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2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

42 Ranked Colleges
7,597 Degrees Awarded
Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Education is the 31st most popular major in the country with 29,810 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across California, there were 7,597 general education graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 42 colleges that offered a degree in general education. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general education 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 general education program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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The general education 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 General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Education (Income $48-$75k) in California

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 68 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $7,081 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Education at Stanford University

2

Out of the 42 schools in the Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Los Angeles landed the #2 spot on the list. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 129 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal State LA has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $5,700 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at California State University - Los Angeles

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Fresno State is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 121 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno State, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,030 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.2%, 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 undergraduate students.

Full California State University - Fresno General Education Report

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 222 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Education Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,644 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCLA.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCLA General Education Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best General Education Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $13,423 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at UC Berkeley

6

California State University - San Bernardino ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. CSUSB is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 46 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

CSUSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best General Education Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $9,854 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 full report on General Education at CSUSB

7

California State University - Fullerton landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cal State Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 255 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Cal State Fullerton also took the #19 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,017 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at California State University - Fullerton

8

California State University - Bakersfield came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 136 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSUB is $9,102 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

Full CSUB General Education Report

9

University of California - Irvine ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 368 students in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Education Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $13,275 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad 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 University of California - Irvine General Education Report

10

California State University - Sacramento landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 145 diplomas to qualified ’s general education students in 2020-2021.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Education Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,602 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Sac State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at Sac State

11

University of California - San Diego landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 127 students in 2020-2021.

UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Education Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,310 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCSD.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 Education at UCSD

12

With a ranking of #12, California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. CSUDH is a fairly large school located in Carson, California that handed out 141 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSUDH is $6,333 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUDH General Education Report

13

California State University - Stanislaus came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school awarded 105 diplomas to qualified ’s general education students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $7,976 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Stan State.

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

Read full report on General Education at California State University - Stanislaus

14

With a ranking of #14, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 195 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Education Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $11,126 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at University of California - Riverside

15

University of California - Davis landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 100 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $14,193 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Education at UC Davis

16

California State University - Long Beach landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general education degrees to 91 students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $11,189 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full California State University - Long Beach General Education Report

17
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. San Diego State University is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 145 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, SDSU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,698 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 89%.

Full San Diego State University General Education Report

18

California State University - Northridge came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 33 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $10,780 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSUN.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Education at California State University - Northridge

19
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

With a ranking of #19, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 233 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

San Jose State also took the #20 spot in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $17,338 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Jose State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 University General Education Report

20

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 42 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $15,958 for California General Education 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Education at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

21

California State University - San Marcos landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school awarded 43 degrees to qualified ’s general education students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUSM is $14,309 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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 Education at CSUSM

22
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 128 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general education students whose families make $48-$75k list, SFSU has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best General Education Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $16,065 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad 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 Education at San Francisco State University

23

With a ranking of #23, California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - Monterey Bay is a medium-sized public school situated in Seaside, California. It awarded 68 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSUMB is $14,319 for California General Education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Monterey Bay General Education Report

24

California State University - East Bay ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large public school situated in Hayward, California. It awarded 25 ’s general education degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - East Bay is $15,615 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 more about General Education at California State University - East Bay

25
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Education Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. Azusa Pacific University is located in Azusa, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 259 ’s general education degrees to qualified students.

Azusa Pacific did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Education Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Azusa Pacific is $28,538 for california general education students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Full Azusa Pacific University General Education Report

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