Best Online Education Programs in Sonora, CA (2026)

Sonora, California has 2 accredited schools offering education programs, with tuition ranging from $7,602 to $22,714 per year for indexed programs. Sonora has a population of about 4,965. Median household income is $62,621 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 30.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In California, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, K-12 at a median $159,950 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Education Schools to Sonora

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer education programs near Sonora, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sonora city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Sonora. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 69.5 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
81.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,876
Avg net price $9,338/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,018
Out‑of‑state$20,618
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fresno City College

Fresno, CA 89.8 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
41.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,361
Avg net price $8,069/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 115.7 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

California State University-Northridge

Northridge, CA 278.2 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
75.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 93%
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,115
Avg net price $7,021/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,458
Out‑of‑state$20,058
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Arcata, CA 280.8 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
59.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,626
Avg net price $13,171/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,250
Out‑of‑state$20,850
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA 297.5 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
73.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,211
Avg net price $3,967/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,160
Out‑of‑state$19,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

El Camino Community College District

Torrance, CA 305.5 miles from Sonora
  • 2 year
51.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 30%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,589
Avg net price $5,968/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Compton College

Compton, CA 308.5 miles from Sonora
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
25.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,181
Avg net price $12,647/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California education page.


Education Wages Near Sonora

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Secondary School Teacher$101,370
Elementary School Teacher$99,650
Middle School Teacher$98,950
Education Teacher, Postsecondary$111,850
Education Administrator, K-12$159,950
Education Administrator, Postsecondary$125,460
Tutor$45,100
Educational and Career Counselor$86,500

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Sonora at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population4,965Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$62,621Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+30.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Education-related employment in Tuolumne County182 workers, 16 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sonora-Area Cities With Education Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited education schools are near Sonora, CA?

Accredited schools offering education programs near Sonora are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying education roles in California?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying education-related roles in California are: Education Administrator, K-12 ($159,950), Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($125,460), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($111,850). Wages for Sonora workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Oakdale instead of Sonora?

Oakdale, CA is 29.5 miles from Sonora and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Sonora an affordable place to study education?

Sonora’s median household income of $62,621 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sonora while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Education Programs

Other Programs Available in Sonora

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sonora:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.