Best Philosophy Schools Near Sonora, CA (2026)

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

Sonora, California has 5 accredited schools offering philosophy 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 philosophy-related role is Lawyers at a median $195,080 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Philosophy Schools to Sonora

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer philosophy 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-Stanislaus

Turlock, CA 40.6 miles from Sonora
  • 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 41.2 miles from Sonora
  • 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 California-Merced

Merced, CA 42.6 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
70.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,368
Avg net price $11,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of the Pacific

Stockton, CA 50.6 miles from Sonora
  • 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

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#5

California State University-Sacramento

Sacramento, CA 69.1 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • 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: 78

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

#6

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA 83.6 miles from Sonora
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 42%
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,838
Avg net price $14,741/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,774
Out‑of‑state$50,974
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 153

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

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#7

California State University-Fresno

Fresno, CA 88.2 miles from Sonora
  • 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

#8

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: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Philosophy Wages Near Sonora

Occupation Median Annual Wage (California, statewide)
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary $105,820
Writers and Authors $86,480
Lawyers $195,080
Clergy $77,710
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $101,370
Editors $98,030
Management Analysts $101,460

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 Philosophy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited philosophy schools are near Sonora, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering philosophy programs near Sonora. The closest is California State University-Stanislaus in Turlock, CA (40.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of the Pacific (50.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying philosophy roles in California?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying philosophy-related roles in California are: Lawyers ($195,080), Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary ($105,820), Management Analysts ($101,460). 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 philosophy 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 philosophy?

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 Philosophy Programs

Other Programs Available in Sonora

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

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.

Back to Best Philosophy Schools in California: Online Programs (2026)