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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Social Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in California

17 Ranked Colleges
490 Degrees Awarded
$29,440 Avg Salary
Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

General Social Sciences is the 51st most popular major in the country with 19,742 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $31,665 and had an average of $22,423 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 9,920 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,740 and $19,771 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 490 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 17 colleges that offer a degree in general social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general social sciences 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 general social sciences program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank General Social Sciences 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 Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 17 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Social Sciences (Income $48-$75k) in California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Stanislaus. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Stan State is a fairly large public school situated in Turlock, California. It awarded 63 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stan State, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stan State is $7,772 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Stan State

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Irvine. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $13,648 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, 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 General Social Sciences at University of California - Irvine

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - San Bernardino. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in San Bernardino, California, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSB, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,924 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSUSB.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at California State University - San Bernardino

#4

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

Out of the 17 schools in the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the #4 spot on the list. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 55 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k list, SDSU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $14,730 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at San Diego State University

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Sacramento. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,413 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at California State University - Sacramento

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Seaside, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 84 degrees to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

CSUMB also took the #9 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,311 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSUMB.

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%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at California State University - Monterey Bay

With a ranking of #7, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

CSUSM also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,582 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSUSM.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Social Sciences at California State University - San Marcos

#8

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#4 in overall quality

San Jose State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $16,397 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences 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 more about General Social Sciences at San Jose State University

#9

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #9. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 26 bachelors’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern California is $20,050 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 more about General Social Sciences at USC

California State University - Chico ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State also took the #14 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $16,116 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 General Social Sciences at Chico State

#11

Whittier College

Whittier, California

Whittier College landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Whittier is a private not-for-profit institution located in Whittier, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Whittier not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Whittier College is $21,878 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Whittier

#12

Hope International University

Fullerton, California

With a ranking of #12, Hope International University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Hope not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Hope International University is $18,800 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Hope International University

#13

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, University of the Pacific did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of the Pacific is a medium-sized school located in Stockton, California that handed out 5 bachelors’s social sciences degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pacific, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pacific is $26,047 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, 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 87%.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Pacific

#14

National University

La Jolla, California
#17 in overall quality

National University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in La Jolla, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

National University also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17.

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%.

Full National University General Social Sciences Report

The University of Arizona Global Campus came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 34 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k list, UAGC has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for The University of Arizona Global Campus is $22,687 for California Bachelor’s Degree Social Sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at The University of Arizona Global Campus

#16

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#11 in overall quality

Azusa Pacific University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Azusa, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s social sciences degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

Azusa Pacific also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Azusa Pacific University is $23,455 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on General Social Sciences at Azusa Pacific University

#17

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#8 in overall quality

Biola University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Social Sciences Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in La Mirada, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 2 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s social sciences students in 2019-2020.

Biola also made our “Best General Social Sciences Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $29,212 for california bachelor’s degree social sciences students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Biola University.

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 Biola University General Social Sciences Report

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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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