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2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

45 Ranked Colleges
5,907 Degrees Awarded
$8,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 559,661 liberal arts / sciences and humanities students received their degree, making the major the 3rd most popular in the country. In 2017-2018, liberal arts / sciences and humanities 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 / sciences and humanities 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 / sciences and humanities graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 45 colleges that offer a degree in liberal arts / sciences and humanities. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the liberal arts / sciences and humanities program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities (Income $30-$48k) in California

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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 180 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $2,117 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cal State LA

#18 in overall quality

Out of the 45 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Stanislaus landed the #2 spot on the list. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large school located in Turlock, California that handed out 235 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stan State has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stan State is $3,958 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Stan State Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#22 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 485 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

Fresno State also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend Fresno State is $3,731 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Fresno State Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Dominguez Hills. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. This fairly large school is located in Carson, California, and it awarded 150 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Dominguez Hills is $3,115 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CSUDH

#12 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 320 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN also took the #12 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Northridge is $6,883 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CSUN

#14 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 240 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB also took the #14 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $7,595 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSULB Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#7

Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo, California
#9 in overall quality

Soka University of America landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. 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 / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

Soka University also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for Soka University of America is $9,210 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%.

Full Soka University Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

California State University - Fullerton landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Fullerton, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 125 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $6,100 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cal State Fullerton

California State University - San Bernardino landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Bernardino, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 315 students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,869 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUSB.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CSUSB

#1 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 108 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #1 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $14,680 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

#11

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#11 in overall quality

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 214 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, SDSU has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,594 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend San Diego State University.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at San Diego State University

California State University - Bakersfield landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Bakersfield is a fairly large public school situated in Bakersfield, California. It awarded 265 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,880 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Bakersfield.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CSUB

#13

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#24 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 142 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $9,151 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full University of California - Riverside Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 189 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $7,823 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 / Sciences & Humanities Report

#16 in overall quality

California State University - Monterey Bay came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Seaside, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 282 students in 2019-2020.

CSUMB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Monterey Bay is $9,567 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUMB Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#21 in overall quality

California State University - San Marcos landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSUSM is a fairly large public school situated in San Marcos, California. It awarded 185 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSM, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Marcos is $10,347 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CSUSM

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school awarded 95 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - East Bay is $8,891 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cal State East Bay

#18

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#20 in overall quality

San Francisco State University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 125 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, SFSU has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $12,517 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at San Francisco State University

#19

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#19 in overall quality

San Jose State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k 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.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k list, San Jose State has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,752 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend San Jose State.

The low 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full San Jose State Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Pomona, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to 130 students in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $9,630 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona.

The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Cal Poly Pomona

#21

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, California
#15 in overall quality

Sonoma State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This medium-sized school is located in Rohnert Park, California, and it awarded 148 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

SSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Sonoma State University is $13,248 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at SSU

California State University - Chico landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 210 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $11,576 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 - Chico Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#23

Thomas Aquinas College

Santa Paula, California
#7 in overall quality

Thomas Aquinas College landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Santa Paula, California, and it awarded 95 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

TAC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for TAC is $15,386 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Thomas Aquinas College Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

With a ranking of #24, California State University - Channel Islands did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. CSUCI is a medium-sized school located in Camarillo, California that handed out 126 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Channel Islands is $11,497 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 - Channel Islands Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#25

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California

Humboldt State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Humboldt State University is located in Arcata, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 104 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Humboldt State University is $12,775 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Humboldt State University

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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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