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2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

46 Ranked Colleges
5,907 Degrees Awarded
$27,380 Avg Salary
Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 3rd of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 559,661 degrees were awarded to students with this major. 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.

This year’s “Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 46 colleges that offered 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the liberal arts / sciences and humanities program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The liberal arts / sciences & humanities 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 / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k”.

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. 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.

Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities (Income $48-$75k) in California

Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 180 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $5,644 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.

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%.

Full California State University - Los Angeles Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#18 in overall quality

Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k 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 public institution located in Turlock, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 235 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Stan State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $7,772 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Stan State

#3

Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo, California
#9 in overall quality

Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Soka University of America landed the #3 spot on the list. Soka University is a small school located in Aliso Viejo, California that handed out 93 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Soka University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,583 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Soka University of America.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Soka University of America

#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 #4 for the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 485 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $7,549 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full California State University - Fresno Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

Out of the 46 schools in the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Dominguez Hills landed the #5 spot on the list. CSUDH is a public institution located in Carson, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 150 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $6,907 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CSUDH

#12 in overall quality

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. California State University - Northridge is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 320 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSUN.

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 CSUN Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#14 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 240 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $10,807 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSULB.

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%. 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 / Sciences & Humanities at California State University - Long Beach

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #8. CSUSB is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 315 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $8,924 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - San Bernardino.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at California State University - San Bernardino

#1 in overall quality

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 108 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 $48-$75k list, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $19,407 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 125 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $9,427 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Cal State Fullerton Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

#11

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#24 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 142 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k list, UCR has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $12,290 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

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

California State University - Bakersfield ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Bakersfield, 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 265 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUB is $7,564 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

#13

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#11 in overall quality

San Diego State University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 214 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,730 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

California State University - Sacramento came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 189 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $11,413 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Sac State

#16 in overall quality

California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #15. CSUMB is a medium-sized school located in Seaside, California that handed out 282 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUMB, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUMB is $13,311 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at CSUMB

#21 in overall quality

California State University - San Marcos ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - San Marcos is located in San Marcos, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 185 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

CSUSM also took the #21 spot in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Marcos is $14,582 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at California State University - San Marcos

#17

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#20 in overall quality

San Francisco State University landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 125 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $16,661 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SFSU.

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

With a ranking of #18, California State University - East Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Hayward, California, this fairly large public school handed out 95 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

It costs about $13,048 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - East Bay.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at California State University - East Bay

#25 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school handed out 130 degrees to qualified bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities students in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $14,012 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Cal Poly Pomona Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Report

California State University - Channel Islands did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Camarillo, 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 126 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUCI is $15,108 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

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

#21

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#19 in overall quality

San Jose State University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 56 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State University is $16,397 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

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

California State University - Chico came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k 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.

It costs about $16,116 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Chico State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at California State University - Chico

#23

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, California
#15 in overall quality

Sonoma State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Sonoma State University is a medium-sized school located in Rohnert Park, California that handed out 148 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees in 2019-2020.

SSU also made our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $17,644 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend SSU.

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 more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at SSU

#24

Thomas Aquinas College

Santa Paula, California
#7 in overall quality

Thomas Aquinas College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #24. Thomas Aquinas College is located in Santa Paula, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 95 bachelors’s liberal arts / sciences and humanities degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k list, TAC has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Thomas Aquinas College is $21,536 for california bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences & humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 93%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at TAC

With a ranking of #25, Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Humphreys University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stockton, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Humphreys University - Stockton and Modesto Campuses is $14,392 for California Bachelor’s Degree Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read more about Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Humphreys 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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