Best Online Social Work Programs in Ridgecrest, CA (2026)

Updated June 11, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Ridgecrest, California has 1 accredited school offering social work programs. Ridgecrest has a population of about 28,138. Median household income is $88,107 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.7% 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 Ridgecrest

The 1 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 1 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Ridgecrest. Distances are calculated from Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA 83.4 miles from Ridgecrest BOC Score74.2
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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

Social Work Wages Near Ridgecrest

Ridgecrest 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Child, Family, and School Social Worker$59,330Bakersfield-Delano, CA$58,801
Healthcare Social Worker$77,450Bakersfield-Delano, CA$76,759
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$77,500Bakersfield-Delano, CA$76,809
Social Worker, All Other$79,310Bakersfield-Delano, CA$78,603
Social and Community Service Manager$75,600Bakersfield-Delano, CA$74,926
Social and Human Service Assistant$48,280Bakersfield-Delano, CA$47,849
Community Health Worker$49,610Bakersfield-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.

Ridgecrest at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population28,138Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$88,107Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+31.7%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 County16,094 workers, 11,728 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Ridgecrest-Area Cities With Social Work Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited social work schools are near Ridgecrest, CA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering social work programs near Ridgecrest. The closest is California State University-Bakersfield in Bakersfield, CA (83.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is California State University-Bakersfield (83.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying social work roles near Ridgecrest?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying social work-related roles near Ridgecrest 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 Barstow instead of Ridgecrest?

Barstow, CA is 63.3 miles from Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest an affordable place to study social work?

Ridgecrest’s median household income of $88,107 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest

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

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.

Back to Best Online Social Work Programs in California (2026)

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