2026 Best Value Construction Engineering Technology/Technician Schools in California
[Construction Engineering Technology/Technician](/majors/engineering-technologies/construction-engineering-technology/construction-engineering-technology-technician/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value construction engineering technology/technician schools.
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2026 Best Value Construction Engineering Technology/Technician Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the construction engineering technology/technician degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Construction Engineering Technology/Technician Schools
For return on investment in construction engineering technology/technician, no school beat California State University Fresno this year. Located in the city of Fresno, California State University Fresno is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,341, compared with $19,941 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction engineering technology/technician graduates is $12,985. Soon after graduation, construction engineering technology/technician degree recipients from California State University Fresno generally make around $78,716. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Students looking for strong value in construction engineering technology/technician will find it at California State University Northridge, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,458 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,058. Students borrow a median of $16,202 to complete the construction engineering technology/technician program here. Soon after graduation, construction engineering technology/technician degree recipients from California State University Northridge generally make around $79,352. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California State University Northridge admits about 93% of applicants.
California State University Long Beach is a great value for students pursuing a degree in construction engineering technology/technician, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,374, compared with $19,974 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,866 to complete the construction engineering technology/technician program here. Construction Engineering Technology/technician graduates of California State University Long Beach earn a median of $89,003 early in their careers. Set against $17,866 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Long Beach admits about 46% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California State University Sacramento earned it the #4 place for construction engineering technology/technician. Located in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,018 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $20,618. Construction Engineering Technology/technician graduates carry a median of $17,492 in student loans. Soon after graduation, construction engineering technology/technician degree recipients from California State University Sacramento generally make around $49,907. That is a strong return on a $17,492 median debt. California State University Sacramento admits about 94% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in construction engineering technology/technician will find it at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, which ranked #5. California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public school located in the suburb of Pomona. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,781, compared with $20,381 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,067 to complete the construction engineering technology/technician program here. Construction Engineering Technology/technician graduates of California State Polytechnic University Pomona earn a median of $87,960 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
California State University Chico earned the #6 position for value in construction engineering technology/technician this year. Located in the city of Chico, California State University Chico is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,472, compared with $21,072 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction engineering technology/technician graduates is $21,104. Construction Engineering Technology/technician graduates of California State University Chico earn a median of $88,648 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. California State University Chico admits about 93% of applicants.
San Diego State University earned the #7 position for value in construction engineering technology/technician this year. Set in the city of San Diego, San Diego State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,728, with out-of-state students paying around $21,328. Typical student debt for construction engineering technology/technician graduates is $16,417. Soon after graduation, construction engineering technology/technician degree recipients from San Diego State University generally make around $81,608. That is a strong return on a $16,417 median debt. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
