Social Work: California State University-Long Beach vs San Francisco State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
In-State
22.9x
$28,032 tuition
21.7x
$29,696 tuition
Out-of-State
8.5x
$75,552 tuition
8.3x
$77,216 tuition
$641,297 10-yr earnings · Public
$644,210 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

California State University-Long Beach San Francisco State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 22.9x 21.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.5x 8.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,032 $29,696
Year 1 Earnings $42,925 $48,750
10-Year Earnings $641K $644K
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 65/100 69/100
Acceptance Rate 47.1% 96.2%

Both programs have moderate AI automation risk (24% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Social Work graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Social Work graduates.

California State University-Long Beach San Francisco State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $28,032 $29,696
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $75,552 $77,216
10-Year Projected Earnings $641K $644K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 22.9x 21.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.5x 8.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +50% +37%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Social Work (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State University-Long Beach San Francisco State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $642K $641K $598K $645K $644K $601K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 22.9x 22.9x 21.3x 21.7x 21.7x 20.2x
DegreeWorth Score 65 65 69 68 69 70

For the full AI analysis of Social Work career paths, see the California State University-Long Beach or San Francisco State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Social Work graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$1,664
California State University-Long Beach saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$5,825/yr
San Francisco State University grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
22.9x / 21.7x
Out-of-state: 8.5x / 8.3x

Career Paths

Social Work graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Social and community service managers $78,240 18,600 +6.4% 39%
Social work teachers, postsecondary $76,210 1,300 +2.3% 42%
Social workers, all other $69,480 7,000 +3.9% 0%
Healthcare social workers $68,090 18,400 +7.7% 34%
Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists $64,520 7,900 +2.6% 39%
Marriage and family therapists $63,780 7,700 +12.6% 11%
Mental health and substance abuse social workers $60,060 13,500 +9.7% 27%
Child, family, and school social workers $58,570 35,100 +3.4% 24%
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Social Work: California State University-Long Beach or San Francisco State University?
California State University-Long Beach scores 65/100 while San Francisco State University scores 69/100. California State University-Long Beach has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Social Work?
California State University-Long Beach has an in-state earnings multiple of 22.9x vs San Francisco State University's 21.7x. That means California State University-Long Beach grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do California State University-Long Beach and San Francisco State University compare on Social Work earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $42,925 at California State University-Long Beach vs $48,750 at San Francisco State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $641,297 vs $644,210 — a difference of $2,913.
How much does Social Work cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $28,032 at California State University-Long Beach and $29,696 at San Francisco State University. Both programs lead to the same Social Work career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.