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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science in California

53 Ranked Colleges
8,452 Degrees Awarded
$69,948 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California” ranking.

Computer Science is the 12th most popular major in the country with 59,565 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, computer science graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $67,538 and had an average of $23,620 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 13,342 computer science graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,080 and $19,754 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,452 computer science graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California” ranking, we looked at 53 colleges that offer a degree in computer science. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their computer science program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Science in California

1
Harvey Mudd College crest
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, California

Out of the 53 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvey Mudd College landed the #1 spot on the list. Harvey Mudd College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 48 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Harvey Mudd College Computer Science Report

2

Out of the 53 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Northwestern Polytechnic University landed the #2 spot on the list. Northwestern Polytechnic University is a small school located in Fremont, California that handed out 3 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 2 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Northwestern Polytechnic University Computer Science Report

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 83 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Caltech Computer Science Report

4

Out of the 53 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #4 spot on the list. UC Santa Cruz is located in Santa Cruz, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 670 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UC Santa Cruz Computer Science Report

5
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

Out of the 53 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pomona College landed the #5 spot on the list. Pomona College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 33 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Computer Science at Pomona

6

California State University - Monterey Bay ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. This medium-sized school is located in Seaside, California, and it awarded 170 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Monterey Bay Computer Science Report

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 822 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Irvine Computer Science Report

8

University of California - Berkeley landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 797 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Science at University of California - Berkeley

9
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 260 students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Stanford

10

University of California - San Diego ranked #10 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school awarded 537 degrees to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - San Diego Computer Science Report

11

California State University - San Marcos ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. This fairly large school is located in San Marcos, California, and it awarded 169 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - San Marcos Computer Science Report

12

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 270 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Computer Science Report

13
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #13, Claremont McKenna College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. Claremont McKenna College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 17 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Claremont McKenna College Computer Science Report

14

California State University - East Bay ranked #14 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. California State University - East Bay is a public institution located in Hayward, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 202 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - East Bay Computer Science Report

15
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

Occidental College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking, coming in at #15. Occidental College is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 18 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Oxy Computer Science Report

16
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University ranked #16 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 237 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at SFSU

17

University of California - Davis ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 360 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at University of California - Davis

18

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 178 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

19

California State University - Sacramento landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 260 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at California State University - Sacramento

20
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 295 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SDSU Computer Science Report

21

California State University - Stanislaus landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. California State University - Stanislaus is located in Turlock, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 78 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Stanislaus Computer Science Report

22

California State University - Fullerton came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 308 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Computer Science at California State University - Fullerton

23

University of California - Riverside ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California list. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 191 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at UCR

24

California State University - Channel Islands landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. CSUCI is a public institution located in Camarillo, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at CSUCI

25
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on CompSci Major in California ranking. Sonoma State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Rohnert Park, California. It awarded 53 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SSU Computer Science Report

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