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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in California

24 Ranked Colleges
2,009 Degrees Awarded
$11,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $30-$48k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 $30-$48k” 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.

This year’s “Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered 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.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the computer engineering program at the school. 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 $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. 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.

Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in California

#1

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCLA has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,254 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at University of California - Los Angeles

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 288 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $10,373 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fresno landed the #3 spot on the list. Fresno, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s CE degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $3,731 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, 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 87%.

Read more about Computer Engineering at California State University - Fresno

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #4 spot on the list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 158 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,680 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 94%.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

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 $30-$48k list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s CE degrees to 124 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $9,974 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. 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 Engineering at University of California - San Diego

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. University of California - Riverside is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 49 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $9,151 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%.

Full University of California - Riverside Computer Engineering Report

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 100 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $10,769 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.

Read more about Computer Engineering at UC Davis

#8

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 81 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k list, SDSU has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $10,594 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Computer Engineering at San Diego State University

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 64 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $7,595 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full CSULB Computer Engineering Report

California State University - Fullerton ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #21. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $6,100 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Computer Engineering Report

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. CSUN is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $6,883 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at California State University - Northridge

#12

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 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. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Barbara is $11,895 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Computer Engineering at UCSB

California State University - Sacramento landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s CE degrees to 42 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. The yearly cost to attend Sac State is $7,823 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k.

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%.

Full Sac State Computer Engineering Report

#14

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #14, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 42 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $16,252 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend USC.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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.

Read more about Computer Engineering at USC

#15

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 276 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $11,752 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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 San Jose State Computer Engineering Report

#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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 85 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s CE students in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also took the #11 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Cruz is $11,793 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, 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 85%.

Full University of California - Santa Cruz Computer Engineering Report

California State University - Bakersfield ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s CE degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUB also took the #24 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Bakersfield is $3,880 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Computer Engineering at CSUB

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 105 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $9,630 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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 87%.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Computer Engineering Report

University of California - Merced ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s CE degrees to 134 students in 2019-2020.

UC Merced also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $11,565 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Merced.

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

Read full report on Computer Engineering at UC Merced

#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 $30-$48k list. Chico State is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State also made our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $11,576 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Chico State.

The 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 - Chico Computer Engineering Report

#21

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #21, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 36 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s CE students in 2019-2020.

SFSU also took the #22 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,517 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k 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 did quite well in the 2022 Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Santa Clara, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 77 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s CE students in 2019-2020.

SCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Santa Clara University is $18,949 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. 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%.

Full SCU Computer Engineering Report

#23

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California

University of the Pacific ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of the Pacific is located in Stockton, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

Pacific did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of the Pacific is $23,385 for california bachelor’s degree ce students whose families make $30-$48k.

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

Read full report on Computer Engineering at Pacific

#24

California Baptist University

Riverside, California

California Baptist University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value CE Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California Baptist University is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s CE degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Baptist, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Computer Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,716 for California Bachelor’s Degree CE students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California Baptist University.

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 more about 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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