Best Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
74
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
-$217,752
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$16,092
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
City College of San Francisco
Grad rate: 38.3% |
+$352,166 | $61,309 | $17,007 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Skyline College
Grad rate: 40.8% |
+$215,558 | $53,824 | $10,461 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Canada College
Grad rate: 39.8% |
+$191,912 | $52,547 | $9,514 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Mission College
Grad rate: 42.6% |
+$178,566 | $52,433 | $15,047 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts Global | +$97,211 | $51,378 | $33,365 | $17,495 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Berkeley City College
Grad rate: 41.6% |
+$61,180 | $46,770 | $17,110 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
College of San Mateo
Grad rate: 50.6% |
+$49,690 | $45,672 | $11,875 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Irvine Valley College
Grad rate: 56.3% |
+$37,092 | $45,418 | $11,750 | $5,754 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Palomar College
Grad rate: 32.2% |
+$20,766 | $44,438 | $13,997 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Merritt College
Grad rate: 20.9% |
+$8,842 | $44,698 | $22,559 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
National University
Grad rate: 44.0% |
-$722 | $46,351 | $37,116 | $10,008 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Santiago Canyon College
Grad rate: 46.3% |
-$11,639 | $43,051 | $12,617 | $5,500 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
College of Marin
Grad rate: 34.4% |
-$13,678 | $43,695 | $23,789 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Chabot College
Grad rate: 37.9% |
-$36,606 | $41,465 | $12,953 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
San Jose City College
Grad rate: 33.0% |
-$71,936 | $40,807 | $24,038 | N/A | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Degrees by State
Browse Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.