College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best General Social Sciences Associate Degree Schools in California

14 Colleges in California
7,511 Associate Degrees
$26,032 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a associate degree in general social sciences, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #12 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

College Factual looked at 14 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best General Social Sciences Associate Degree Schools in California ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 7,511 associate degrees in general social sciences during the 2022-2023 academic year.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great General Social Sciences School for Your Associate Degree

Best General Social Sciences Associate Degree Schools in California Your choice of general social sciences for getting your associate degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To account for this we include a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Early-Career Earnings

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for general social sciences students working on their associate degree.

More Ways to Rank General Social Sciences Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Social Sciences Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best General Social Sciences Associate Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study General Social Sciences in California

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for general social sciences students seeking a an associate degree.

10 Top California Schools for an Associate in Social Sciences

1
Merced Community College District crest
Merced College
Merced, CA

Any student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in general social sciences has to check out Merced College. Merced Community College District is a large public college located in the small city of Merced.

Those general social sciences students who get their associate degree from Merced College receive $8,136 more than the standard social sciences grad.

More information about a associate in general social sciences from Merced College

2
Ohlone College crest
Ohlone College
Fremont, CA

Ohlone College is a wonderful choice for individuals interested in an associate degree in general social sciences. Ohlone College is a moderately-sized public college located in the city of Fremont.

After graduating, social sciences associate recipients generally earn around $22,545 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a associate in general social sciences from Ohlone College

3
Yuba College crest
Yuba College
Marysville, CA
472 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat Yuba College if you want to pursue an associate degree in general social sciences. Located in the midsize suburb of Marysville, Yuba College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.More information about a associate in general social sciences from Yuba College

4
American River crest
American River College
Sacramento, CA
397 Annual Graduates

It is difficult to beat American River College if you want to pursue an associate degree in general social sciences. Located in the suburb of Sacramento, American River is a public college with a very large student population.More information about a associate in general social sciences from American River College

5
MSJC crest
Mt. San Jacinto College
San Jacinto, CA

MSJC is a large public college located in the midsize suburb of San Jacinto.

Students who graduate with their associate from the social sciences program state that they receive average early career earnings of $20,084.

More information about a associate in general social sciences from Mt. San Jacinto College

6
College of the Canyons crest
College of the Canyons
Santa Clarita, CA
493 Annual Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Santa Clarita, College of the Canyons is a public college with a fairly large student population.More information about a associate in general social sciences from College of the Canyons

7
Merritt College crest
Merritt College
Oakland, CA
76 Annual Graduates

Merritt College is a moderately-sized public college located in the city of Oakland.More information about a associate in general social sciences from Merritt College

8
Butte College crest
Butte College
Oroville, CA

Butte College is a large public college located in the rural area of Oroville.

After graduation, social sciences associate recipients usually make around $26,482 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a associate in general social sciences from Butte College

9
East Los Angeles College crest
East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park, CA

East Los Angeles College is a very large public college located in the large suburb of Monterey Park.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the social sciences program earn around $22,947 for their early career.

More information about a associate in general social sciences from East Los Angeles College

10

Barstow Community College is a small public college located in the distant town of Barstow.

Soon after graduating, social sciences associate recipients typically make around $22,398 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in general social sciences from Barstow Community College

Best General Social Sciences Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best General Social Sciences Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Oregon 147 0
Washington 131 1
Nevada 112 7

View All Rankings >

One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, General Social Sciences has other similar majors worth exploring.

Social Sciences Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
General Social Sciences 7,511

Related Major Annual Graduates
Sociology 4,585
Economics 3,297
Political Science & Government 1,815
Anthropology 720
Geography & Cartography 183
International Relations & National Security 12
Archeology 7
Other Social Sciences 2

Notes and References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options