2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education in California
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 29,936 people earned their degree in general education, making the major the 28th most popular in the United States.
Across California, there were 7,838 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 5,842 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking, we looked at 48 colleges that offer a degree in general education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general education programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general education program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Azusa Pacific University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. This medium-sized school is located in Azusa, California, and it awarded 279 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
Azusa Pacific also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Azusa Pacific are $16,571.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California. California State University - Fresno is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 134 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree general education students list, Fresno State has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Fresno State are $17,581, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about General Education at California State University - Fresno
Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #3 spot on the list. San Diego, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 174 students in 2019-2020.
PLNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Point Loma Nazarene University are $11,880, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 176 degrees to qualified masters’s general education students in 2019-2020.
UCLA also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Los Angeles are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full University of California - Los Angeles General Education Report
Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 61 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631.
Read more about General Education at University of California - San Diego
University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 149 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Barbara are $28,670.
Read more about General Education at University of California - Santa Barbara
California State University - Long Beach landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 103 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Long Beach are $17,784, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Education at California State University - Long Beach
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #8. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 274 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Los Angeles came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 108 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State LA also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Mount Saint Mary’s University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. MSMU is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 31 masters’s general education degrees to qualified students.
MSMU also took the #21 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Mount Saint Mary’s University are $12,612, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Dominguez Hills ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a public institution located in Carson, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 179 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at CSUDH are $17,884, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about General Education at California State University - Dominguez Hills
California State University - Sacramento came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 74 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree general education students list, Sac State has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Sacramento are $18,356.
Full California State University - Sacramento General Education Report
Brandman University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Brandman is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 159 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
Brandman also took the #15 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Brandman are $12,540, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Northridge came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 74 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Northridge are $17,955, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Davis came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. University of California - Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 135 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Davis are $28,700, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #16. CSUB is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 151 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Bakersfield are $18,437, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on General Education at California State University - Bakersfield
With a ranking of #17, Biola University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. Biola University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in La Mirada, California. It awarded 35 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Biola University are $11,772, but some majors have different tuition rates.
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #18. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 126 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at San Francisco State University are $17,944, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full San Francisco State University General Education Report
With a ranking of #19, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 153 masters’s general education degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree general education students list, SDSU has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Education at San Diego State University
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 175 diplomas to qualified masters’s general education students in 2019-2020.
UCR also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCR are $28,686, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
San Jose State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 227 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree general education students list, San Jose State has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State are $18,790.
California Baptist University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Riverside, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s general education degrees to 229 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal Baptist are $14,140, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Northcentral University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #23. This fairly large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 224 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
Northcentral University also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northcentral University are $18,095.
California State University - Stanislaus ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. Stan State is a fairly large school located in Turlock, California that handed out 116 masters’s general education degrees in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at Stan State are $18,540, but some majors have different tuition rates.
- Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education in the Far Western US Region
- Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education
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Notes and References
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
Footnotes
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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