California State University-Bakersfield
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Social Work Programs in Bakersfield, CA (2026)
Bakersfield, California has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $7,095 to $44,524 per year for indexed programs. Bakersfield has a population of about 408,366. Median household income is $77,397 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 23.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning social work-related role is Social Worker, All Other at a median $79,310 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Social Work Schools to Bakersfield
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Bakersfield. Distances are calculated from Bakersfield city center.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Bakersfield. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
California State University-Northridge
Published tuition$7,095 - $20,317
Online programsYes
Mount Saint Mary's University
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
University of California-Los Angeles
Published tuition$13,747 - $44,524
Online programsYes
Pacific Oaks College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California social work page.
Social Work Wages Near Bakersfield
Bakersfield is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child, Family, and School Social Worker | $59,330 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $58,801 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $77,450 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $76,759 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $77,500 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $76,809 |
| Social Worker, All Other | $79,310 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $78,603 |
| Social and Community Service Manager | $75,600 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $74,926 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $48,280 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $47,849 |
| Community Health Worker | $49,610 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $49,167 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Bakersfield at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 408,366 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $77,397 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 23.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 100.9 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Social Work-related employment in Kern County | 16,094 workers, 11,728 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Bakersfield-Area Cities With Social Work Programs
- Shafter, CA – 12.6 mi away (20,183 pop)
- Arvin, CA – 15.9 mi away (21,380 pop)
- Wasco, CA – 25.0 mi away (26,337 pop)
- Delano, CA – 31.4 mi away (54,030 pop)
- Porterville, CA – 49.1 mi away (76,512 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited social work schools are near Bakersfield, CA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Bakersfield. The closest is California State University-Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA (3.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pacific Oaks College (96.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying social work roles near Bakersfield?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Bakersfield are: Social Worker, All Other ($79,310), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($77,500), Healthcare Social Worker ($77,450). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Shafter instead of Bakersfield?
Shafter, CA is 12.6 miles from Bakersfield and has its own set of local social work programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Bakersfield an affordable place to study social work?
Bakersfield’s median household income of $77,397 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Bakersfield while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Social Work Programs
- Social Work accreditation: what to look for
- Social Work concentrations and specializations
- Is a Social Work degree worth it?
- Main Social Work degree guide
- Online Social Work programs in California
- Social Work programs by state
Other Programs Available in Bakersfield
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Bakersfield:
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Data verified: June 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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