2023 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California
80
Ranked Colleges
112,228
Degrees Awarded
$4,800
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 556,813 liberal arts general studies students received their degree, making the major the 1st most popular in the country. In 2019-2020, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $28,337 and had an average of $17,430 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 112,228 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,456 and $14,718 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 80 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts general studies 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 liberal arts general studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts General Studies Schools
The liberal arts 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 “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Golden West College. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Golden West College is a fairly large school located in Huntington Beach, California that handed out 4,346 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Golden West College has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Golden West College is $3,094 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Golden West College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 80 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, West Valley College landed the #2 spot on the list. West Valley College is a medium-sized public school situated in Saratoga, California. It awarded 678 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
West Valley College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for West Valley College is $2,924 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at West Valley College
Out of the 80 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #3 spot on the list. Cal State LA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 145 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $1,887 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Cal State LA Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 80 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Ventura College landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Ventura, California, this fairly large public school awarded 1,949 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Ventura College is $321 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Ventura College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 80 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, MiraCosta College landed the #5 spot on the list. MiraCosta College is a fairly large school located in Oceanside, California that handed out 1,875 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend MiraCosta College is $3,304 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at MiraCosta College
California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Carson, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 176 students in 2020-2021.
CSUDH also took the #22 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUDH is $2,657 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 California State University - Dominguez Hills Liberal Arts General Studies Report
California State University - Northridge landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 336 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUN also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $6,266 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Northridge Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #8, Riverside City College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Riverside City College is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 1,871 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Riverside City College also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for Riverside City College is $5,737 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Riverside City College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Orange Coast College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Orange Coast College is a fairly large public school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 2,218 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Orange Coast College is $3,681 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Orange Coast College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
San Diego State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 246 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
SDSU also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $7,169 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SDSU.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at San Diego State University
With a ranking of #11, Cerritos College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cerritos College is a fairly large public school situated in Norwalk, California. It awarded 1,647 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $1,419 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cerritos College.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Cerritos College
California State University - Stanislaus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. Stan State is a fairly large public school situated in Turlock, California. It awarded 226 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Stan State is $4,122 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 Liberal Arts General Studies at Stan State
California State University - Sacramento ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 194 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k list, Sac State has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Sacramento is $8,163 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 General Studies at California State University - Sacramento
Imperial Valley College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Imperial Valley College is a medium-sized public school situated in Imperial, California. It awarded 1,043 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend IVC is $1,749 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at IVC
Santa Ana College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Santa Ana, California, and it awarded 2,071 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $3,975 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SAC.
Full SAC Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #16, College of the Sequoias did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. College of the Sequoias is located in Visalia, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 708 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $501 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend College of the Sequoias.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at College of the Sequoias
California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school awarded 361 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $5,238 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSUB.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at CSUB
Norco College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Norco College is located in Norco, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,056 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Norco College is $5,265 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Norco College
Moreno Valley College ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Moreno Valley College is a medium-sized school located in Moreno Valley, California that handed out 915 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Moreno Valley College is $4,761 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Moreno Valley College
Los Medanos College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Pittsburg, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 1,003 students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Los Medanos College is $5,613 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Los Medanos Liberal Arts General Studies Report
California State University - Fresno landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 534 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $3,859 for california liberal arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 3.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Fresno State Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Los Angeles City College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this fairly large public school awarded 1,232 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
Los Angeles City College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Los Angeles City College is $9,606 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full Los Angeles City College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #23, California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. CSUMB is a medium-sized school located in Seaside, California that handed out 227 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUMB, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,192 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Monterey Bay.
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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at CSUMB
With a ranking of #24, Los Angeles Southwest College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles Southwest College is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,105 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $9,596 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Los Angeles Southwest College.
Full Los Angeles Southwest College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Chaffey College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. Chaffey College is located in Rancho Cucamonga, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,083 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Chaffey College also took the #10 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chaffey College is $10,310 for California Liberal Arts students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Chaffey College
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