UC Berkeley or Cal State Long Beach for Master's in Social Work?

Graduate School
1

I was accepted to both UC Berkeley and CSULB for my MSW. I actually accepted UC Berkeley first, before I found out that CSULB had also accepted me. As of now, I am enrolled to attend both schools. Obviously, I cannot be in attendance at both schools, so I need to decide asap which school I am going to attend.

Being a Bay Area native, my dream was always to attend UC Berkeley. If I do attend Berkeley, I will live at home in San Francisco with my family. The MSW program at Berkeley is supposedly held in high regard since it’s ‘Berkeley.’ However, the tuition is whats holding me back. Tuition is basically $20,000 a year, so I would be in a total of over $68K in student loans if I do attend Berkeley (accounting also my student loans from undergrad). I am now unsure if attending Berkeley is actually worth it since I will be in so much debt. My field placement for Berkeley is just okay, it’s basically case management/counseling with the homeless population in the Bay Area. The only reason I would attend Berkeley was because it was once my dream school, the prestige, renowned faculty, and to gain networks in the Bay Area.

CSULB also accepted me and has tuition substantially less than what Berkeley wants. CSULB is about $8K a year (my first year at CSULB is actually paid for from a grant I received). So when I graduate, I will only owe about 26K (accounting undergrad/graduate loans) compared to the 65K I would owe if I attend Berkeley. Supposedly the MSW program is also well-known as being a good program, but the school obviously doesn’t have the same prestige that Berkeley has. As of right now, I live in Southern California with some other family, so living situations would not be an issue. I also graduated with my bachelor’s degree at CSULB. My field placement at CSULB is with a school district also doing case management and counseling. Basically, I will graduate with substantially fewer loans than if I attend Berkeley.

Basically, I am just unsure if Berkeley is the right decision because of the cost of the school. I feel that with all the hard work I have done in terms of my education and work experience, I deserve to attend Berkeley. But I am just not sure if the tuition is actually worth it…Is Berkeley actually as great of a school that they make it to be…or is it just over-hyped? Or will my degree from CSULB be the same as getting my MSW degree from Berkeley? After my MSW, I do plan to move back home to the Bay Area for work. I am hoping that if I attended CSULB, finding a job won’t be an issue than if I had attended UC Berkeley.

Thanks for reading if you got this far. Please let me know as to your opinion and what you would do in my situation. Thanks.

2

Hands down LB as you don’t sound too thrilled with your field placement at Berkeley either. You’re not going to make much money as a social worker, don’t get loans to tie you down—this is not a field where prestige matters.

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I know of two people who graduated from CSULB with a Masters in Social Work. Both have good positions working for the county. I see the allure of Berkeley, but would advise you toward less debt. Less debt in itself creates more opportunities. For example-you don’t have to take a job you hate just to pay off debt. If you were going to law school or medical school, you maybe weigh it more closely. Social work? I think you will hit the ground running and be very happy at CSULB. What a great town and So Cal. has tons to do. Congratulations and good on you for having a heart that serves others!

4

The prestige must count for something, especially later on in your career if you go into administration or higher level position? Don’t know…

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I applied to LB State, got in, but accepted the offer from UCLA which is a similar program and whatnot as Berkeley. Here is my thinking on it, because like you, the cost was a factor though I didn’t have undergrad loans.

I don’t know what kind of SW you are interested in, that makes a difference though as you know, but either school is capable of preparing you for all kinds of SW well. Berkeley is one of the best in the nation in terms of both SW and overall standing, the name is known world wide. Now to me, I liked the idea of moving up a notch after undergrad and going to a new school, that was higher prestige because it’s a sign of personal growth for me, it feels like I’m improving myself, and it’s a beautiful campus as is Berkeley. I wanted a change of scenery, and you only live once, so I thought screw it I’m going to go to the better school that feels right, not the one that cuts it and is half the cost.

To an extent the kind of social work I’m going to do also played a role in my choice in that, I’m planning to do private practice therapy at some point and my degree is going to be on the wall, and on any website like Psychology Today that lists therapists it says right next to your name where you went to grad school. I wanted that school to be a place people would know if they saw it, and that would have a good reputation, so that a potential client looking at my background might like what they see and take interest.

Reputation of the school can sometimes matter with some employers, not always but I can tell you that anyone who has asked about where I’m going for my MSW have all responded in some way suggesting being impressed. I’ve had a few job interviews since starting and at those, remarks were made, and that was in the addiction treatment field. It doesn’t always matter, but sometimes it does, people are naturally biased or conditioned to associate certain schools with certain reputations. Like others said, when you apply for higher administrative roles in the future or if you decide to push larger scale policy issues, the reputation may help.

The number one reason I think you should consider Berkeley though, beyond all those good reasons, is that you are moving back to the bay area. The networking that happens in university and through practicum is mission critical, and sometimes internships that seem mediocre can lead to larger things and at least good connections. Also about your internship for the first year, it’s just for the first year. Everyone at UCLA gets an internship they don’t really care about for their first year, it’s the second year that you go out and compete with other MSW students around the region for placements at agencies that DO interest you. You could very easily spend your last year placed doing school social work if you like, and that could lead to a job with that district, and I’d imagine you want that district to be located near where you are planning to live… which again points to Berkeley, and that district is going to also be impressed by the Berkeley background. Networking is very important, if all your connections are in Long Beach but you move to the bay, that might not be as helpful as all your connections being up there.

It’s true the cost of Berkeley or UCLA versus a CSU is about double, but it comes with many advantages depending on the kind of social work you are going into and your long term plans. I think if you were interested at going into a low paying social work job and staying there, like non profit, or wanted to go work for CPS which is fine, then where you went to school wouldn’t matter as much as that you had an MSW. Even then though, I’d want to earn my MSW in the area I was going to be working, at least the same region, but that’s just me. LB State is one of the best SW programs at the CSU level, but it’s not at the Berkeley level, and you could go to China and people would know what Berkeley was, and the reputation that will be affiliated with your name.

So what school is best for you, you be the judge, if it was me I would go with Berkeley hands down and pony up the extra debt, because that debt still isn’t that bad and will be paid off after not too long if you land a decent job. I mean for example look at the VA, a social worker at the VA in the Bay area, after obtaining a license and with say 5 years under your belt, you’re making like 80-90k a year, plus benefits and a pension that you are vested in after not too long. Agencies like the VA are interesting, because they are so large you can do many different kinds of social work within them and move around a lot, at least that’s what friends of mine who work there say, and they like their social work jobs. If you like school social work then awesome, those are equally high paying jobs too with all the benefits as well. Then again if you take your Berkeley MSW and work at some small non profit forever, you’re going to make about half that. It all depends on what your plans are with your MSW and where you see your career going, if you are the kind of go-getter that got into Berkeley then I’d assume you are the type who will want career advancement and a good salary, and Berkeley is a place that will help you stand out, beyond your own reputation.

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(Additional Comment) When I asked this very question I got a lot of people who said that where you go doesn’t matter and to take the cheaper option, but very often they were from outside of California where SWers are seriously making like 30-40k a year in most parts of the country, or they were people who worked in a type of social work that was low paying like non profit, small county agencies etc, and many did not pursue their licenses. Hell online many people who reply to questions like this aren’t even MSWs they are BSWs with nothing better to do. If you are planning to work at an agency where everyone is a social worker, and you don’t plan on shaking things up much just doing your job, then where you went to school probably wont matter as much, but if you plan to work somewhere where you are mixed up with a variety of different kinds of workers, I’d say where you go to school is very important. Among social workers in California, LB State has a good reputation, they know what it is, but outside of that circle people don’t know what LB State is or if it has a good program. You look it up on the rankings with US News and it’s like 75th versus like 3rd place for Berkeley when it comes to social work. Plus just overall rankings, Berkeley is one of the best universities in the US and around the world. So when people say it doesn’t matter where you went to school… I take that with a grain of salt, it does matter depending on the circumstances, in fact it might matter a lot. I will say though no matter where you go, it’s mission critical that you pursue and obtain your LCSW because that gives you much more earning potential and flexibility in what kind of work you do. If you are going to go to UCLA or UC Berkeley, don’t accept low paying jobs that are BSW level for noobs, when you get your MSW you get registered with the BBS and get your ACSW and you pursue good paying jobs with good benefits and not settle for less. So many people who go into this field fail to strive for higher paying careers, they accept some BS job at a goofy agency and complain about it, I don’t know what that’s about. The difference with going to a CSU versus UC Berkeley is when you are done at Berkeley you take that MSW degree and you go out and dominate the market. You pursue the higher paying, good jobs, the careers that you are interested in, with the good benefits, and to achieve that you research like hell everything you need to do to be a top candidate and become that top candidate before asking to apply.

7

^^ Not going to get a better answer than this.

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Thank you for your detailed response. I really appreciate it and you helped me a lot with making my decision. I actually was going into social work to either work as a medical social worker or get into private practice. But you are right about having a Berekely diploma. I have thought about it if clients would be more inclined to visit a therapist who has graduated from Berkeley versus a CSU.

I just get scared with the amount of debt I will be in if I do go to Berkeley because I’d love to continue living in the Bay Area. But with rising rents, it might be impossible to pay off student loans, rent an apartment, and save for a home one day. I am not really interested in working with non-profit, public policy, or administrative. But I would like to one day work in a hospital or a private practice. With what you said, I might be leaning more towards Berkeley to get me to those options.

It’s just tempting going to CSULB since my first year is basically paid for and I’ll only spend about $8K altogether for the school. But I do want to move back to the Bay Area right after I graduate, so it might be difficult finding a job when all my connections are in Southern California.

I was also wondering, were getting stipends easy for you or how did it work? Are scholarships easy to get also in your second year?

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Sorry, I got confused with another forum I asked this question on. Were you able to get any stipends from UCLA or know anyone who had any?

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Nicole, if you did not already, consider joining the facebook group that me and many others are in called UC and CSU MSW Support Group where we talk about this stuff all day and try and help each other think through this stuff and answer questions. As for stipends, had I pursued public child welfare PCW stipend for CalSWEC or LADMH I believe I would have gotten that stipend, but I’m not interested in working for CPS. Also I found out that often those agencies will make you work for a full year before they give you supervision, meaning a full time year of 2000 hours wont count toward your license, when I learned that it was a deal breaker for sure. The mental health stipend is a second year deal for mental health, I’ll see what it ends up being at that point and consider it.

As for scholarships and fellowships, I was nominated for a big full tuition and stipend fellowship but in the end did not receive it. I do know people who are in the stipend program. Berkeley actually has better options for stuff like this than UCLA from what I can tell, you just gotta be careful about where you end up working so your hours count toward the LCSW. It’s expensive yes, but it’s not as expensive as most private schools, it’s cheaper by a lot than USC or Stanford, and UCLA / UC Berkeley are great programs. LB State was my second choice next to LA for the reasons I described above in the other posts, I think it is an excellent program and it was a tough call for me to make. I’m very happy though with my decision and commitment. After books and supplies, a year at a CSU is more like 10k not counting health insurance, and a year at a UC is like 21k not counting health insurance. I’m thinking I’ll have a better shot at the 2nd year stipend and scholarship programs, I don’t think they are necessarily easier to get or anything. Like any scholarship or fellowship you have to apply and compete for them, same with stipends, all of which is more reason you should join our UC CSU MSW facebook group for support :slight_smile: shameless plug, I know.

Again at the end of the day, it’s all about what kind of career you are going to pursue. You can look up how much you will owe on loans and what the monthly rate will be and what options you will have with various online calculators. I don’t know your situation or what it best for you obviously. If you were going to go with a CSU I’d say shoot for San Jose State, but I think it’s too late. Hospital SW is known for being high paying, like 80-90k a year after licensure, and probably more with years of experience at a particular hospital. I’ve considered moving to the mid state area, and that’s with a UCLA degree so maybe I’ll wish I had gone to Berkeley, but I think it’s a bit more affordable between the major population centers, yet still the SW jobs for federal and state are high paying, once licensed. Berkeley is an amazing university, and for the rest of your life that’s on your resume, those experiences are yours as well as the connections. Consider what you want those years to be like. I know it sounds lame to some people but life is short, this is a chance to move onward and upward, if you can go to a beautiful top tier university, it might be an experience worth having, it might be good for your spirit to spend those years there, but that’s just my two cents.

That said, it’s the cost of a BMW to pull it off versus a used Honda Accord for LB State. Could you get good paying jobs with a degree from LB state, absolutely, it all depends on you. If you had the grades to get into Berkeley then I would imagine you can make your career work with a degree from either school. So what experience do you want, where do you want your connections, you have one life and this is your one time going to grad school most likely so I wish you clarity as you consider your two very good options. The good news Nicole, either option is a good option, it’s not like one sucks, you have two great options, good for you, best wishes :slight_smile:

11

You have to factor in other costs too. You can live at home with Berkeley. With Long Beach, you have to pay for it on your own, and that isn’t cheap. It sounds like the costs are a wash, with Berkeley as a potential winner.

12

I’m kind of on the fence on this one. Berkeley for that debt wouldn’t be so bad, with the kinds of salaries social workers make in the Bay Area.

@BackNSchool83’s comments were pretty illuminating - I’m not in social work myself, and so I also assumed the $40K salary and was like “CSULB, no question.” But then I looked up salaries in the area through USAJOBS and other sources and they’re right: Social workers who work for the VA or other government agencies in the Bay Area are starting at around $75-85K, and within 5 years can easily be making in the $80-90K range they provided.

Of course not every agency pays around that - I found more than a few that were starting social workers in the $45-50K range. But that said, that’s still more than most social workers with an MSW start at in most other parts of the country; it does seem that social workers in the Bay Area make more. Especially if you want to go into medical/hospital social work or private practice - both of which pay higher on average than regular social services - you could be making decent money.

There’s also income-based repayment and public service loan forgivenness. I wouldn’t advise any young person to rely on PSLF (look up what’s happening to the program recently) but under IBR, if you make around $60K to start with your MSW, your monthly payments for the Berkeley loan ($350/month) wouldn’t be that much bigger than your monthly payments with the CSULB loan ($320/month). Now of course that will change - under IBR, as your salary grows your payments grow; when you’re making $75K a year you’ll be paying closer to $475/month, and if you ever make it to $85K, you’ll be paying between $515 and $742 a month (depending on which repayment plan you choose/are eligible for). You’ll also pay your loans off for a little longer with Berkeley, unless the PSLF actually lasts and you are eligible for the plan.

You also point out an important point: If you’re planning to live in the Bay Area, you will also have to pay rent and the other costs of living there, and it’s expensive. Your (theorized) higher salary will likely be more than made up for by the higher costs. Your monthly loan payments will start at around $473/month, assuming $70K in loans and 5% interest, and that’s under income-based repayment for new borrowers assuming a salary of $75,000 a year. (If you were only making around $60K, your payments would be around $350/month to start out with under IBR). If your salary goes up, your loan payments go up. Assuming you are actually making at least $60K-ish, can you still live a nice middle-class lifestyle? Probably. You may have to live farther away (not in SF, but maybe San Jose or maybe Oakland and commute, although I have heard that even Oakland is pretty expensive these days), with roommates.

So eh, I think it depends. CSULB is the safer bet financially speaking, but I can also see making the Berkeley choice.

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14

Hello,

I am planning on applying for CSULB’s MSW program for Fall 2019. If you don’t mind me asking…what was your GPA and work/internship experience??