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2023 Most Popular Colleges for General Education in California

74 Ranked Colleges
7,597 Degrees Awarded
$31,700 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended General Education Major in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended General Education Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

General Education is the 31st most popular major in the country with 29,810 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across California, there were 7,597 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended General Education Major in California” ranking looked at 74 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular general education programs in the United States.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank General Education Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More General Education Rankings Other Ranking Categories

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended General Education Major in California” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique 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.

Most Well Attended General Education Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended General Education Major in California”.

1
National University crest
National University
La Jolla, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend National University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. National University is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,075 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full National University General Education Report

2
Northcentral University crest
Northcentral University
San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northcentral University. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended General Education Major in California. Northcentral University is a fairly large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 706 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at Northcentral University

3
4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended General Education Major in California. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 368 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at University of California - Irvine

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 255 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Cal State Fullerton

6
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

With a ranking of #6, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. California Baptist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 247 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Baptist General Education Report

7
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

With a ranking of #7, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 233 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full San Jose State General Education Report

8
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

With a ranking of #8, Azusa Pacific University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. Located in Azusa, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 259 degrees to qualified ’s general education students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Azusa Pacific University General Education Report

9

University of California - Los Angeles ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 222 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles General Education Report

10
Brandman crest
Brandman University
Irvine, California

Brandman University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking. Irvine, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s general education degrees to 196 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Brandman General Education Report

11

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 195 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about General Education at University of California - Riverside

12
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 145 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Education at San Diego State University

13

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. Sac State is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 145 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Sac State General Education Report

14

California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a fairly large school located in Carson, California that handed out 141 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full CSUDH General Education Report

15
PLNU crest
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. Point Loma Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 140 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full PLNU General Education Report

16

With a ranking of #16, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. California State University - Bakersfield is a fairly large public school situated in Bakersfield, California. It awarded 136 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

Full California State University - Bakersfield General Education Report

17
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. Located in San Francisco, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 131 degrees to qualified ’s general education students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of San Francisco General Education Report

18
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University ranked #18 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 128 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at San Francisco State University

19

University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking, coming in at #19. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 127 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - San Diego General Education Report

20

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking, coming in at #20. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 121 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Fresno State General Education Report

21

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 129 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at California State University - Los Angeles

22

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 187 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at UCSB

23

With a ranking of #23, California State University - Stanislaus did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large public school situated in Turlock, California. It awarded 105 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at California State University - Stanislaus

24

University of California - Davis ranked #24 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Education Major in California list. UC Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 100 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Education at University of California - Davis

25

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Education Major in California ranking, coming in at #25. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 91 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at California State University - Long Beach

Notes and References

References

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