2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
General Education is the 35th most popular major in the country with 29,936 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general education graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,138 and had an average of $29,674 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 7,838 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,089 and $30,845 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.
This year’s “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking analyzed 48 colleges that offered a degree in general education. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general education programs and cost less that 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.
Featured schools near , edit
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California.
Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education in California
Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Azusa Pacific University landed the #1 spot on the list. This medium-sized school is located in Azusa, California, and it awarded 279 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Azusa Pacific, the school also landed 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 be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 134 students in 2019-2020.
Fresno State also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fresno are $17,581, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Education at California State University - Fresno
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Point Loma Nazarene University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California. San Diego, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 174 students in 2019-2020.
PLNU also took the #14 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 PLNU are $11,880.
Read full report on General Education at Point Loma Nazarene University
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 Education Schools for a Master’s in California. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 176 diplomas to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 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 - Los Angeles are $28,131.
Read full report on General Education at University of California - Los Angeles
Out of the 48 schools in the Best Value 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. UCSD is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 61 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about General Education at University of California - San Diego
University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 149 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Barbara are $28,670, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #7, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 103 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Long Beach are $17,784.
Read more about General Education at California State University - Long Beach
With a ranking of #8, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 274 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Los Angeles landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 108 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State LA also took the #19 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on General Education at California State University - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #10, Mount Saint Mary’s University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 31 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
MSMU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at MSMU are $12,612, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about General Education at Mount Saint Mary’s University
California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #11. CSUDH is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 179 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Dominguez Hills are $17,884.
California State University - Sacramento ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.
Sac State also took the #22 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 California State University - Sacramento are $18,356.
With a ranking of #13, Brandman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. Brandman is located in Irvine, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 159 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Brandman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 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 Brandman University are $12,540.
California State University - Northridge came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. California State University - Northridge is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 74 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at CSUN are $17,955.
University of California - Davis came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 135 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Davis are $28,700, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Bakersfield landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s education degrees to 151 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Bakersfield are $18,437, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on General Education at California State University - Bakersfield
Biola University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Biola is located in La Mirada, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 masters’s education degrees to qualified students.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Biola are $11,772.
San Francisco State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school handed out 126 diplomas to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SFSU are $17,944.
San Diego State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 153 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 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 San Diego State University are $18,658.
Read more about General Education at San Diego State University
University of California - Riverside came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 175 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Riverside are $28,686, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on General Education at University of California - Riverside
With a ranking of #21, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. San Jose State University is a large public school situated in San Jose, California. It awarded 227 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State are $18,790, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California Baptist University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. Riverside, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s education degrees to 229 students in 2019-2020.
Average graduate tuition and fees at California Baptist University are $14,140, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Northcentral University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California list. Northcentral University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 224 masters’s education degrees in 2019-2020.
Northcentral University also made our “Best General Education Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northcentral University are $18,095, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on General Education at Northcentral University
California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Education Schools for a Master’s in California ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school awarded 116 degrees to qualified masters’s education students in 2019-2020.
Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Stanislaus are $18,540.
Read more about General Education at California State University - Stanislaus
- Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education in the Far Western US Region
- Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for General Education
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
Multilingual Education
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Multilingual Education in California
Educational Administration
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Educational Administration in California
Educational Assessment
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Educational Assessment in California
Special Education
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Special Education in California
Teacher Education Grade Specific
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Teacher Education Grade Specific in California
Teaching English or French
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Teaching English or French in California
Curriculum & Instruction
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Curriculum & Instruction in California
Instructional Media Design
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Instructional Media Design in California
Education Philosophy
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Education Philosophy in California
Student Counseling
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Student Counseling in California
Teacher Education Subject Specific
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Teacher Education Subject Specific in California
Other Education
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Other Education in California
Switch to a More Focused Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Best General Education Master's Degree Schools in California
General Education students in the state of California
Most Focused Master's Degree Colleges for General Education in California
General Education students in California
Most Popular Master's Degree Online General Education Schools
General Education students in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $0-$30k) in California
General Education students with family income less than $30k in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $48-$75k) in California
General Education students with family income $48-$75k in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income Over $110k) in California
General Education students with family income exceeding $110k in California
Highest Paid Master's Degree General Education Graduates in California
General Education students in California
Most Popular Master's Degree Colleges for General Education in California
General Education students in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education in California (With Aid)
General Education students getting aid in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $30-$48k) in California
General Education students with family income $30-$48k in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education (Income $75-$110k) in California
General Education students with family income $75-$110k in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Education in California
General Education students in California
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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to KOKUYO.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs ... Learn More > |
College Factual provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© College Factual – All Rights Reserved.
