2023 Best Liberal Arts & Humanities Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
Finding the Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor's Degree School for You
In 2020-2021, liberal arts / sciences and humanities students earned 52,773 degrees and certificates from a California school, making the subject the 3rd in the state.
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
The Best Liberal Arts & Humanities Bachelor's Degree Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 47 schools in California to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school is, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for liberal arts / sciences and humanities majors pursuing a bachelor's degree.
Top 10 Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Bachelor's Degree Schools
Our 2023 rankings named National University the best school in California for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students working on their bachelor’s degree. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the large city of La Jolla.
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A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Brandman University is a great place for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the large city of Irvine, Brandman is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
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Out of the 47 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Loyola Marymount University landed the # 3 spot on the list. Loyola Marymount is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Liberal Arts & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public college with a very large student population.
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With a ranking of #6, Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well on this year’s best schools for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in the suburb of Moraga, SMC is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.
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With a ranking of #7, Westmont College did quite well on this year’s best schools for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students working on their bachelor’s degree. Westmont is a small private not-for-profit school located in the midsize suburb of Santa Barbara.
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With a ranking of #8, Thomas Aquinas College did quite well on this year’s best schools for liberal arts / sciences and humanities students working on their bachelor’s degree. TAC is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Santa Paula.
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Sonoma State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Liberal Arts & Humanities Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in the suburb of Rohnert Park, SSU is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.
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Azusa Pacific University landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree liberal arts / sciences and humanities programs. Located in the suburb of Azusa, Azusa Pacific is a private not-for-profit college with a moderately-sized student population.
Full Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities at Azusa Pacific University Report
Request InformationBest Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Colleges in the Far Western US Region
Explore all the Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Washington | 17,408 |
| Oregon | 8,599 |
| Hawaii | 2,024 |
| Nevada | 1,679 |
| Alaska | 417 |
More Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Rankings in California
Rankings in Majors Related to Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Majors to Study
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts General Studies | 556,813 |
Majors Similar to Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Visual & Performing Arts | 149,215 |
| English Language & Literature | 54,635 |
| Foreign Languages & Linguistics | 33,333 |
| Theology & Religious Vocations | 27,459 |
| Philosophy & Religious Studies | 19,993 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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 the rest 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).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Jacques Sablet (Switzerland, Morges, 1749-1803).
More about our data sources and methodologies.