2023 Best General Social Sciences Colleges for Veterans in California
22
Ranked Colleges
9,318
Degrees Awarded
$28,700
Avg Cost*
When it comes to choosing a college, veterans have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 18,997 people earned their degree in general social sciences, making the major the 54th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, general social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $32,991 and had an average of $24,438 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 9,318 general social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,123 and $15,766 respectively.
This year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences” ranking looked at 22 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general social sciences. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general social sciences programs, but they also offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the general social sciences program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences
The colleges and universities below are the best for california vets studying social sciences.
Top 22 Best General Social Sciences Colleges for Veterans in California
Out of the 22 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 29 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 46,287 students enrolled at University of Southern California, 1,311 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 862 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $20,487. During this same period, 388 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
[Read full report on veteran student life at USC]](/colleges/university-of-southern-california/student-life/veterans/)
Out of the 22 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the #2 spot on the list. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 61 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 36,334 students enrolled at San Diego State University, 1,433 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 853 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,806. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #3 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 22 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california vets studying social sciences list, UC Irvine has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of California - Irvine supports 36,303 students, and 8 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 5 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $3,620. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 More…
Out of the 22 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Chico landed the #4 spot on the list. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 74 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Chico State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,746 students enrolled at California State University - Chico, 354 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 166 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,098. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Chico State Veteran Student Life Report
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Jose State University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences list. San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 11 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california vets studying social sciences list, San Jose State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 660 of the 36,208 students enrolled at San Jose State University were GI Bill® students, of which 384 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,909. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. San Jose State University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full San Jose State Veteran Student Life Report
California State University - San Marcos did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking, coming in at #6. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school handed out 30 diplomas to qualified ’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSM, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 16,367 students enrolled at California State University - San Marcos, 3 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 3 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $2,056. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Brandman University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. Brandman University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 13 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Brandman also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 7 of the 10,986 students enrolled at Brandman were GI Bill® students, of which 9 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,406. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Brandman does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at Brandman]](/colleges/brandman-university-part-of-the-chapman-university-system/student-life/veterans/)
National University landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 7 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at National University, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 18,070 students enrolled at National University, 1 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. National University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 National University Veteran Student Life Report
California State University - Sacramento ranked #9 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences list. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 27 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 32,293 students enrolled at California State University - Sacramento, 34 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,555. During this same period, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Sac State Veteran Student Life Report
California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking, coming in at #10. California State University - Monterey Bay is a public institution located in Seaside, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 87 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUMB, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 20 of the 7,409 students enrolled at CSUMB were GI Bill® students, of which 11 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $9,369. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. CSUMB offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at CSUMB]](/colleges/california-state-university-monterey-bay/student-life/veterans/)
California State University - San Bernardino came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. CSUSB is a public institution located in San Bernardino, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 21 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Of the 19,689 students enrolled at CSUSB, 400 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 170 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,274. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
With a ranking of #12, Humboldt State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences list. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized school located in Arcata, California that handed out 11 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Humboldt State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Humboldt State University supports 6,612 students, and 177 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 68 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,772. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
Read More…
Santa Rosa Junior College ranked #13 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Rosa, California, and it awarded 461 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SRJC, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 289 of the 16,757 students enrolled at SRJC were GI Bill® students, of which 223 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $578. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Full SRJC Veteran Student Life Report
California State University - Stanislaus came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. California State University - Stanislaus is a fairly large school located in Turlock, California that handed out 66 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
Stan State also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 11,163 students enrolled at California State University - Stanislaus, 163 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 67 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,287. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
[Read full report on veteran student life at California State University - Stanislaus]](/colleges/california-state-university-stanislaus/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #15, Whittier College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences list. Whittier is a small school located in Whittier, California that handed out 29 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Whittier, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 1,564 students enrolled at Whittier College, 33 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 21 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,783. In addition to receiving other benefits, 9 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Whittier College Veteran Student Life Report
American River College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 451 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california vets studying social sciences list, American River has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, American River supports 25,422 students, and 618 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 424 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $520. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. American River does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at American River College]](/colleges/american-river-college/student-life/veterans/)
Butte College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. Oroville, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 372 students in 2020-2021.
Butte College also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 250 of the 9,335 students enrolled at Butte College were GI Bill® students, of which 154 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $487. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Butte College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.
Read More…
With a ranking of #18, Antelope Valley College did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences list. Antelope Valley College is a fairly large public school situated in Lancaster, California. It awarded 311 ’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california vets studying social sciences list, Antelope Valley College has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 12,057 students enrolled at Antelope Valley College, 232 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 116 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $315. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
[Read full report on veteran student life at Antelope Valley College]](/colleges/antelope-valley-college/student-life/veterans/)
East Los Angeles College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. East Los Angeles College is a public institution located in Monterey Park, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,106 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
East Los Angeles College also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 33,397 students enrolled at East Los Angeles College, 198 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 139 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $377. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Full East Los Angeles College Veteran Student Life Report
Barstow Community College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. Barstow, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 128 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california vets studying social sciences list, Barstow Community College has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 2,444 students enrolled at Barstow Community College, 88 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 39 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $403. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
Read More…
Mt. San Jacinto College landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences ranking. San Jacinto, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s social sciences degrees to 230 students in 2020-2021.
MSJC also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].Of the 13,988 students enrolled at Mt. San Jacinto College, 848 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 419 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $307. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
[Read full report on veteran student life at MSJC]](/colleges/mt-san-jacinto-community-college-district/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #22, Hope International University did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Social Sciences list. Hope is located in Fullerton, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9 ’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.
Hope did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 22 of the 1,201 students enrolled at Hope International University were GI Bill® students, of which 15 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $10,704. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Hope International University Veteran Student Life 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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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.
Credits
college factual
