2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
With 365,980 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, liberal arts is the 2nd most popular major in the United States.
Across California, there were 94,556 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,493 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 45 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts 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 liberal arts program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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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 Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 180 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $1,379 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Stanislaus. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Turlock, California, and it awarded 235 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, Stan State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stan State is $3,410 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Stanislaus
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 485 students in 2019-2020.
Fresno State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $3,264 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Fresno State.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Fresno
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 320 students in 2019-2020.
CSUN also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for CSUN is $5,945 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Out of the 45 schools in the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Carson, California, this fairly large public school awarded 129 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $2,455 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Dominguez Hills
San Diego State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 206 students in 2019-2020.
SDSU also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $8,870 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SDSU.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
California State University - Long Beach came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 240 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $6,364 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSULB.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low 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%.
Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Long Beach
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 125 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $4,291 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.
Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Fullerton
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, this large public school handed out 78 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal studies students in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $12,475 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
California State University - San Bernardino landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 315 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $5,077 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSUSB.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - San Bernardino
With a ranking of #11, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 142 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCR has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Riverside is $8,366 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at University of California - Riverside
California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. CSUB is a fairly large school located in Bakersfield, California that handed out 265 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $3,423 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Bakersfield.
Read more about Liberal Arts at California State University - Bakersfield
California State University - Sacramento landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 177 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend Sac State is $6,819 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Seaside, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 138 students in 2019-2020.
CSUMB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $7,688 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Monterey Bay.
The student loan default rate at the school is 5.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - San Marcos did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. This fairly large school is located in San Marcos, California, and it awarded 185 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
CSUSM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Marcos is $9,517 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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 more about Liberal Arts at California State University - San Marcos
California State University - East Bay landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 95 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Cal State East Bay is $8,036 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at California State University - East Bay
With a ranking of #17, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cal Poly Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 130 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly Pomona also took the #24 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $8,596 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 115 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
SFSU also took the #19 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,123 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend San Francisco State University.
San Jose State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to 47 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, San Jose State has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $10,940 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Chico State is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 205 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
Chico State also made our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #25. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $10,260 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Sonoma State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Rohnert Park, California, and it awarded 148 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SSU, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Sonoma State University is $12,263 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Thomas Aquinas College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. TAC is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Paula, California. It awarded 95 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
TAC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $19,672 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend TAC.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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%.
With a ranking of #23, California State University - Channel Islands did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Camarillo, California, and it awarded 126 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $10,131 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Channel Islands.
The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts at California State University - Channel Islands
With a ranking of #24, Humboldt State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Humboldt State University is located in Arcata, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 104 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Humboldt State University is $11,263 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
Soka University of America did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Soka University of America is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Aliso Viejo, California. It awarded 93 bachelors’s liberal studies degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Soka University, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Soka University of America is $9,831 for california bachelor’s degree liberal studies students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region
- Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts (Income $0-$30k)
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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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