by our College Data Analytics Team
[Liberal Arts And General Studies](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a liberal arts and general studies degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their liberal arts and general studies graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send liberal arts and general studies graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
For graduate earnings in liberal arts and general studies, no school beat City College Of San Francisco this year. Located in the city of San Francisco, City College Of San Francisco is a public institution. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from City College Of San Francisco typically earn about $96,593 annually.
Skyline College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in liberal arts and general studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of San Bruno, Skyline College is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Skyline College make a median of around $75,221 per year.
Evergreen Valley College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in liberal arts and general studies, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of San Jose, Evergreen Valley College is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Evergreen Valley College make a median of around $69,528 per year.
A rank of #4 makes Palomar College one of the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Palomar College is a public school located in the suburb of San Marcos. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $67,708.
College Of San Mateo came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. College Of San Mateo is a public school located in the city of San Mateo. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from College Of San Mateo make a median of around $64,571 per year.
Chabot College came in at #6 for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Hayward, Chabot College is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Chabot College make a median of around $57,032 per year.
Berkeley City College ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. Located in the city of Berkeley, Berkeley City College is a public institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Berkeley City College earn a median of about $50,844 a year early in their careers.
College Of Marin ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying liberal arts and general studies schools. Located in the suburb of Kentfield, College Of Marin is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from College Of Marin make a median of around $50,813 per year.
Folsom Lake College earned the #9 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Folsom Lake College is a public school located in the city of Folsom. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $67,077.
Loyola Marymount University placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Loyola Marymount University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $61,710.
Pasadena City College landed the #11 spot for liberal arts and general studies salaries this year. Pasadena City College is a public school located in the city of Pasadena. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Pasadena City College earn a median of about $49,797 a year early in their careers.
Fresno City College came in at #12 for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Fresno City College is a public school located in the city of Fresno. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $49,695.
Mission College landed the #13 spot for liberal arts and general studies salaries this year. Located in the city of Santa Clara, Mission College is a public institution. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Mission College typically earn about $67,356 annually.
National University landed the #14 spot for liberal arts and general studies salaries this year. Set in the city of San Diego, National University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from National University make a median of around $63,201 per year.
Pepperdine University came in at #15 for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $59,815.
Grossmont College placed #16 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the suburb of El Cajon, Grossmont College is a public institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Grossmont College earn a median of about $48,052 a year early in their careers.
Santa Rosa Junior College earned the #17 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa Junior College is a public institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Santa Rosa Junior College earn a median of about $47,921 a year early in their careers.
Saint Marys College Of California placed #18 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the suburb of Moraga, Saint Marys College Of California is a private not-for-profit institution. Liberal Arts And General Studies graduates of Saint Marys College Of California earn a median of about $63,470 a year early in their careers.
California State University Bakersfield earned the #19 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Bakersfield, California State University Bakersfield is a public institution. Students who complete the liberal arts and general studies program here go on to a median salary of roughly $58,622.
San Jose City College placed #20 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose City College is a public institution. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from San Jose City College typically earn about $46,398 annually.
Los Angeles Mission College earned the #21 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Los Angeles Mission College is a public school located in the city of Sylmar. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Los Angeles Mission College make a median of around $45,764 per year.
Irvine Valley College placed #22 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. Irvine Valley College is a public school located in the city of Irvine. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Irvine Valley College typically earn about $45,243 annually.
Golden West College earned the #23 position for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Huntington Beach, Golden West College is a public institution. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from Golden West College typically earn about $45,059 annually.
San Jose State University placed #24 among the highest-paying schools for liberal arts and general studies. San Jose State University is a public school located in the city of San Jose. After graduating, liberal arts and general studies degree recipients from San Jose State University typically earn about $55,764 annually.
Mendocino College came in at #25 for liberal arts and general studies graduate earnings this year. Located in the rural area of Ukiah, Mendocino College is a public institution. Early-career liberal arts and general studies graduates from Mendocino College make a median of around $44,665 per year.
These schools also send liberal arts and general studies graduates into strong-paying careers this year:
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their liberal arts and general studies graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.