2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Liberal Arts General Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 1st of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 559,661 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2017-2018, liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $26,786 and had an average of $16,538 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 112,019 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $25,678 and $19,082 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,907 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 48 colleges that offered a degree in liberal arts general studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent liberal arts general studies programs, but they also 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 general studies 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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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 “Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in California (With Aid)
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 Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 180 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $2,768 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 - Los Angeles
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Stanislaus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. This fairly large school is located in Turlock, California, and it awarded 235 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
Stan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $6,019 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid per year to attend Stan State.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. California State University - Northridge is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 320 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $8,414 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
The low 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 California State University - Northridge Liberal Arts General Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school handed out 485 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
Fresno State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $5,464 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at California State University - Fresno
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - Dominguez Hills is a fairly large public school situated in Carson, California. It awarded 150 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
The yearly cost to attend CSUDH is $4,215 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
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%.
With a ranking of #6, California State University - San Bernardino did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - San Bernardino is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 315 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Bernardino is $7,342 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at California State University - San Bernardino
California State University - Long Beach came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 240 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid list, CSULB has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $9,622 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at California State University - Long Beach
California State University - Fullerton landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 125 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $7,991 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Cal State Fullerton
California State University - Bakersfield came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 265 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $5,318 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
San Diego State University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 214 students in 2019-2020.
SDSU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
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 low student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%.
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 189 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $9,979 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 California State University - Sacramento Liberal Arts General Studies Report
University of California - Riverside landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 142 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,871 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid per year to attend University of California - Riverside.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.
Full University of California - Riverside Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #13, Soka University of America did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Soka University is located in Aliso Viejo, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 93 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid list, Soka University has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Soka University is $13,914 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Soka University
With a ranking of #14, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school handed out 185 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid list, CSUSM has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,399 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid per year to attend CSUSM.
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%.
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, this large public school handed out 108 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $21,595 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Liberal Arts General Studies Report
California State University - Monterey Bay came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Monterey Bay is located in Seaside, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 282 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
CSUMB also took the #16 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Monterey Bay is $12,212 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 5.0% 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 California State University - Monterey Bay Liberal Arts General Studies Report
California State University - East Bay landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - East Bay is a public institution located in Hayward, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $11,116 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid per year to attend California State University - East Bay.
Full California State University - East Bay Liberal Arts General Studies Report
With a ranking of #18, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school handed out 130 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,734 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
San Francisco State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 125 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts students in 2019-2020.
SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $15,113 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid.
San Jose State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 56 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $14,928 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at San Jose State
California State University - Channel Islands ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - Channel Islands is a public institution located in Camarillo, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 126 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
It costs about $13,558 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid per year to attend CSUCI.
The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Sonoma State University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Rohnert Park, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 148 students in 2019-2020.
SSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend SSU is $17,478 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 Sonoma State University
California State University - Chico ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts degrees to 210 students in 2019-2020.
It costs about $15,017 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts students with aid per year to attend California State University - Chico.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at California State University - Chico
National University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #24. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 22 bachelors’s liberal arts degrees in 2019-2020.
National University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at National University
Brandman University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. Brandman is a private not-for-profit institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 170 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.
Brandman not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Liberal Arts General Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Brandman University is $21,604 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts students with aid.
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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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