The ball socket assembly includes a housing that is made of a monolithic piece which includes a lower wall. A ball portion of a ball stud is disposed in an inner bore of the housing. An exit bearing, which is made of a polymeric material, is disposed in the inner bore and is in slidable contact with at least one hemisphere of the ball portion. The exit bearing has an upper surface which faces towards an open end of the housing. A cover plate is in direct contact with the upper surface of the exit bearing along a surface-to-surface contact area. The surface-to-surface contact area is angled towards the open end from its radially outermost end to its radially innermost end for supporting the exit bearing against radial expansion in response to axial loads being applied on the exit bearing from the ball portion of the ball stud.