by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
With 556,813 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, liberal arts general studies is the 1st most popular major in the United States. 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 “Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California” ranking looked at 200 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in liberal arts general studies. To top this list, a school must have a successful liberal arts general studies program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
The colleges and universities below are the best for california liberal arts students.
Out of the 200 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pasadena City College landed the #1 spot on the list. Pasadena City College is a large public school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 2,428 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Pasadena City College
Out of the 200 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Golden West College landed the #2 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Huntington Beach, California, and it awarded 4,346 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Golden West College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 200 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Bakersfield College landed the #3 spot on the list. Bakersfield College is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,466 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Full Bakersfield College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Out of the 200 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Riverside City College landed the #4 spot on the list. Riverside City College is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,871 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Riverside City College
Out of the 200 schools in the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Santa Monica College landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Santa Monica, California, and it awarded 4,988 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Santa Monica College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Los Angeles Harbor College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Wilmington, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 2,072 students in 2020-2021.
Full Los Angeles Harbor College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Moorpark College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #7. This fairly large school is located in Moorpark, California, and it awarded 2,629 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Moorpark College
Chaffey College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Chaffey College is a public institution located in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,083 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
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%.
Irvine Valley College ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California list. Irvine Valley College is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,541 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Full Irvine Valley College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Saddleback College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Saddleback College is a fairly large public school situated in Mission Viejo, California. It awarded 3,381 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Norco College ranked #11 on this year’s Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California list. Located in Norco, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 1,056 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Norco College
San Joaquin Delta College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. San Joaquin Delta College is a fairly large public school situated in Stockton, California. It awarded 1,047 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Full San Joaquin Delta College Liberal Arts General Studies Report
Los Angeles Pierce College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #13. This fairly large school is located in Woodland Hills, California, and it awarded 1,981 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Los Angeles Pierce College
Santa Barbara City College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this fairly large public school awarded 2,235 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2020-2021.
Ventura College landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Ventura College is a public institution located in Ventura, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,949 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Ventura College
Moreno Valley College ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California list. Moreno Valley College is located in Moreno Valley, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 915 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Moreno Valley College
Santa Ana College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Santa Ana College is a public institution located in Santa Ana, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 2,071 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Santa Ana College
Allan Hancock College landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Allan Hancock College is a medium-sized public school situated in Santa Maria, California. It awarded 2,192 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Allan Hancock College
El Camino College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in Torrance, California, and it awarded 903 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at El Camino College
With a ranking of #20, Mt. San Jacinto College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California list. Mt. San Jacinto College is a fairly large school located in San Jacinto, California that handed out 1,155 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Mt. San Jacinto College
College of the Sequoias landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. College of the Sequoias is a fairly large public school situated in Visalia, California. It awarded 708 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at College of the Sequoias
Rio Hondo College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. This fairly large school is located in Whittier, California, and it awarded 1,572 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Rio Hondo College
Los Angeles Southwest College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #23. 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.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Los Angeles Southwest College
Cabrillo College landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Cabrillo College is a public institution located in Aptos, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 673 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Cabrillo College
MiraCosta College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #24. MiraCosta College is a fairly large school located in Oceanside, California that handed out 1,875 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2020-2021.
Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at MiraCosta College
Not only did these schools make the top 31 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
