Sonora, California has 1 accredited school offering liberal arts programs, with tuition ranging from $15,247 to $46,024 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 liberal arts-related role is Technical Writer at a median $104,000 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Liberal Arts Schools to Sonora
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer liberal arts 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:
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 Sonora.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
42%
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$80,838
Avg net price
$14,741/yr
TuitionIn‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Key stats- Retention rate: 93%
- Programs offered: 7
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$124,080
Avg net price
$13,807/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 98%
- Programs offered: 10
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$68,077
Avg net price
$12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 83%
- Programs offered: 13
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$76,310
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
73%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$62,152
Avg net price
$9,849/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 73%
- Programs offered: 4
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California liberal arts page.
Liberal Arts Wages Near Sonora
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (California, statewide) |
|---|
| Public Relations Specialist | $85,030 |
| Management Analyst | $101,460 |
| Technical Writer | $104,000 |
| News Analyst, Reporter, or Journalist | N/A |
| Editor | $98,030 |
| Training and Development Specialist | $75,790 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $83,500 |
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
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 4,965 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $62,621 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 30.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
Other Sonora-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs
- Oakdale, CA – 29.5 mi away (22,564 pop)
- Riverbank, CA – 35.2 mi away (24,389 pop)
- Modesto, CA – 41.4 mi away (377,755 pop)
- Ceres, CA – 41.4 mi away (48,278 pop)
- Turlock, CA – 42.0 mi away (106,100 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Sonora, CA?
Accredited schools offering liberal arts 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 liberal arts roles in California?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying liberal arts-related roles in California are: Technical Writer ($104,000), Management Analyst ($101,460), Editor ($98,030). 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 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 Sonora an affordable place to study liberal arts?
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 Liberal Arts Programs
Other Programs Available in Sonora
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sonora:
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- Nursing programs in Sonora, CA
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- Accounting programs in Sonora, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in Sonora, CA
- Social Work programs in Sonora, CA
- Counseling programs in Sonora, CA
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.
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