Online Master's in Social Work (MSW) Programs in California for 2024

If you are seeking to further your social work career in California, Fortune has compiled a list of online master’s degree programs in social work so you can find the best one suited for you. These schools in California are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). This ranking was last updated April 2023.

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*Please note that not all schools offer this specific type of information.

Earn Your MSW Online from Howard. No GRE Required.

Focus on criminal justice reform, welfare systems and health care inequities.

Transform oppressive systems through social work. Earn your MSW online in as few as 36 months. Direct and macro practice concentrations available.

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Earn Your Master of Social Work Online from Top-Ranked Fordham

Help improve lives in your community with an online Master of Social Work from Fordham.

Take strides toward social justice with our top-ranked Graduate School of Social Service. Complete in as few as four to eight terms. Bachelor’s required.

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Cal Poly Humboldt

Arcata, CA

Cal Poly Humboldt ’s part-time online master’s degree program in social work prepares students to become an advanced generalist with an emphasis working in rural and Indigenous communities. Students must complete 960 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 480 field hours to graduate. Full and part-time options are available. The program requires students to visit campus for 3 days each January for orientation, community building and skill development. A GRE score is not required for application consideration, and the program has start dates in January or June.

Tuition	$30,600 regular, $18,360 advanced
Accelerated track offered?	No
Advanced standing track offered?	Yes
GRE required	No
Program Length	3.5 years regular, 2 year advanced (PT)

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA

California Baptist University’s online master’s degree program in social work prepares graduates for advanced generalist practice. Students must complete 900 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 500 field hours to graduate. The program offers fall admission only. The priority application deadline is May 15, and the final deadline is July 15. A GRE score is not required for application consideration.

Tuition	$53,584 regular, $23,640 advanced
Accelerated track offered?	No
Advanced standing track offered?	Yes
GRE required	No
Program Length	1–2 years

California State University, Chico

Chico, CA

California State University, Chico’s online master’s degree program in social work admits students once every three years, with the next cohort of students starting fall 2024. Students must complete 1,200 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 720 field hours to graduate. The online program prepares graduates for advanced generalist practice. The application timeline is from October 1 to January 15, and has no GRE score requirement.

Tuition	N/A
Accelerated track offered?	Yes
Advanced standing track offered?	Yes
GRE required	No
Program Length	2 years regular

Syracuse University’s Online Master of Social Work—No GRE Required

Learn to use the power of technology to become an advocate for vulnerable communities.

Syracuse University’s CSWE-accredited online Master of Social Work program is preparing the next generation of social work leaders through an emphasis on digital innovation and social justice. The program offers Traditional and Advanced Standing tracks.

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California State University, East Bay

East Bay, CA

California State University, East Bay’s online master’s degree program in social work allows students to choose from specializations in areas of children, youth and families (CYF) or community mental health (CMH). Students must complete 1,080 field hours to graduate, and the program does not offer an advanced standing or accelerated option. The deadline to submit an application for fall is January 15, and there is no GRE score requirement.

Tuition	$8,439 regular
Accelerated track offered?	No
Advanced standing track offered?	No
GRE required	No
Program Length	2 years regular

California State University, Northridge

Northridge, CA

Students enrolled in California State University, Northridge’s online master’s degree program in social work will study an advanced generalist program with a focus on urban communities. There is no accelerated track or advanced standing track offered, though students have the options to enroll part- or full-time as the program is offered in two- or three-year formats. Coursework is asyncorhonous with the exception of fieldwork classes, and 1,000 hours of fieldwork practicum is required to complete the program. Applications for fall 2023 are closed and deadlines for fall 2024 applicants are to be announced.

Tuition	N/A
Accelerated track offered?	N/A
Advanced standing track offered?	No
GRE required	No
Program Length	2 years regular (FT)

California State University, San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA

Students admitted to the part-time online master’s degree program in social work at California State University, San Bernardino focus on a generalist practice which requires students to complete 1,080 field hours to graduate. The average degree completion time is three years. The advanced standing option is only available in-person and the online program offers fall admission only. The application deadline is in January for priority consideration, with a final deadline in March. No GRE score is required. The online MSW program at CSUSB is called the pathway distance education program.

Tuition	$39,000 regular
Accelerated track offered?	N/A
Advanced standing track offered?	No
GRE required	No
Program Length	3 years regular (PT)

Loma Linda University

Loma Linda, CA

Loma Linda University’s online master’s degree program in social work offers students an advanced clinical specialist curriculum. LLU’s online program option is for residents of California only. There is no accelerated track offering, but students with a bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited institution may be eligible to participate in the advanced standing option. Regular standing requires 52 credit hours, while advanced requires 35. There is a 1,080-hour fieldwork requirement for the traditional track program and an 800-hour requirement for the advanced standing option. Applications for fall 2023 have closed.

Tuition	$45,708 regular
Accelerated track offered?	N/A
Advanced standing track offered?	Yes
GRE required	No
Program Length	3 years advanced (PT)

National University

San Diego, CA

National University’s online master’s degree program in social work provides students an advanced generalist curriculum. There is no accelerated track offering, but students with a bachelor’s of social work from an accredited institution may be eligible to participate in the advanced standing option. Regular standing requires 60 credit hours while advanced requires 36. There is a 900-hour fieldwork requirement for the traditional track program and a 500-hour requirement for the advanced standing option. The university accepts and reviews applications year-round.

Tuition	$26,520 regular
Accelerated track offered?	N/A
Advanced standing track offered?	Yes
GRE required	No
Program Length	24 months advanced, 38 months regular

Earn your MSW online from the University of Denver

Prepare for a career in social work with a curriculum grounded in social justice. No BSW or GRE required.

Complete DU’s CSWE-accredited online MSW program in as few as 21 months—or 12 months if you have a bachelor’s in social work. Choose a concentration in Mental Health and Trauma or Health, Equity and Wellness.

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San Jose State University

San Jose, CA

San Jose State University’s online/hybrid master’s degree program in social work provides students with an advanced generalist social work practice, with an emphasis on Latinos and other minority groups. There is no accelerated track offering, though students may be eligible for the advanced standing track if they already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, reducing the required 60 credit hours to 37 hours. There is a 1,200-hour fieldwork requirement for the regular program and a 600-hour requirement for advanced standing. If admitted, students must be able to study in California and complete their internship requirements in California. The fall 2023 application cycle opened in October 2022 and closed on December 1.

Tuition	$28,500 regular
Accelerated track offered?	N/A
Advanced standing track offered?	Yes
GRE required	No
Program Length	1 year advanced, 2 year regular

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA

Students enrolled in the University of Southern California’s online master’s degree program in social work focus on advanced generalist training. Students can further specialize their degree by selecting one of five optional program tracks: adult mental health and wellness; children, youth and families, social change and innovation, military populations and settings, or school and educational settings. Students must complete 1,000 field hours to graduate, while advanced standing students are required to complete 550 field hours to graduate.The final deadline for the September cohort is June 9. There is no GRE score requirement.

Tuition	$85,890 regular, $75,665 advanced
Accelerated track offered?	N/A
Advanced standing track offered?	Yes
GRE required	No
Program Length	2 years regular, 1 year advanced

Earn Your MSW Online with Simmons University. No GRE Required.

Discover the innovative Master of Social Work from the nation’s oldest school of social work.

Aspiring direct practitioners can earn their MSW online from Simmons University in as few as 9 months. GRE scores are not required, and the program offers full-time, part-time, accelerated, and advanced standing tracks.

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