located in the small suburb of Turlock, Stan State is a public college with a fairly large student population.
Read full report on Social Work at California State University - Stanislaus
Request Information
California State University - Fresno came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Fresno State is a very large public school located in the city of Fresno.
Read full report on Social Work at California State University - Fresno
Request Information
California State University - East Bay came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large public school located in the large suburb of Hayward.
Read full report on Social Work at California State University - East Bay
Request Information
California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for social work students to get a master’s degree. It came in at #8 on the list. CSUMB is a moderately-sized public school located in the midsize suburb of Seaside.
Read full report on Social Work at California State University - Monterey Bay
Request Information
California State University - Long Beach ranked #9 on this year’s Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public college with a very large student population.
Full Social Work at California State University - Long Beach Report
Request Information
San Francisco State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Social Work Master’s Degree Schools in California ranking. SFSU is a fairly large public school located in the large city of San Francisco.
Read full report on Social Work at San Francisco State University
Request InformationBest Social Work Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Social Work Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 678 |
| Oregon | 501 |
| Nevada | 462 |
| Hawaii | 199 |
| Alaska | 76 |
More Social Work Rankings in California
Social Work Related Rankings by Major
One of 5 majors within the area of study, social work has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Majors Related to Social Work
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | 16,905 |
| Human Services | 13,238 |
| Public Policy | 6,430 |
| Community Organization & Advocacy | 3,096 |
| Other Public Administration | 588 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 23 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Army Medicine.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.