2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. 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 Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Studies is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2019-2020, 133,583 degrees were awarded to students with this major.

Across California, there were 354 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the associate degree level specifically, there were 298 general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,451 and $19,634 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 4 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank General Studies Schools

The general studies 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 Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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 General Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california associate degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 4 Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for General Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California

#1

National University

La Jolla, California

#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend National University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. National University is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 103 associates’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california associate degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, National University has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best General Studies Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking.

The low student loan default rate of 4.5% 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 General Studies Report

#2

Life Pacific College

San Dimas, California

#3 in overall quality

$19,322 Average Net Price

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Life Pacific College. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value General Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Life Pacific College is located in San Dimas, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 associates’s general studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at LIFE Bible College, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Studies Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for LIFE Bible College is $19,322 for California Associate Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on General Studies at Life Pacific College

#3

Brandman University

Irvine, California

#1 in overall quality

$19,981 Average Net Price

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Brandman University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 135 associates’s general studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Brandman also made our “Best General Studies Associate Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. It costs about $19,981 for California Associate Degree General Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Brandman University.

Full Brandman General Studies Report

#4

University of La Verne

La Verne, California

#4 in overall quality

$21,297 Average Net Price

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value General Studies Schools for an Associate in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of La Verne landed the #4 spot on the list. La Verne, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out associates’s general studies degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

ULV also took the #4 spot in our “Best General Studies Associate Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of La Verne is $21,297 for california associate degree general studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Studies at ULV

• Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for General Studies (Income $0-$30k) in the Far Western US Region
• Best Value Associate Degree Colleges for General Studies (Income $0-$30k)

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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