California · BSW programs by city
Best BSW Programs near Los Angeles, CA (2026)
Published · Last updated
Edited by Zoe MacDougall, BS in Psychology
Los Angeles, California (population 3,820,914) has 1 CSWE-accredited BSW program based in the city , with 6 more accredited programs within about 60 miles. 6 California programs also offer an online option. Every program below is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the requirement for baccalaureate social work education and for Advanced Standing admission to an MSW.
Studying for a BSW in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles offers BSW students the widest range of social-work settings in the country. With more than 3.8 million residents in the city and nearly 10 million across the county, Los Angeles concentrates almost every field of practice in one place: child welfare, public mental health, healthcare, school social work, homelessness, immigration, and aging services.
For a baccalaureate student, that scale means field placements and entry-level jobs across an unusually broad set of agencies, plus daily exposure to the diverse, multilingual communities that define social-work practice in Southern California. It also means you can test several specializations before committing to one, since hospitals, schools, county departments, and nonprofits all operate within the same metro.
Los Angeles is a major hub for social work education as well, with BSW and MSW programs across the region, so there is a steady pipeline of students moving through local agencies and a strong alumni network to hire into after graduation.
Best BSW programs in Los Angeles, CA
Accredited programs with a campus in Los Angeles, CA, ranked by our five-factor model. National and online rank badges appear only for programs in the top 25 (nationally, or among online programs).
- #1 In Los Angeles, CA
California State University, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA, CA · CSWE-accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
8.0
On-campus Full or part-time 3 certificates Carnegie R2Why it ranks near Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles teaches the BASW in Los Angeles itself. The major is built as two years of upper division coursework with published roadmaps for both fall and spring transfer entry, which makes community college transfer the expected route in. Courses are scheduled during the day and in the evening. Directed fieldwork, SW 4951 and 4952, runs 420 hours across the senior year, generally two full days or 14 hours a week, with an Integrative Seminar taken concurrently. Internships start in fall only, students must have 90 units finished by the preceding spring, and the spring fieldwork meeting is mandatory with no exceptions. In-state tuition runs $5,742 a year against $17,622 for nonresidents, below the local median of $34,920.
Visit the California State University, Los Angeles BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 7.5
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 9.0
Best BSW programs near Los Angeles, CA
Accredited programs whose nearest campus is within about 60 miles of Los Angeles, CA, ranked by our five-factor model. Each card shows the campus city and straight-line distance from the city center.
- #1 Long Beach · ~22 mi
California State University, Long Beach
Long Beach, CA, CA · CSWE-accredited since 1975 · On-Campus
7.5
On-campus Full or part-time Carnegie R2Why it ranks near Los Angeles
California State University, Long Beach teaches the BASW in Long Beach, CA, about 22 miles from Los Angeles. The major is a two-year upper division program run in two full-time cohorts, a daytime option meeting Mondays and Wednesdays and an evening option meeting Monday and Wednesday nights plus Tuesday evenings. Once admitted, students cannot move between the day and evening tracks without permission from the undergraduate program director. Applicants need 60 units and three prerequisites, human biology or anatomy and physiology, general psychology and elementary statistics, each passed with a C or better and averaging 2.5. The supplemental packet adds an autobiographical statement and two references, one academic and one professional, and is due March 1 for fall entry only. In-state tuition runs $5,742 a year against $17,622 for nonresidents, below the local median of $34,920. No other program among the programs within reach of Los Angeles, CA has held CSWE accreditation longer.
Visit the California State University, Long Beach BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 10.0
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 7.5
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 3.0
- #2 Riverside · ~59 mi
La Sierra University
Riverside, CA, CA · CSWE-accredited since 1979 · On-Campus
7.2
On-campus Full or part-time 1 certificateWhy it ranks near Los Angeles
La Sierra University teaches the BSW in Riverside, CA, about 59 miles from Los Angeles. Two tracks lead to the same degree. The traditional track is built for first-time students under 22 and pairs general education with the major, while the Evening Adult Degree Program serves transfer students over 22 with evening classes, personalized advising and a significant tuition discount. Seniors spend the full year in one internship, 14 hours a week at a local organization matched to their interests and schedule. Each site is vetted by the program, and placements span populations and levels of practice, from healthcare and schools to mental health and child welfare agencies. Published tuition is $34,920 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, in line with the local median of $34,920.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 9.5
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 5.0
- #3 Whittier · ~22 mi
Whittier College
Whittier, CA, CA · CSWE-accredited since 1977 · On-Campus
7.1
On-campus Full or part-timeWhy it ranks near Los Angeles
Whittier College teaches the BSW in Whittier, CA, about 22 miles from Los Angeles. The major is 38 credits of social work coursework, moving from Introduction to Social Work and human behavior in the social environment into a three-part practice sequence covering individuals and families, then groups, then communities and organizations. The two electives are fixed rather than chosen, substance abuse, trauma and prevention plus serving children and families. The student-run Social Work Council, founded in 1993, makes decisions by consensus and requires active members to initiate and finish at least one program each year. A Social Work Alumni Organization sits on the department advisory board, gives input on faculty hiring and mentors current majors. Published tuition is $48,924 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the local median of $34,920.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 9.8
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 3.0
- #4 Azusa · ~30 mi
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA, CA · CSWE-accredited since 1982 · On-Campus
6.9
On-campus Full-time 1 certificate Carnegie R2Why it ranks near Los Angeles
Azusa Pacific University teaches the BSW in Azusa, CA, about 30 miles from Los Angeles. The 49-unit major splits human behavior into separate youth and adult development courses, then moves through practice with individuals and families, work with groups, and community leadership and advocacy. Advanced case management in behavioral health and a child welfare policy course sit alongside a two-term research sequence, methods followed by an original research project. The degree carries a Certified Wellness Coach concentration recognized by California's Department of Health Care Access and Information. Students who complete both practicum internships at an approved site serving children and youth, plus health psychology, can apply for that state certification on graduation. Published tuition is $42,900 a year at one rate for residents and nonresidents, above the local median of $34,920.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 9.0
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 4.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 7.5
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 6.0
- Program breadth (11%) 5.0
- #5 Irvine · ~41 mi
University of Massachusetts Global
Irvine, CA, CA · CSWE-accredited since 2013 · Online or On-Campus
5.5
Online option Full or part-timeWhy it ranks near Los Angeles
University of Massachusetts Global teaches the BASW in Irvine, CA, about 41 miles from Los Angeles. Applicants carrying fewer than 12 transferable credits need a high school diploma or GED and must take the student success strategies course in their first session, while those with 12 or more need only a 2.0 cumulative GPA. The program is not open to residents of every state. Tuition is a flat $500 per credit and sessions start six times a year, in fall, spring and summer pairs. The degree can also be taken in a version that adds a wellness coach certificate, and the university is a Yellow Ribbon school founded to serve military personnel. In-state tuition runs $12,000 a year against $12,000 for nonresidents, below the local median of $34,920.
Visit the University of Massachusetts Global BSW program site
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 4.1
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 3.0
- #6 Riverside · ~59 mi
California Baptist University
Riverside, CA, CA · CSWE-accredited since 2021 · Online or On-Campus
4.9
Online option Full or part-timeWhy it ranks near Los Angeles
California Baptist University teaches the BSW in Riverside, CA, about 59 miles from Los Angeles. The major is 61 units across 24 courses, usually two years once a student is admitted, with offerings such as Trauma in Children, Marginalized Populations and Global Social Work Policy, which looks at how practice is delivered in other countries. A tenth competency, faith integration, is assessed alongside the nine CSWE competencies. For 2025-2026, all 21 students assessed reached the benchmark on every competency. Measurement rests on two things: a field instructor skills evaluation taken in the spring of senior year, and a case file assignment and presentation graded in the fall case management course. CSWE accreditation dates to 2021, 5 years of unbroken standing, below the local median of 47 years.
Five-factor score breakdown
- Accreditation longevity (40%) 2.8
- Delivery flexibility (22%) 7.0
- Prestige (Carnegie research tier) (15%) 5.0
- Schedule flexibility (12%) 10.0
- Program breadth (11%) 3.0
Online BSW programs available in Los Angeles, CA
California-based CSWE-accredited programs with an online option, which Los Angeles, CA residents can complete from home. See the full online BSW ranking for national options.
| Institution | Accredited | Format | Natl. |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University, Chico | 1974 | Online or On-Campus | #88 |
| Cal Poly Humboldt | 1992 | Online or On-Campus | #337 |
| University of Massachusetts Global | 2013 | Online or On-Campus | #427 |
| California Baptist University | 2021 | Online or On-Campus | #475 |
| Pacific Oaks College | 2020 | Online | #485 |
| Touro University Worldwide | 2020 | Online | #486 |
What can you earn with a BSW in Los Angeles, CA in 2026?
Los Angeles, California sits within the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the labor market that sets pay and demand for its social-service workforce. Across the social-work specialties, the area employs roughly 43,350 social workers , and child, family, and school social workers, the most common BSW-level specialty, earn a $71,250 median. Figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program (May 2025).
| Occupation | Employed | Median wage | Typical range (10th–90th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, family & school social workers | 26,220 | $71,250 | $44,230 – $103,050 |
| Social & human service assistants (entry-level) | 18,790 | $50,330 | $38,380 – $70,900 |
| Healthcare social workers | 6,340 | $79,830 | $52,720 – $131,450 |
| Mental health & substance abuse social workers | 9,380 | $78,410 | $43,840 – $139,550 |
| Social workers, all other | 1,410 | $68,630 | $36,120 – $128,690 |
| Social & community service managers (macro) | 12,400 | $87,100 | $57,240 – $155,850 |
How local pay compares
Child, family & school social workers around Los Angeles, CA earn a median of $71,250 versus $65,200 statewide in California and $59,550 nationally. That is at or above the California median.
Where do social workers work in Los Angeles, CA in 2026?
Los Angeles is the largest single social-work employment market in the country, and the public sector anchors it. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is the largest county mental-health agency in the United States, and the Department of Children and Family Services runs the nation’s largest county child-welfare system, together employing thousands of caseworkers, clinicians, and medical social workers. The county’s Department of Public Social Services and its Department of Health Services add roles in eligibility work, public health, and safety-net hospitals such as LAC+USC and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Beyond county government, major hospital systems hire medical and psychiatric social workers, including Cedars-Sinai, UCLA Health, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Kaiser Permanente, while the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System is one of the largest VA networks in the country. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest district in the nation, employs school social workers through its Pupil Services division. Los Angeles also runs one of the country’s largest homelessness responses, where the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, The People Concern, PATH, and Union Rescue Mission employ outreach workers and case managers across Skid Row and the wider county.
Los Angeles, California sits in Los Angeles County. Representative organizations in and around the city that commonly employ social workers and BSW-level human-service staff include:
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, the largest county mental-health agency in the U.S.
- Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA Health
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Unified School District
- Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
Representative local employers known to operate in the area; illustrative, not an exhaustive or BLS-sourced list.
Nationally, BLS projects social worker employment to grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations, driven by demand in healthcare and mental-health settings. Social and human service assistant roles, a common BSW entry point, are projected to grow alongside them. See pay by role in our salary guides.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA; employment projections from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Wages are annual medians for all workers in each occupation; BLS does not break pay out by degree, and BSW-level roles typically fall toward the lower end of each range.
Who do social workers serve in Los Angeles, CA?
Los Angeles social workers serve one of the most diverse populations in the United States, including large immigrant and refugee communities where bilingual Spanish, Armenian, Korean, and other language skills are in steady demand. Cultural humility and language access are not electives here; they are core to daily practice.
The county is also the center of California’s homelessness crisis, with tens of thousands of unhoused residents, so housing navigation, street outreach, and supportive-services roles are a common entry point for BSW graduates. Child welfare, foster care, and family-preservation work remain among the largest fields, given the size of the county’s child-protection system, and aging services are growing quickly as the region’s older-adult population expands.
What are the social work field placements and experience in Los Angeles, CA?
Because CSWE requires at least 400 hours of supervised field education, the sheer density of Los Angeles agencies is a real advantage. BSW students complete placements in county departments, hospital social-work units, school districts, and community nonprofits, often within a short drive or transit ride of campus.
Los Angeles programs such as California State University, Los Angeles maintain long-standing field partnerships across the region, and many placements convert into first jobs, particularly in county-funded mental-health and child-welfare contracts. A strong placement also gives you supervised hours and references that matter when you later apply to an MSW.
Can I work in macro social work in Los Angeles, CA?
Los Angeles is one of the best places in the country to see macro social work in action. Macro practice means working at the level of organizations, communities, policy, and systems rather than one client at a time, and the scale of Los Angeles County, the largest local social-service system in the United States, creates a deep bench of macro roles: program coordinators, community organizers, policy and grants staff, and administrators inside agencies like the Department of Mental Health and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
A BSW is a realistic entry point into macro work here, usually through community-organizing, outreach-coordination, program-assistant, and grant-support roles at nonprofits and public agencies, where the city’s organizing tradition and large foundation presence fund this kind of work. Senior macro positions such as policy analyst, program director, or administrator typically expect an MSW with a macro or community-practice concentration, so many Los Angeles social workers start macro at the BSW level and move up after a graduate degree.
Can I work in homeless services with a BSW in Los Angeles, CA?
Yes, and it is one of the largest entry points for BSW graduates in the city. Los Angeles County has tens of thousands of unhoused residents, and the response is coordinated through the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority along with nonprofits like PATH, The People Concern, and Union Rescue Mission. These organizations hire outreach workers, housing navigators, and case managers, roles that a BSW is well suited for.
The work ranges from street outreach and shelter case management to permanent supportive housing, and much of it is funded by county and voter-approved measures, which keeps demand steady. It is demanding work, but it gives BSW graduates real responsibility early and a clear view of how housing, behavioral health, and benefits systems connect.
Can I go from a BSW to an MSW in Los Angeles, CA?
Easily. Los Angeles has one of the densest concentrations of graduate social work programs in the country, so a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program positions you well for Advanced Standing admission, which lets students with a recent BSW skip the first year of an MSW.
Because California reserves the LCSW and clinical practice for master’s-prepared social workers, many Los Angeles BSW graduates plan an MSW from the start, often working in a county or nonprofit role while completing the degree part-time. Local employers frequently support this path, since it deepens their own workforce.
Can I get a Social Work license with a BSW in Los Angeles, California?
Licensing data from the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the body that develops the social work licensing exams, captured 2026.
The license ladder continues to the clinical, independent-practice level (ACSW, LCSW). A CSWE-accredited BSW also qualifies graduates for Advanced Standing admission to a master's program.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many CSWE-accredited BSW programs are in Los Angeles, CA?
How much do social workers earn in Los Angeles, CA?
Can I earn a BSW online from Los Angeles, CA?
Does California license social workers at the bachelor level?
BSW programs in other California cities
Sources
- CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs for program accreditation, campuses, and structure.
- U.S. Census Bureau 2023 Gazetteer (city coordinates) and Population Estimates Program (population).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2025) for metro wages; ASWB regulatory database for California license requirements.
Published 2026-06-29; last updated 2026-08-05. "Near" means a program campus within 60 straight-line miles of the city center.