Best Online Social Work Programs in Grass Valley, CA (2026)

Grass Valley, California has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $7,602 to $25,590 per year for indexed programs. Grass Valley has a population of about 14,126. Median household income is $48,850 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning social work-related role is Healthcare Social Worker at a median $89,660 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Social Work Schools to Grass Valley

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Grass Valley, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Grass Valley city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

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 Grass Valley. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 49.6 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 81.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,876
Avg net price $9,338/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,018
Out‑of‑state$20,618
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA 54.9 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 79.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,172
Avg net price $14,480/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,472
Out‑of‑state$21,072
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Pacific Union College

Angwin, CA 87.3 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 68.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,484
Avg net price $41,008/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 113.7 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 93.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 11%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,446
Avg net price $13,481/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 118.0 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 80.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,188
Avg net price $6,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

California State University-East Bay

Hayward, CA 121.1 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 79.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 97%
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,401
Avg net price $9,320/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,583
Out‑of‑state$20,183
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 129.2 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 78.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 138.0 miles from Grass Valley BOC Score 86.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California social work page.


Social Work Wages Near Grass Valley

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$65,200
Healthcare Social Worker$89,660
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$79,000
Social Worker, All Other$63,010
Social and Community Service Manager$83,210
Social and Human Service Assistant$51,090
Community Health Worker$58,050

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.


Grass Valley at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population14,126Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$48,850Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.0%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Nevada County1,644 workers, 837 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Grass Valley-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Grass Valley, CA?

Accredited schools offering social work programs near Grass Valley are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying social work roles in California?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles in California are: Healthcare Social Worker ($89,660), Social and Community Service Manager ($83,210), Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker ($79,000). Wages for Grass Valley workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Lincoln instead of Grass Valley?

Lincoln, CA is 27.3 miles from Grass Valley 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 Grass Valley an affordable place to study social work?

Grass Valley’s median household income of $48,850 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Grass Valley 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

Other Programs Available in Grass Valley

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Grass Valley:

Data verified: July 23, 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.