San Diego, CA · Verified October 2026
BSW Programs Near San Diego, California
Where Can You Earn a Social Work Degree Near San Diego?
7 schools offer a campus or hybrid BSW within 100 miles of San Diego, the closest being San Diego State University (5 miles), Point Loma Nazarene University (9 miles) and La Sierra University (79 miles). California licenses social workers from the master's level. Online BSW programs from schools elsewhere are open to California residents too.
- schools within 100 miles
- 7
- closest: San Diego State University
- 5 mi
- transfer or completion options
- 2
- with their own advanced standing MSW
- 5
- median tuition and fees nearby, 2023-24
- $35,910
Campus and Hybrid BSW Programs Within 100 Miles of San Diego
| School and program | Distance | Format | CSWE | Tuition and fees, 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego State University: Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW)Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) · San Diego, CA | 5 mi | On campus | CSWE | $8,290 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University: Social Work, B.A.Social Work, B.A. · San Diego, CA | 9 mi | On campus | CSWE | $43,550 |
| La Sierra University: Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), traditional trackBachelor of Social Work (BSW), traditional track · Riverside, CA | 79 mi | On campus | CSWE | $35,910 |
| La Sierra University: Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Evening Adult Degree ProgramBachelor of Social Work (BSW), Evening Adult Degree Program · Riverside, CA | 79 mi | On campus | CSWE | $35,910 |
| California Baptist University: Bachelor of Social Work (BSW)Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) · Riverside, CA | 79 mi | On campus | CSWE | $39,720 |
| California State University-Long Beach: Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW)Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) · Long Beach, CA | 87 mi | On campus | CSWE | $7,008 |
| California State University-San Bernardino: Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW)Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) · San Bernardino, CA | 95 mi | On campus | CSWE | $7,675 |
| Whittier College: Social Work majorSocial Work major · Whittier, CA | 96 mi | On campus | CSWE | $49,864 |
Straight-line distance from the center of San Diego (U.S. Census Gazetteer) to each school's main campus (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS); some programs meet at other sites. Tuition and fees are the federal figures for a full-time undergraduate year, 2023-24, in-state at public universities (NCES College Navigator).
Transfer, Cost and MSW Routes Near San Diego
Starting at a community college or bringing credits? 2 programs within 100 miles name a transfer pathway or runs a degree-completion option: San Diego State University's transfer pathway (5 mi) and La Sierra University's degree-completion BSW (79 mi).
The lowest in-state tuition and fees nearby are at California State University-Long Beach, $7,008 a year (2023-24), followed by California State University-San Bernardino at $7,675.
Planning on an MSW? San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University, California Baptist University and California State University-Long Beach also run MSWs that admit BSW graduates with advanced standing, usually about a year instead of two. How BSW-to-MSW advanced standing works.
Online BSW Options for San Diego Residents
| Lowest published per-credit rates, same for every state | Per credit |
|---|---|
| Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro: Bachillerato en Artes con Concentración en Trabajo Social (BATS)Bachillerato en Artes con Concentración en Trabajo Social (BATS) · Puerto Rico | $207 |
| University of the Cumberlands: Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSW), OnlineBachelor of Science in Social Work (BSW), Online · Kentucky | $220 |
| Avila University: Bachelor of Social Work OnlineBachelor of Social Work Online · Missouri | $300 |
Online programs still place you in a supervised field practicum, so confirm the school can arrange one near San Diego. Compare all of them on the online BSW programs and most affordable online BSW pages.
Getting Licensed in California
- First years: general education and intro coursesPsychology, sociology, human biology, intro to social work
- Apply to the social work majorUsually in the second year, with a GPA minimum
- Senior field practicumAt least 400 supervised hours in an agency
- MSW to be licensed hereCalifornia licenses social workers from the master's level
California BSW license from its board · Every BSW program in California
BSW Programs Near Other California Cities
- BSW programs near San Marcos22 mi away · 11 within 100 mi
- BSW programs near Aliso Viejo63 mi away · 9 within 50 mi
- BSW programs near Irvine70 mi away · 10 within 50 mi
- BSW programs near Santa Ana77 mi away · 10 within 50 mi
- BSW programs near Fullerton87 mi away · 10 within 50 mi
- BSW programs near Santa Barbara185 mi away · 3 within 100 mi
Sources
- Official program pages of each school listed, reviewed October 2026
- CSWE directory of accredited programs
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Gazetteer places file
- U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS: institutional characteristics and 2023-24 tuition and fees