Best Online Liberal Arts Programs in Sonora, CA (2026)

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 1 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 1 schools in our directory that offer liberal arts programs near Sonora. Distances are calculated from Sonora city center.

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.

#1

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 85.4 miles from Sonora BOC Score89.9
Published tuition$15,247 - $46,024
Online programsYes

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


Liberal Arts Wages Near Sonora

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Public Relations Specialist$85,030
Management Analyst$101,460
Technical Writer$104,000
News Analyst, Reporter, or JournalistN/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

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)

Other Sonora-Area Cities With Liberal Arts Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited liberal arts schools are near Sonora, CA?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering liberal arts programs near Sonora. The closest is University of California-Davis in Davis, CA (85.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of California-Davis (85.4 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

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:

Data verified: June 11, 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.