Best General Studies Schools Near Atwater, CA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Atwater, California has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs. Atwater has a population of about 32,013. Median household income is $63,945 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 13.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Merced, CA metro area, the top-earning general studies-related role is Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education at a median $99,600 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest General Studies Schools to Atwater

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Atwater, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Atwater 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 Atwater. 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-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 18.3 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,188
Avg net price $6,067/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 81%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 30.5 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,368
Avg net price $2,818/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 92

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 58.3 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,445
Avg net price $25,447/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Fresno City College

Fresno, CA 60.0 miles from Atwater
  • 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: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses

Stockton, CA 60.1 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
58.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,248
Avg net price $5,524/yr
Tuition
In‑state$13,500
Out‑of‑state$13,500
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 14

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

#6

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 60.2 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,244
Avg net price $7,000/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 96

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

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#7

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA 64.4 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,896
Avg net price $13,630/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA 70.5 miles from Atwater
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,988
Avg net price $13,760/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 118

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

General Studies Wages Near Atwater

Atwater is part of the Merced, CA metro area (BLS area code 32900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Managers $94,990 Merced, CA $96,633
Management Analysts $79,670 Merced, CA $81,048
Human Resources Specialists $76,820 Merced, CA $78,149
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $65,640 Merced, CA $66,775
Writers and Authors $86,480 CA statewide $87,976
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $99,600 Merced, CA $101,322
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $68,070 Merced, CA $69,247
Social and Community Service Managers $76,760 Merced, CA $78,087

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.

Atwater at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 32,013 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,945 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 13.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Atwater-Area Cities With General Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Atwater, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Atwater. The closest is Merced College in Merced, CA (6.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Columbia College (48.1 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Atwater?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Atwater are: Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education ($99,600), General and Operations Managers ($94,990), Writers and Authors ($86,480). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Merced instead of Atwater?

Merced, CA is 7.4 miles from Atwater and has its own set of local general studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Atwater an affordable place to study general studies?

Atwater’s median household income of $63,945 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Atwater 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 General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Atwater

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

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