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

Sonora, California has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs, with tuition ranging from $6,980 to $22,714 per year for indexed programs. Sonora has a population of about 4,965. Median household income is $62,621 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.2% 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 Sonora

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer social work programs near Sonora. Distances are calculated from Sonora 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 Sonora. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

California State University-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 41.0 miles from Sonora BOC Score80.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 69.5 miles from Sonora BOC Score81.7
Published tuition$7,602 - $22,714
Online programsYes

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#3

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 87.7 miles from Sonora BOC Score78.5
Published tuition$6,980 - $18,860
Online programsYes

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#4

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 93.4 miles from Sonora BOC Score86.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA 93.8 miles from Sonora BOC Score68.6
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

Visit website

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


Social Work Wages Near Sonora

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.


Sonora at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population4,965Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,621Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Social Work-related employment in Tuolumne County727 workers, 478 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sonora-Area Cities With Social Work Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering social work programs near Sonora. The closest is California State University-Stanislaus in Turlock, CA (41.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Fresno Pacific University (93.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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 Sonora workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Oakdale instead of Sonora?

Oakdale, CA is 29.5 miles from Sonora 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 Sonora an affordable place to study social work?

Sonora’s median household income of $62,621 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sonora 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 Sonora

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

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.