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2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

24 Ranked Colleges
2,009 Degrees Awarded
$10,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Computer Engineering is the 60th most popular major in the country with 16,932 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, computer engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $68,762 and had an average of $25,829 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 3,399 computer engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $73,265 and $23,234 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,009 computer engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 24 colleges that offer a degree in computer engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality computer engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the computer engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in California

#1

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 72 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $8,553 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Computer Engineering at UCLA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Irvine. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 288 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $9,558 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at UC Irvine

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fresno. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Fresno State is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 24 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno State, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $3,264 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at Fresno State

#4

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Diego State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. SDSU is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 81 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $8,870 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at San Diego State University

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 124 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $9,280 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 low 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 full report on Computer Engineering at University of California - San Diego

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 158 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,475 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 49 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

UCR also took the #12 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,366 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UCR Computer Engineering Report

University of California - Davis ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 100 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

UC Davis also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $9,842 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Davis Computer Engineering Report

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 45 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also took the #21 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $4,291 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Computer Engineering at Cal State Fullerton

With a ranking of #10, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 64 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSULB has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $6,364 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 89%.

Full California State University - Long Beach Computer Engineering Report

#11

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 55 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,316 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCSB.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Engineering at UCSB

California State University - Northridge ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSUN is $5,945 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Read more about Computer Engineering at CSUN

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school awarded 42 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s CE students in 2019-2020.

Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $6,819 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Sac State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 Engineering at Sac State

#14

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

With a ranking of #14, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Jose State University is a large public school situated in San Jose, California. It awarded 276 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,940 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend San Jose State University.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at San Jose State

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 105 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly Pomona, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $8,596 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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 students.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona

#16

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 85 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Santa Cruz, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Santa Cruz is $10,872 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at UC Santa Cruz

#17

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,668 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USC.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Engineering at University of Southern California

California State University - Bakersfield came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSUB is located in Bakersfield, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

CSUB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $3,423 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSUB.

Read more about Computer Engineering at CSUB

University of California - Merced came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC Merced is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 134 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Merced not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Merced is $10,782 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low 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%.

Full UC Merced Computer Engineering Report

#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Chico is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 7 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k list, Chico State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,260 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Chico.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Computer Engineering at California State University - Chico

#21

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 36 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SFSU.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at San Francisco State University

#22

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Clara, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SCU also took the #4 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SCU is $22,356 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%.

Full Santa Clara University Computer Engineering Report

#23

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California

University of the Pacific did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Stockton, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s CE students in 2019-2020.

Pacific also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $21,972 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Pacific.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of the Pacific Computer Engineering Report

#24

California Baptist University

Riverside, California

California Baptist University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal Baptist is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Baptist is $20,277 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at California Baptist University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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