Social Sciences, General associate's degree programs in California
Compare 25 reporting programs using the same federal field and associate's degree credential definition. Earnings are observed four years after completion.
Highest reported earnings in California
Each bar uses the same field, credential, state and earnings year.
1Ohlone CollegeFremont · $5,500 federal debt$58,9282City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco · Debt not reported$56,2573College of San MateoSan Mateo · Debt not reported$52,6194De Anza CollegeCupertino · Debt not reported$51,4605Woodland Community CollegeWoodland · Debt not reported$51,0516Merritt CollegeOakland · Debt not reported$50,0017Pasadena City CollegePasadena · Debt not reported$48,7098American River CollegeSacramento · Debt not reported$47,7319East Los Angeles CollegeMonterey Park · $5,500 federal debt$47,62410Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa · Debt not reported$46,768
CAREER CONTEXT IN CA
What related occupations pay in California
These are common occupational matches for this field, ranked by the strength of the federal education-to-occupation match.
11-9199Managers, All Other
- State median wage
- $174,560
- Middle 50% wage range
- $132,000–$221,560
- State employment
- 99,580
- Projected growth
- +4.9%
- Annual openings
- 100,900
25-1069Social Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary, All Other
- State median wage
- $132,920
- Middle 50% wage range
- $82,230–$205,150
- State employment
- 2,760
- Projected growth
- +1.6%
- Annual openings
- 1,300
19-3099Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other
- State median wage
- $97,900
- Middle 50% wage range
- $79,410–$120,840
- State employment
- 2,970
- Projected growth
- -0.2%
- Annual openings
- 2,700
15-2041Statisticians
- State median wage
- $135,960
- Middle 50% wage range
- $100,210–$174,340
- State employment
- 2,480
- Projected growth
- +11.0%
- Annual openings
- 1,900
19-3041Sociologists
- State median wage
- $125,770
- Middle 50% wage range
- $98,770–$138,710
- State employment
- 590
- Projected growth
- +3.8%
- Annual openings
- 200
25-2031Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- State median wage
- $101,370
- Middle 50% wage range
- $79,710–$125,920
- State employment
- 99,230
- Projected growth
- -0.2%
- Annual openings
- 63,500
19-4061Social Science Research Assistants
- State median wage
- $60,250
- Middle 50% wage range
- $41,670–$84,990
- State employment
- 5,300
- Projected growth
- +5.0%
- Annual openings
- 4,900
25-1067Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary
- State median wage
- $127,680
- Middle 50% wage range
- $96,530–$167,290
- State employment
- 810
- Projected growth
- +2.2%
- Annual openings
- 1,000
Career wages and employment are BLS estimates for everyone working in each occupation in California; they are not earnings or placement rates for graduates of these programs. Wage ranges show the distribution across workers, not an entry-to-experienced career path. Growth and annual openings are national 2025–35 projections. BLS reports openings in thousands; DegreeVerdict displays the corresponding job count. These figures provide labor-market context and are not used in DegreeVerdict payoff or ROI calculations.
ALL REPORTING PROGRAMS
Compare every available outcome
Sorted by observed year-4 earnings. Open a row for its exact college-and-degree profile.
| # | College | City | Median year-4 earnings | Median federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohlone College | Fremont | $58,928 | $5,500 |
| 2 | City College of San Francisco | San Francisco | $56,257 | Not available |
| 3 | College of San Mateo | San Mateo | $52,619 | Not available |
| 4 | De Anza College | Cupertino | $51,460 | Not available |
| 5 | Woodland Community College | Woodland | $51,051 | Not available |
| 6 | Merritt College | Oakland | $50,001 | Not available |
| 7 | Pasadena City College | Pasadena | $48,709 | Not available |
| 8 | American River College | Sacramento | $47,731 | Not available |
| 9 | East Los Angeles College | Monterey Park | $47,624 | $5,500 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa | $46,768 | Not available |
| 11 | San Diego Miramar College | San Diego | $46,564 | Not available |
| 12 | Sierra College | Rocklin | $45,195 | $7,834 |
| 13 | Crafton Hills College | Yucaipa | $44,769 | Not available |
| 14 | Mt San Antonio College | Walnut | $44,256 | Not available |
| 15 | Yuba College | Marysville | $43,965 | Not available |
| 16 | Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen | $42,610 | $10,750 |
| 17 | Long Beach City College | Long Beach | $42,308 | Not available |
| 18 | Fresno City College | Fresno | $42,228 | Not available |
| 19 | Merced College | Merced | $41,246 | $7,843 |
| 20 | Butte College | Oroville | $40,543 | $9,036 |
| 21 | Shasta College | Redding | $39,704 | Not available |
| 22 | Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster | $38,575 | $12,711 |
| 23 | Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto | $36,114 | $6,625 |
| 24 | Laney College | Oakland | $30,022 | Not available |
| 25 | Barstow Community College | Barstow | $29,470 | $5,588 |
This is an observed-outcomes comparison, not a universal quality ranking. Missing and privacy-suppressed programs are excluded.
A quick read on Social Sciences, General in California
What do Social Sciences, General associate's degree graduates earn in California?
Across 25 reporting programs, the median observed earnings figure is $44,769 four years after completion.
How much federal debt is reported for these programs?
The median is $7,834 among the 9 programs reporting federal debt.
Which California colleges report the highest earnings for this degree?
The table compares the same federal field, credential and earnings year. Ohlone College has the highest reported figure among the programs shown.