Best Social Work Schools Near Ridgecrest, CA (2026)

Updated September 6, 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 accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer social work programs near Ridgecrest, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ridgecrest 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 Ridgecrest. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

California State University-Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA 83.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,009
Avg net price $5,652/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA 101.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,977
Avg net price $4,564/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,093
Out‑of‑state$20,693
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 78

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

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#3

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, CA 104.5 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $66,677
Avg net price $22,212/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Pacific Oaks College

Pasadena, CA 105.8 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,485
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA 107.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
75.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,115
Avg net price $7,021/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,458
Out‑of‑state$20,058
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 103

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

#6

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 111.8 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
73.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,211
Avg net price $3,967/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,160
Out‑of‑state$19,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

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

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#7

World Mission University

Los Angeles, CA 113.9 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Avg net price $15,785/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Whittier College

Whittier, CA 116.1 miles from Ridgecrest
  • 4 year
44.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,492
Avg net price $25,757/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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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.

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.

Ridgecrest at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 28,138 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $88,107 Census 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 County 16,094 workers, 11,728 establishments BLS 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 (83.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is California State University-Bakersfield (83.5 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: September 6, 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 Social Work Schools in California: Online Programs (2026)