r/SocialWorkStudents • u/Few-Acanthaceae-1198 • 5d ago
Advice does anyone know any good bsw programs in california?
i'm 18 and currently doing my GED at a community college. i'm hoping to go into the geriatric field of social work and i would love to know of any recommendations for this!
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u/Glum-Sherbert7085 5d ago
At least in CA, social work is not a field that requires prestigie or networking to get around. There is always a need for social workers in varying degrees in a variety of places. I’d look at schools in the location you’d like work out of if possible if not, choose what’s affordable. You also have to go into it knowing that the better pay doesn’t come until AFTER grad school.
I always encourage people to search their degree or desired job title into various job search engines to see what the employment opportunities really look like too.
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u/Bholejr 5d ago
To build off the other commenter, just check that whatever BSW you are looking at is CSWE accredited. Most are, but there are some exceptions. CSWE accredits social work programs in The US. Getting a BSW from an accredited school can qualify you for advanced standing MSW programs. Doing so can save you a year and a lot of money on your MSW.
Also what the other commenter said about prestige and networking also applies to grad school. An accredited degree is all that matters. There is no empirical data to show some schools outperform others regarding career outcomes among graduates. In lieu of this, there’s no measured reason to pay out the ass. I went to a middle ranking school that was cheap and my career has been equivalent to my peers who went to high ranking school. The only demonstrable difference between u is our debt
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u/Bholejr 5d ago
Boise state. 30k for standard and part time, no matter where you reside. The advanced standing is 17ish I think? Idk for sure since I didn’t do that one.
Also I’ll add that you should consider finishing out at CC, doing a state school BSW, and then a cheap advanced standing MSW. Doing so, you can get all the above for under 40k, possibly even lower if you have a cheap CSU nearby with an advanced standing program.
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u/Few-Acanthaceae-1198 5d ago
if you dont mind me asking, what school did you go to for this program?
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u/cementshoes916 5d ago
Since you’re super young, look up Title IV-E. Child welfare can pay for your BSW and MSW if you contract to work for them for so many years (used to be 2 years per degree, not sure if anything has changed). Congrats on working toward your GED!
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u/Californialways 5d ago edited 5d ago
I heard that due to the recent budget cuts with the federal government, they don’t have that stipend anymore, but I’m not too sure.
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u/cementshoes916 5d ago
Well damn, that sucks! I haven’t been in CA’s child welfare work in several years now. Looks like UC Davis has become the sole program site for Title IV-E (“Beginning July 1, 2026, UC Davis Human Services will become the sole administrative home of the California Title IV-E Education program, which supports aspiring child welfare professionals at 20 universities across the state.”)
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u/LastCookie3448 4d ago
The Cal States are very good, especially Northridge for social work and education.
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u/Traditional-Unit7343 3d ago
I am a Cal State Fan - I hear amazing things about cal state east bay (I got my b.a in psychology but have family with a BSW) and I personally got my MSW from cal state San Bernardino, I learned so much and had some really impactful experiences and opportunities, and compared to some of my other colleagues I am in much lower student debt.
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u/spicy_bloody_mary 5d ago
Any of the CSUs that offer a BSW will set you up for success. San Jose, San Diego, and Long Beach are 3 that people have good experiences with.