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

53 Ranked Colleges
8,452 Degrees Awarded
$69,948 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor's

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 59,565 people earned their degree in computer science, making the major the 12th most popular in the United States. 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.

This year’s “Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 53 colleges that offered a degree in computer science. To top this list, a school must have a successful computer science program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

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 “Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s” 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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s”.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 822 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 797 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%.

Full University of California - Berkeley Computer Science Report

3

Out of the 53 schools in the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #3 spot on the list. University of California - 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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Computer Science at University of California - Santa Cruz

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 537 degrees to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCSD Computer Science Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s. Located in Davis, California, this large public school handed out 360 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 93%.

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

6

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 342 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Science at UCLA

7

California State University - Fullerton landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Cal State 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Computer Science Report

8
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s compsci degrees to 295 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.

Read full report on Computer Science at SDSU

9
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 293 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%.

Full USC Computer Science Report

10

With a ranking of #10, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Cal Poly Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 270 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Computer Science Report

11

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 260 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Computer Science Report

11
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 260 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read full report on Computer Science at Stanford

13
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #13, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school handed out 237 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%.

Full SFSU Computer Science Report

14
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 230 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Computer Science at San Jose State University

15

California State University - Long Beach ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 221 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 full report on Computer Science at California State University - Long Beach

16

With a ranking of #16, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. CSUN is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 214 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%.

Full CSUN Computer Science Report

17

California State University - East Bay came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. California State University - East Bay is located in Hayward, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 202 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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 full report on Computer Science at California State University - East Bay

18

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #18. University of California - Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 191 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 full report on Computer Science at UCR

19

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 178 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Computer Science Report

20

With a ranking of #20, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 171 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read full report on Computer Science at UCSB

21

With a ranking of #21, California State University - Monterey Bay did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. CSUMB is located in Seaside, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 170 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 CSUMB

22

With a ranking of #22, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. CSUSM is a public institution located in San Marcos, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 169 bachelors’s 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%.

Read full report on Computer Science at CSUSM

23

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 152 bachelors’s compsci degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Science at California State University - Los Angeles

24

California State University - San Bernardino came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is located in San Bernardino, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 87 bachelors’s compsci degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Computer Science at California State University - San Bernardino

25

With a ranking of #25, California Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended CompSci Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 83 degrees to qualified bachelors’s compsci students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Computer Science at Caltech

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