There are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. College Factual has developed its Best Associate Degree Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 154 colleges and universities across the Far Western US Region to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. Recent students who earned a associate degree in the Far Western US Region entered the job market making an average of $46,651 while those in the top 19 schools on our list made an average of $64,999.
Starting Salary ( 42801 to 100620 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in the Far Western US Region take out an average of $15,650.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Top Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
Our analysis found Southwestern College to be the best school for associate degrees in the Far Western US Region in this year’s ranking. SWC Chula Vista is a public institution located in Chula Vista, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,158 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from SWC Chula Vista is $30,983 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Santa Rosa Junior College. The school came in at #2 in the Far Western US Region on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. SRJC is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Rosa, California. It awarded 2,210 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from SRJC make an average of $79,745 per year during the early years of their career.
A rank of #3 on our Best Associate Degree in the Far Western US Region list means Foothill College is a great place for students working on their degree. Foothill College is a public institution located in Los Altos Hills, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 998 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Foothill College go into careers with an average salary of $107,048 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Irvine Valley College. It ranked #4 on our 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Irvine, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 4,236 students in 2021-2022.
A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree in the Far Western US Region list means Cosumnes River College is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Sacramento, California, the fairly large public school awarded 1,429 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Cosumnes River make an average of $19,699 per year during the early years of their career.
Pacific Union College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Angwin, California, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 103 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from PUC make an average of $71,711 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $17,146 in student loans.
City College of San Francisco ranked #7 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. City College of San Francisco is a fairly large public school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 2,051 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from City College of San Francisco make an average of $100,031 a year.
Modesto Junior College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Modesto, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,385 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from MJC make an average of $57,399 per year during the early years of their career.
Merced College landed the #9 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Merced Community College District is a fairly large public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 1,615 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Merced Community College District go into careers with an average salary of $77,729 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #10, Santa Barbara City College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, the fairly large public school awarded 2,590 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from SBCC make an average of $88,338 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #11, Grossmont College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. El Cajon, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,349 students in 2021-2022.
Allan Hancock College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Allan Hancock College is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Maria, California. It awarded 1,802 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
With a ranking of #13, Mission College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Santa Clara, California, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,016 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Saddleback College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Saddleback College is a fairly large public school located in Mission Viejo, California that handed out 3,760 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from Saddleback College go into careers with an average salary of $16,740 during the early years of their career.
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia is a small private for-profit school situated in Visalia, California. It awarded 445 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia is $42,712 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $13,578.
Santiago Canyon College landed the #16 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. SCC is a fairly large public school situated in Orange, California. It awarded 1,480 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from SCC is $37,149 during the early years of their career.
Rio Hondo College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #17. RHCCD is a fairly large public school situated in Whittier, California. It awarded 2,158 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Those who receive a associate degree from RHCCD go into careers with an average salary of $95,666 during the early years of their career.
Golden West College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #18. Golden West College is a public institution located in Huntington Beach, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4,002 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Golden West College make an average of $82,984 a year.
With a ranking of #19, Portland Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Portland, Oregon, the large public school awarded 3,267 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Portland Community College is $42,619 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,872 after getting their degree.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Kirkland, Washington, the small public school handed out 497 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from LWTech make an average of $63,336 per year during the early years of their career.
Citrus College did quite well in the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #21. Citrus College is a public institution located in Glendora, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 2,118 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Folsom Lake College landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Folsom Lake is located in Folsom, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,301 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Butte College ranked #23 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Butte College is located in Oroville, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 1,193 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a associate degree from Butte College go into careers with an average salary of $76,312 during the early years of their career.
College of Southern Nevada came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This large public school is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it awarded 3,788 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from CSN make an average of $39,182 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $7,487 in student loans.
Moorpark College landed the #25 spot on the 2025 Best Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Moorpark, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 3,379 students in 2021-2022.
Graduates with a associate degree from Moorpark College make an average of $105,599 per year during the early years of their career.
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%.
