La Mesa, California has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $1,332 to $27,780 per year for indexed programs. La Mesa has a population of about 60,835. Median household income is $84,337 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, the top-earning liberal arts-related role is Technical Writer at a median $101,750 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to La Mesa
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near La Mesa, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from La Mesa 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 La Mesa.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
36%
Graduation rate
77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$64,909
Avg net price
$15,364/yr
TuitionIn‑state$8,728
Out‑of‑state$21,328
Key stats
- Retention rate: 90%
- Programs offered: 133
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$49,766
Avg net price
$992/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 17%
- Programs offered: 15
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$67,548
Avg net price
$22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 53%
- Programs offered: 73
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
10%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$35,404
Avg net price
$31,266/yr
TuitionIn‑state$11,960
Out‑of‑state$11,960
Key stats
- Retention rate: 33%
- Programs offered: 64
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
14%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$80,980
TuitionIn‑state$6,780
Out‑of‑state$6,780
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$45,120
Avg net price
$5,814/yr
TuitionIn‑state$1,146
Out‑of‑state$10,002
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
47%
Avg net price
$32,637/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 86%
- Programs offered: 7
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$86,522
Avg net price
$30,365/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats
- Retention rate: 91%
- Programs offered: 77
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near La Mesa
La Mesa is part of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area (BLS area code 41740). 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) |
| Public Relations Specialist |
$81,240 |
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
$72,601 |
| Management Analyst |
$101,190 |
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
$90,429 |
| Technical Writer |
$101,750 |
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
$90,929 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist |
$63,810 |
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
$57,024 |
| Editor |
$78,870 |
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
$70,483 |
| Training and Development Specialist |
$75,670 |
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
$67,623 |
| Human Resources Specialist |
$81,300 |
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
$72,654 |
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.
La Mesa at a Glance
| Metric |
Value |
Source |
| Population |
60,835 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income |
$84,337 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ |
38.4% |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) |
111.9 (above U.S. average) |
BEA RPP 2024 |
| Liberal Arts-related employment in San Diego County |
10,699 workers, 845 establishments |
BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other La Mesa-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Lemon Grove, CA – 2.7 mi away (26,860 pop)
- El Cajon, CA – 4.1 mi away (103,768 pop)
- Santee, CA – 6.2 mi away (57,834 pop)
- San Diego, CA – 7.3 mi away (3,181,172 pop)
- National City, CA – 8.5 mi away (61,147 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near La Mesa, CA?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near La Mesa. The closest is San Diego State University in San Diego, CA (3.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is National University (7.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying liberal arts roles near La Mesa?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles near La Mesa are: Technical Writer ($101,750), Management Analyst ($101,190), Human Resources Specialist ($81,300). 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 Lemon Grove instead of La Mesa?
Lemon Grove, CA is 2.7 miles from La Mesa and has its own set of local liberal arts programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is La Mesa an affordable place to study liberal arts?
La Mesa’s median household income of $84,337 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Mesa 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 Liberal Arts Programs
Other Programs Available in La Mesa
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for La Mesa:
- History programs in La Mesa, CA
- English programs in La Mesa, CA
- Sociology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Anthropology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Political Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Philosophy programs in La Mesa, CA
- Mathematics programs in La Mesa, CA
- General Studies programs in La Mesa, CA
- Forensic Psychology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Child Development programs in La Mesa, CA
- Data Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Electrical Engineering programs in La Mesa, CA
- Software Engineering programs in La Mesa, CA
- Engineering Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Geography programs in La Mesa, CA
- Aviation Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Public Policy programs in La Mesa, CA
- International Relations programs in La Mesa, CA
- Chemistry programs in La Mesa, CA
- Physics programs in La Mesa, CA
- Neuroscience programs in La Mesa, CA
- Spanish programs in La Mesa, CA
- Film programs in La Mesa, CA
- Fashion programs in La Mesa, CA
- Architecture programs in La Mesa, CA
- Urban Planning programs in La Mesa, CA
- Industrial Design programs in La Mesa, CA
- Game Design programs in La Mesa, CA
- Instructional Design programs in La Mesa, CA
- Higher Education Administration programs in La Mesa, CA
- Global Health programs in La Mesa, CA
- Art History programs in La Mesa, CA
- Creative Writing programs in La Mesa, CA
- Environmental Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Nutrition programs in La Mesa, CA
- Theology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Library Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in La Mesa, CA
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in La Mesa, CA
- Medical Assistant programs in La Mesa, CA
- Pharmacy Technician programs in La Mesa, CA
- Health Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in La Mesa, CA
- Entrepreneurship programs in La Mesa, CA
- Interior Design programs in La Mesa, CA
- Photography programs in La Mesa, CA
- Sustainability Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Behavioral Health Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Mental Health Counseling programs in La Mesa, CA
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in La Mesa, CA
- Journalism programs in La Mesa, CA
- Public Relations programs in La Mesa, CA
- Communication Disorders programs in La Mesa, CA
- Speech Pathology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Technical Communication programs in La Mesa, CA
- Professional Writing programs in La Mesa, CA
- Strategic Communications programs in La Mesa, CA
- Business Development programs in La Mesa, CA
- Construction Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Economics programs in La Mesa, CA
- Financial Technology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Forensic Accounting programs in La Mesa, CA
- Health Information Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Hospitality Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- International Business programs in La Mesa, CA
- Organizational Leadership programs in La Mesa, CA
- Management Information Systems programs in La Mesa, CA
- Nonprofit Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Operations Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Public Administration programs in La Mesa, CA
- Real Estate programs in La Mesa, CA
- Recreation Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Retail Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Risk Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Statistics programs in La Mesa, CA
- Taxation programs in La Mesa, CA
- Corrections programs in La Mesa, CA
- Crime Analysis programs in La Mesa, CA
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in La Mesa, CA
- Criminology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Cybercrime programs in La Mesa, CA
- Emergency Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Fire Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Forensic Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Legal Services programs in La Mesa, CA
- Legal Studies programs in La Mesa, CA
- Paralegal programs in La Mesa, CA
- Security Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Cloud Computing programs in La Mesa, CA
- Computer Engineering programs in La Mesa, CA
- Innovation programs in La Mesa, CA
- Mobile App Development programs in La Mesa, CA
- Software Development programs in La Mesa, CA
- User Experience programs in La Mesa, CA
- Web Development programs in La Mesa, CA
- Artificial Intelligence programs in La Mesa, CA
- Machine Learning programs in La Mesa, CA
- Supply Chain Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Data Analytics programs in La Mesa, CA
- Public Health programs in La Mesa, CA
- Human Resources programs in La Mesa, CA
- Project Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Special Education programs in La Mesa, CA
- Homeland Security programs in La Mesa, CA
- Marketing programs in La Mesa, CA
- Finance programs in La Mesa, CA
- Kinesiology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Sports Management programs in La Mesa, CA
- Early Childhood Education programs in La Mesa, CA
- Elementary Education programs in La Mesa, CA
- Biology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Communications programs in La Mesa, CA
- Graphic Design programs in La Mesa, CA
- Human Services programs in La Mesa, CA
- MBA programs in La Mesa, CA
- Criminal Justice programs in La Mesa, CA
- Nursing programs in La Mesa, CA
- Business Administration programs in La Mesa, CA
- Computer Science programs in La Mesa, CA
- Psychology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Education programs in La Mesa, CA
- Engineering programs in La Mesa, CA
- Technology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Healthcare programs in La Mesa, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in La Mesa, CA
- Accounting programs in La Mesa, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in La Mesa, CA
- Social Work programs in La Mesa, CA
- Counseling programs in La Mesa, CA
Data verified: September 6, 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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