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2023 Most Focused Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in California

200 Ranked Colleges
$26,800 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.

With 538,925 degrees handed out in 2021-2022, liberal arts general studies is the 1st most popular major in the United States. In , liberal arts general studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $28,316 and had an average of $15,943 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 118,322 liberal arts general studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $27,341 and $19,152 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California” ranking, we looked at 200 colleges that offer a degree in liberal arts general studies. That schools that top this list have a program in liberal arts general studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Liberal Arts General Studies in California

1
Providence Christian College crest
Providence Christian College
Pasadena, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Providence Christian College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Providence Christian College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

1
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Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Thomas Aquinas College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. Thomas Aquinas College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Paula, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 115 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full TAC Liberal Arts General Studies Report

1
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Community Christian College
Redlands, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Community Christian College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Community Christian College

4
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Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Soka University of America. The school came in at #4 for the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California. Soka University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Aliso Viejo, California. It awarded 97 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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.

Full Soka University of America Liberal Arts General Studies Report

5
Cerro Coso Community College crest
Cerro Coso Community College
Ridgecrest, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cerro Coso Community College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California. Cerro Coso Community College is a small public school situated in Ridgecrest, California. It awarded 473 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Cerro Coso Community College

6
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Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #6, Los Angeles Southwest College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 893 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Los Angeles Southwest College

7
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Los Angeles Harbor College
Wilmington, California

Los Angeles Harbor College ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. Los Angeles Harbor College is located in Wilmington, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,849 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Los Angeles Harbor College

8
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Moreno Valley College
Moreno Valley, California

Moreno Valley College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Located in Moreno Valley, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 1,149 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Moreno Valley College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

9
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Norco College
Norco, California

Norco College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Located in Norco, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 1,068 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Norco College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

10
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Marymount California University
Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Marymount California University ranked #10 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. Located in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 77 diplomas to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

Full Marymount California University Liberal Arts General Studies Report

11
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Lassen Community College
Susanville, California

Lassen Community College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. Lassen Community College is a small public school situated in Susanville, California. It awarded 232 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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%.

Full Lassen Community College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

12
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Compton College
Compton, California

Compton College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Compton College is located in Compton, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 563 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Compton College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

13
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West Valley College
Saratoga, California

With a ranking of #13, West Valley College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. West Valley College is a public institution located in Saratoga, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 681 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at West Valley College

14
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Riverside City College
Riverside, California

Riverside City College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. Riverside City College is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,872 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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 General Studies at Riverside City College

15
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Golden West College
Huntington Beach, California

Golden West College ranked #15 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. Huntington Beach, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 5,334 students in 2021-2022.

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 Liberal Arts General Studies at Golden West College

16
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San Joaquin Delta College
Stockton, California

San Joaquin Delta College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. San Joaquin Delta College is a fairly large school located in Stockton, California that handed out 1,512 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Delta

17
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Los Angeles Pierce College
Woodland Hills, California

Los Angeles Pierce College landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Pierce College is a public institution located in Woodland Hills, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,354 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Los Angeles Pierce College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

18
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Bakersfield College
Bakersfield, California

Bakersfield College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #18. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s liberal arts degrees to 4,509 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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%.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Bakersfield College

19
Pasadena City College crest
Pasadena City College
Pasadena, California

With a ranking of #19, Pasadena City College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. Located in Pasadena, California, this large public school handed out 1,605 degrees to qualified ’s liberal arts students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Pasadena City College Liberal Arts General Studies Report

20
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Palo Verde College
Blythe, California

Palo Verde College came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. Palo Verde College is a small public school situated in Blythe, California. It awarded 173 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Palo Verde College

21
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Cabrillo College
Aptos, California

Cabrillo College ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. Cabrillo College is located in Aptos, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 744 ’s liberal arts degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 Liberal Arts General Studies at Cabrillo College

22
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Las Positas College
Livermore, California

Las Positas College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Livermore, California, and it awarded 471 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at Las Positas College

23
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College of Alameda
Alameda, California

College of Alameda came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Alameda, California, and it awarded 322 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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 full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at College of Alameda

24
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Irvine Valley College
Irvine, California

Irvine Valley College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California ranking, coming in at #24. Irvine Valley College is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,458 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

Read full report on Liberal Arts General Studies at Irvine Valley College

25
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College of the Sequoias
Visalia, California

College of the Sequoias ranked #25 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California list. College of the Sequoias is a fairly large public school situated in Visalia, California. It awarded 622 ’s liberal arts degrees in 2021-2022.

Read more about Liberal Arts General Studies at College of the Sequoias

Rest of the Best 31 in Schools Highly Focused on Liberal Arts Major in California

Not only did these schools make the top 31 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

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30
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Moorpark College
Moorpark, CA
31
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El Camino College
Torrance, CA

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

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