Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities programs in California
243 schools in California teach this, at certificate or associate level. 50 of them report what graduates earn two years out; the highest is $69,338 at City College of San Francisco.
What this work pays in California
Postsecondary Teachers, All Other in California earn a median of $100,690 a year across 37,770 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City College of San Francisco San Francisco | Associate's degree | — | $69,338 (21 grads) | 485 |
| Palomar College San Marcos | Associate's degree | — | $52,107 (26 grads) | 182 |
| National University San Diego | Associate's degree | $10,500 | $44,747 (15 grads) | 137 |
| California State University-Fresno Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | — | $43,314 (11 grads) | — |
| Los Angeles City College Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | $42,682 (15 grads) | 796 |
| United States University Sandy Springs | Undergraduate certificate | — | $42,682 (13 grads) | — |
| Chabot College Hayward | Associate's degree | — | $42,123 (19 grads) | 548 |
| East Los Angeles College Monterey Park | Undergraduate certificate | — | $40,485 (50 grads) | 1,671 |
| Merritt College Oakland | Associate's degree | — | $36,848 (11 grads) | 1 |
| Coastline Community College Fountain Valley | Associate's degree | — | $33,993 (12 grads) | 351 |
| Gavilan College Gilroy | Associate's degree | — | $32,925 (20 grads) | 89 |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose | Associate's degree | — | $32,382 (26 grads) | 5 |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg | Associate's degree | — | $32,382 (17 grads) | 377 |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance | Associate's degree | — | $31,423 (54 grads) | 841 |
| San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino | Associate's degree | — | $30,409 (20 grads) | 693 |
| San Diego Mesa College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | $27,669 (14 grads) | 80 |
| Folsom Lake College Folsom | Associate's degree | — | $26,353 (14 grads) | 93 |
| Ventura College Ventura | Associate's degree | — | $25,774 (18 grads) | 928 |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita | Associate's degree | $8,000 | $25,194 (19 grads) | 76 |
| Cuyamaca College El Cajon | Associate's degree | — | $25,194 (18 grads) | 209 |
| American River College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | $24,421 (14 grads) | 799 |
| Hartnell College Salinas | Associate's degree | — | $24,035 (13 grads) | 425 |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Associate's degree | — | $23,456 (55 grads) | 271 |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Associate's degree | — | $21,964 (17 grads) | 2,464 |
| College of the Desert Palm Desert | Associate's degree | — | $21,781 (24 grads) | 162 |
| Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | $21,781 (25 grads) | 542 |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Associate's degree | — | $21,508 (51 grads) | 270 |
| Rio Hondo College Whittier | Associate's degree | — | $21,234 (23 grads) | 651 |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Associate's degree | $8,000 | $21,117 (93 grads) | 1,872 |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto | Associate's degree | — | $21,052 (26 grads) | 453 |
| Orange Coast College Costa Mesa | Associate's degree | — | $20,921 (66 grads) | 469 |
| San Diego City College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | $20,596 (25 grads) | 195 |
| Moreno Valley College Moreno Valley | Associate's degree | — | $20,482 (33 grads) | 1,149 |
| Saddleback College Mission Viejo | Associate's degree | — | $20,444 (27 grads) | 1,544 |
| Coalinga College Coalinga | Associate's degree | $5,700 | $20,140 (24 grads) | 218 |
| Irvine Valley College Irvine | Associate's degree | — | $20,140 (11 grads) | 2,082 |
| Lemoore College Lemoore | Associate's degree | — | $20,140 (44 grads) | 237 |
| Grossmont College El Cajon | Associate's degree | — | $20,102 (13 grads) | 612 |
| Norco College Norco | Associate's degree | — | $19,113 (44 grads) | 1,068 |
| Cypress College Cypress | Associate's degree | — | $18,771 (17 grads) | 312 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills | Associate's degree | — | $18,315 (11 grads) | 1,311 |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Associate's degree | — | $17,162 (19 grads) | 1,457 |
| Golden West College Huntington Beach | Associate's degree | — | $15,695 (41 grads) | 2,090 |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia | Associate's degree | — | $15,429 (36 grads) | 618 |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial | Associate's degree | — | $14,759 (26 grads) | 394 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills | Undergraduate certificate | — | $14,627 (18 grads) | 1,043 |
| Life Pacific University San Dimas | Associate's degree | $12,000 | $14,318 (12 grads) | 16 |
| MiraCosta College Oceanside | Associate's degree | — | $13,702 (22 grads) | 497 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto | Associate's degree | — | $13,702 (11 grads) | 468 |
| Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington | Associate's degree | — | $11,234 (13 grads) | 1,138 |
| Cabrillo College Aptos | Undergraduate certificate | $7,507 | not published | 26 |
| Cerritos College Norwalk | Associate's degree | — | not published | 487 |
| Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga | Associate's degree | — | not published | 682 |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita | Undergraduate certificate | $6,625 | not published | 1,635 |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1,336 |
| Feather River Community College District Quincy | Associate's degree | $10,000 | not published | 72 |
| Los Angeles Mission College Sylmar | Associate's degree | — | not published | 501 |
| Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,012 |
| Merced College Merced | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 760 |
| Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles | Associate's degree | $17,500 | not published | 4 |
| Saddleback College Mission Viejo | Undergraduate certificate | $7,125 | not published | 2,407 |
| San Jose City College San Jose | Associate's degree | — | not published | 305 |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana | Undergraduate certificate | $10,250 | not published | 1,094 |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana | Associate's degree | $6,065 | not published | 802 |
| Santiago Canyon College Orange | Undergraduate certificate | $4,688 | not published | 835 |
| Shasta College Redding | Undergraduate certificate | $9,828 | not published | 407 |
| University of Massachusetts Global Aliso Viejo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 153 |
| West Valley College Saratoga | Associate's degree | — | not published | 645 |
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 909 |
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria | Associate's degree | — | not published | 542 |
| American River College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 722 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster | Associate's degree | — | not published | 135 |
| Azusa Pacific University Azusa | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 2,045 |
| Barstow Community College Barstow | Associate's degree | — | not published | 37 |
| Berkeley City College Berkeley | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 314 |
| Berkeley City College Berkeley | Associate's degree | — | not published | 107 |
| Butte College Oroville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Butte College Oroville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 26 |
| Cabrillo College Aptos | Associate's degree | — | not published | 718 |
| California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Canada College Redwood City | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 66 |
| Canada College Redwood City | Associate's degree | — | not published | 29 |
| Cerritos College Norwalk | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,386 |
| Cerro Coso Community College Ridgecrest | Associate's degree | — | not published | 473 |
| Chabot College Hayward | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 879 |
| Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 709 |
| Citrus College Glendora | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,093 |
| Citrus College Glendora | Associate's degree | — | not published | 27 |
| City College of San Francisco San Francisco | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 392 |
| Clovis Community College Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 892 |
| Clovis Community College Fresno | Associate's degree | — | not published | 189 |
| Coalinga College Coalinga | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 303 |
| Coastline Community College Fountain Valley | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 111 |
| College of Alameda Alameda | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 179 |
| College of Alameda Alameda | Associate's degree | — | not published | 143 |
| College of Marin Kentfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 63 |
| College of San Mateo San Mateo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 66 |
| College of San Mateo San Mateo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 2 |
| College of the Desert Palm Desert | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 650 |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 4 |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 4 |
| College of the Siskiyous Weed | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 56 |
| College of the Siskiyous Weed | Associate's degree | — | not published | 9 |
| Columbia College Sonora | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 26 |
| Columbia College Sonora | Associate's degree | — | not published | 79 |
| Compton College Compton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 225 |
| Compton College Compton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 338 |
| Concordia University-Irvine Irvine | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Contra Costa College San Pablo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 215 |
| Contra Costa College San Pablo | Associate's degree | — | not published | 244 |
| Copper Mountain Community College Joshua Tree | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 33 |
| Copper Mountain Community College Joshua Tree | Associate's degree | — | not published | 30 |
| Cosumnes River College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 4 |
| Cosumnes River College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 140 |
| Crafton Hills College Yucaipa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 446 |
| Crafton Hills College Yucaipa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 18 |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,182 |
| Cuyamaca College El Cajon | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 115 |
| Cypress College Cypress | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,100 |
| De Anza College Cupertino | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 333 |
| De Anza College Cupertino | Associate's degree | — | not published | 189 |
| Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 559 |
| Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill | Associate's degree | — | not published | 11 |
| East Los Angeles College Monterey Park | Associate's degree | — | not published | 217 |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 92 |
| Epic Bible College & Graduate School Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 203 |
| Feather River Community College District Quincy | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 92 |
| Folsom Lake College Folsom | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 536 |
| Foothill College Los Altos Hills | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 491 |
| Foothill College Los Altos Hills | Associate's degree | — | not published | 4 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 563 |
| Fresno City College Fresno | Associate's degree | — | not published | 70 |
| Fullerton College Fullerton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,704 |
| Fullerton College Fullerton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Gavilan College Gilroy | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 348 |
| Glendale Community College Glendale | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 28 |
| Glendale Community College Glendale | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Golden Gate University San Francisco | Associate's degree | — | not published | 5 |
| Golden West College Huntington Beach | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3,244 |
| Grossmont College El Cajon | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,107 |
| Hartnell College Salinas | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 830 |
| Hope International University Fullerton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 8 |
| Humphreys University Stockton | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 592 |
| Irvine Valley College Irvine | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,376 |
| La Sierra University Riverside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Lake Tahoe Community College South Lake Tahoe | Associate's degree | — | not published | 13 |
| Laney College Oakland | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 124 |
| Laney College Oakland | Associate's degree | — | not published | 24 |
| Las Positas College Livermore | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 34 |
| Las Positas College Livermore | Associate's degree | — | not published | 437 |
| Lassen Community College Susanville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 46 |
| Lassen Community College Susanville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 186 |
| Lemoore College Lemoore | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 360 |
| Life Pacific University San Dimas | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,644 |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach | Associate's degree | — | not published | 25 |
| Los Angeles City College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | not published | 480 |
| Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 711 |
| Los Angeles Mission College Sylmar | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 531 |
| Los Angeles Pacific University Glendora | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 351 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 313 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | not published | 228 |
| Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen | Associate's degree | — | not published | 592 |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 353 |
| Madera Community College Madera | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 286 |
| Madera Community College Madera | Associate's degree | — | not published | 39 |
| Mendocino College Ukiah | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 104 |
| Mendocino College Ukiah | Associate's degree | — | not published | 25 |
| Merced College Merced | Associate's degree | — | not published | 52 |
| Merritt College Oakland | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 97 |
| MiraCosta College Oceanside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,046 |
| Mission College Santa Clara | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 553 |
| Mission College Santa Clara | Associate's degree | — | not published | 208 |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 97 |
| Monterey Peninsula College Monterey | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 131 |
| Monterey Peninsula College Monterey | Associate's degree | — | not published | 181 |
| Moorpark College Moorpark | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,378 |
| Moorpark College Moorpark | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1,302 |
| Mt San Antonio College Walnut | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Mt San Antonio College Walnut | Associate's degree | — | not published | 6 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 268 |
| Napa Valley College Napa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 344 |
| Napa Valley College Napa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 28 |
| Norco College Norco | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Ohlone College Fremont | Associate's degree | — | not published | 30 |
| Orange Coast College Costa Mesa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,730 |
| Oxnard College Oxnard | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 555 |
| Oxnard College Oxnard | Associate's degree | — | not published | 443 |
| Pacific Union College Angwin | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Palo Verde College Blythe | Associate's degree | — | not published | 173 |
| Palomar College San Marcos | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,253 |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1,605 |
| Porterville College Porterville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 130 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 827 |
| Reedley College Reedley | Associate's degree | — | not published | 90 |
| Rio Hondo College Whittier | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 949 |
| Riverside City College Riverside | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Sacramento City College Sacramento | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Sacramento City College Sacramento | Associate's degree | — | not published | 380 |
| San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 682 |
| San Diego Christian College Santee | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| San Diego City College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 197 |
| San Diego Mesa College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 189 |
| San Diego Miramar College San Diego | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 311 |
| San Diego Miramar College San Diego | Associate's degree | — | not published | 24 |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 55 |
| San Jose City College San Jose | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 212 |
| Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 982 |
| Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara | Associate's degree | — | not published | 763 |
| Santa Monica College Santa Monica | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3,207 |
| Santa Monica College Santa Monica | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1,436 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,530 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa | Associate's degree | — | not published | 99 |
| Santiago Canyon College Orange | Associate's degree | — | not published | 629 |
| Shasta College Redding | Associate's degree | — | not published | 111 |
| Sierra College Rocklin | Associate's degree | — | not published | 167 |
| Simpson University Redding | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Skyline College San Bruno | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 53 |
| Skyline College San Bruno | Associate's degree | — | not published | 266 |
| Solano Community College Fairfield | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 31 |
| Solano Community College Fairfield | Associate's degree | — | not published | 293 |
| Southwestern College Chula Vista | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 410 |
| Southwestern College Chula Vista | Associate's degree | — | not published | 210 |
| Taft College Taft | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Taft College Taft | Associate's degree | — | not published | 103 |
| University of La Verne La Verne | Associate's degree | — | not published | 17 |
| Ventura College Ventura | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 908 |
| Victor Valley College Victorville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1,445 |
| West Los Angeles College Culver City | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 542 |
| West Los Angeles College Culver City | Associate's degree | — | not published | 485 |
| West Valley College Saratoga | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 36 |
| William Jessup University Rocklin | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| William Jessup University Rocklin | Associate's degree | — | not published | — |
| Woodland Community College Woodland | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 493 |
| Woodland Community College Woodland | Associate's degree | — | not published | 19 |
| World Mission University Los Angeles | Associate's degree | — | not published | 12 |
| Yuba College Marysville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 392 |
| Yuba College Marysville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 76 |
A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.