2023 Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in California
38
Ranked Colleges
30,793
Degrees Awarded
$41,700
Avg Cost*
Veterans have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2020-2021, 366,996 liberal arts students received their degree, making the major the 2nd most popular in the country.
Across California, there were 95,240 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 30,793 liberal arts graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,972 and $17,699 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate” ranking looked at 38 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great liberal arts programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the liberal arts program at the school, veteran affordability, and veteran population. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The liberal studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate”.
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.
Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate”.
Top 25 Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Colleges for Veterans in California
Out of the 38 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, National University landed the #1 spot on the list. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 10 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
National University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Of the 18,070 students enrolled at National University, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at National University]](/colleges/national-university/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Los Angeles Harbor College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate list. Los Angeles Harbor College is a medium-sized school located in Wilmington, California that handed out 903 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying liberal studies list, LAHC has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 8,101 students enrolled at LAHC, 103 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 73 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $529. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. LAHC offers credit for military training for eligible students.
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Out of the 38 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate that were part of this year’s ranking, Mount Saint Mary’s University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified associates’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.
MSMU also made our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #22.Of the 2,745 students enrolled at Mount Saint Mary’s University, 12 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 6 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $8,275. To help with additional expenses, 4 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Mount Saint Mary’s University offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 MSMU Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend MiraCosta College. The school came in at #4 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate. MiraCosta College is located in Oceanside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 509 associates’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california associate degree vets studying liberal studies list, MiraCosta College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 12,645 students enrolled at MiraCosta College, 41 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 21 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,371. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full MiraCosta College Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Golden West College. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate. This fairly large school is located in Huntington Beach, California, and it awarded 1,783 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Golden West College also made our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1.According to our most recent data, Golden West College supports 11,396 students, and 160 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 126 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $442. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Golden West College Veteran Student Life Report
Ventura College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #6. Ventura, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal studies degrees to 800 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Ventura College, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 11,789 students enrolled at Ventura College, 275 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 213 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $458. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Ventura College Veteran Student Life Report
San Diego Mesa College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #7. San Diego Mesa College is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 111 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Of the 20,693 students enrolled at San Diego Mesa College, 982 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 745 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $536. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. San Diego Mesa College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at San Diego Mesa College]](/colleges/san-diego-mesa-college/student-life/veterans/)
Orange Coast College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking. Orange Coast College is a fairly large public school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 411 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Orange Coast College also took the #17 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Orange Coast College supports 18,125 students, and 447 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 324 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $526. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Orange Coast College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Orange Coast College Veteran Student Life Report
Santa Ana College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #9. Santa Ana College is a large school located in Santa Ana, California that handed out 204 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
SAC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Of the 20,118 students enrolled at Santa Ana College, 283 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 222 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $355. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
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Chaffey College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #10. Chaffey College is located in Rancho Cucamonga, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 59 associates’s liberal studies degrees to qualified students.
Chaffey College also took the #3 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 269 of the 20,025 students enrolled at Chaffey College were GI Bill® students, of which 166 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $557. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
Coastline Community College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #11. Coastline Community College is a medium-sized school located in Fountain Valley, California that handed out 273 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Coastline Community College, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 107 of the 8,826 students enrolled at Coastline Community College were GI Bill® students, of which 81 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $319. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Coastline Community College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Coastline Community College Veteran Student Life Report
West Hills College-Lemoore came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking. West Hills College-Lemoore is a public institution located in Lemoore, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 200 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
According to our most recent data, West Hills College-Lemoore supports 3,932 students, and 86 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 47 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $606. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at West Hills College-Lemoore]](/colleges/west-hills-college-lemoore/student-life/veterans/)
College of the Sequoias did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #13. Visalia, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal studies degrees to 658 students in 2020-2021.
Among the 12,571 students enrolled at College of the Sequoias, 201 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 120 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $336. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full College of the Sequoias Veteran Student Life Report
Los Angeles City College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking. Los Angeles City College is a fairly large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 348 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Los Angeles City College also took the #9 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 14,800 students enrolled at Los Angeles City College, 140 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 101 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $420. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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San Diego City College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal studies degrees to 77 students in 2020-2021.
Among the 14,865 students enrolled at San Diego City College, 645 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 543 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $461. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at San Diego City College]](/colleges/san-diego-city-college/student-life/veterans/)
Cerritos College ranked #16 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate list. Cerritos College is a fairly large public school situated in Norwalk, California. It awarded 270 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Cerritos College also took the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Among the 20,406 students enrolled at Cerritos College, 248 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 175 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $446. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Cerritos College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Full Cerritos College Veteran Student Life Report
With a ranking of #17, Victor Valley College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate list. Victor Valley College is a public institution located in Victorville, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 168 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Our most recent data shows that 369 of the 10,777 students enrolled at Victor Valley College were GI Bill® students, of which 185 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $408. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
Cuesta College came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking. Cuesta College is a medium-sized school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 248 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Cuesta College also took the #18 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Cuesta College supports 10,093 students, and 131 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 91 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $552. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Read More…
Riverside City College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #19. This fairly large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 516 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Riverside City College also took the #5 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 20,080 students enrolled at Riverside City College, 327 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 195 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $295. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Riverside City College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Riverside City College]](/colleges/riverside-city-college/student-life/veterans/)
West Valley College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #20. West Valley College is a public institution located in Saratoga, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 637 associates’s degrees in 2020-2021.
West Valley College did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” list.Of the 7,513 students enrolled at West Valley College, 86 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 71 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $586. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full West Valley College Veteran Student Life Report
El Camino College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Torrance, California, this fairly large public school awarded 585 diplomas to qualified associates’s liberal studies students in 2020-2021.
El Camino College also took the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, El Camino College supports 20,418 students, and 282 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 175 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $432. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
[Read full report on veteran student life at El Camino College]](/colleges/el-camino-community-college-district/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #22, Norco College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate list. This medium-sized school is located in Norco, California, and it awarded 259 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Norco College, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 10,261 students enrolled at Norco College, 151 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 110 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $380. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Full Norco College Veteran Student Life Report
Merced College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking, coming in at #23. Merced Community College District is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 69 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Our most recent data shows that 143 of the 10,645 students enrolled at Merced Community College District were GI Bill® students, of which 71 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $342. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Moreno Valley College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking. Moreno Valley, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associates’s liberal studies degrees to 243 students in 2020-2021.
Moreno Valley College also took the #15 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.Of the 9,158 students enrolled at Moreno Valley College, 171 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 111 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $375. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full Moreno Valley College Veteran Student Life Report
Modesto Junior College landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Liberal Studies for an Associate ranking. MJC is a fairly large public school situated in Modesto, California. It awarded 345 associates’s liberal studies degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at MJC, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.According to our most recent data, Modesto Junior College supports 16,365 students, and 218 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 85 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $347. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Modesto Junior College offers credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Modesto Junior College]](/colleges/modesto-junior-college/student-life/veterans/)
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