Mahadev Maitri Foundation

Best Liberal Arts Colleges in California

160 accredited institutions in California offering liberal arts programs, ranked by annual graduates (IPEDS 2023–24).

160

Colleges

140,235

Graduates/yr

127

Public

Associate's

Top Degree

Ranked: Liberal Arts Programs in California

PublicAssociate's

Santa Monica College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Saddleback College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Bakersfield College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Golden West College

Huntington Beach

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Irvine Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Pasadena City College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Riverside City College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Moorpark College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

San Joaquin Delta College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Ventura College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Angeles Pierce College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Angeles Harbor College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

West Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Santa Ana College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

El Camino Community College District

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Santa Barbara City College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Cabrillo College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Grossmont College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

San Luis Obispo

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Cerritos College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

College of the Sequoias

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Rio Hondo College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Fresno

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Angeles City College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

West Los Angeles College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Cerro Coso Community College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

MiraCosta College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Angeles Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Allan Hancock College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Imperial Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Orange Coast College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Coastline Community College

Fountain Valley

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Angeles Mission College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Mt San Jacinto Community College District

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Chaffey College

Rancho Cucamonga

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

City College of San Francisco

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Medanos College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Compton College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Hartnell College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Modesto Junior College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Angeles Southwest College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Palomar College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Bakersfield

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Long Beach

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Cypress College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

College of the Redwoods

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Victor Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Los Angeles Trade Technical College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Solano Community College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Northridge

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Contra Costa College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Stanislaus

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Sacramento City College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

San Diego State University

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

East Los Angeles College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Cuyamaca College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

San Bernardino Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Monterey Peninsula College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Lassen Community College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-San Bernardino

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

San Jose City College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Southwestern College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Chico

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

San Diego City College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Mission College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

De Anza College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Skyline College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Coalinga College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Palo Verde College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Dominguez Hills

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Fresno Pacific University

Net Price <$30K

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Sacramento

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitAssociate's

National University

Net Price <$30K

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Fullerton

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Cosumnes River College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-Los Angeles

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Porterville College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

Sonoma State University

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

College of the Desert

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Antelope Valley Community College District

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

College of Alameda

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Santa Rosa Junior College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Columbia College

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Thomas Aquinas College

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

San Diego Mesa College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

College of the Canyons

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Berkeley City College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State University-East Bay

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Reedley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Gavilan College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Barstow Community College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Feather River Community College District

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

California Baptist University

Net Price <$30K

PublicBachelor's

University of California-Riverside

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

San Jose State University

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Azusa Pacific University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

Fresno City College

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

San Francisco State University

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

College of Marin

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Madera Community College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Saint Mary's College of California

Net Price <$30K

Private For-ProfitBachelor's

Ashford University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

In-State Tuition

Private For-ProfitMaster's

Pacifica Graduate Institute

PublicAssociate's

Napa Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

California Lutheran University

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

The Master's University and Seminary

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Concordia University-Irvine

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

San Diego Miramar College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Long Beach City College

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Simpson University

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Minerva University

Private NonprofitAssociate's

University of La Verne

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

University of San Diego

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitAssociate's

Life Pacific University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

College of the Siskiyous

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Mendocino College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Loyola Marymount University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

Crafton Hills College

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Reach University

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Westmont College

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

University of Redlands

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

Lake Tahoe Community College

South Lake Tahoe

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Pepperdine University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

La Sierra University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

Mt San Antonio College

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Mount Saint Mary's University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

Diablo Valley College

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitAssociate's

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Dominican University of California

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

Evergreen Valley College

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Fullerton College

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitAssociate's

Golden Gate University

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Santa Clara University

Net Price <$30K

PublicAssociate's

Foothill College

Los Altos Hills

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

Glendale Community College

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Scripps College

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitBachelor's

San Diego Christian College

Net Price <$30K

PublicBachelor's

University of California-San Diego

In-State Tuition

Private NonprofitAssociate's

Epic Bible College & Graduate School

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Notre Dame de Namur University

Private NonprofitBachelor's

Chapman University

Net Price <$30K

Private NonprofitAssociate's

Hope International University

Net Price <$30K

PublicBachelor's

University of California-Los Angeles

In-State Tuition

PublicAssociate's

College of San Mateo

In-State Tuition

PublicBachelor's

University of California-Santa Barbara

In-State Tuition

Studying Liberal Arts in California

California has 160 accredited colleges offering liberal arts programs, producing 140,235 graduates annually. Of these, 127 are public institutions with subsidized in-state tuition for California residents.

When evaluating programs, consider accreditation, internship placement rates, and faculty expertise. Always file the FAFSA — the net price after grants can be dramatically lower than sticker tuition, especially at public institutions.

← All colleges in California ← All states

Data source: Graduate counts from IPEDS 2023–24 C2023_A Completions survey (NCES). Tuition, acceptance rate, and graduation rate from IPEDS HD2023, ADM2023, DRVGR2023.