2026 Best Value Software Engineering Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in software engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Software Engineering Schools
California State University Fullerton tops our 2026 list of the best value software engineering schools in California. California State University Fullerton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fullerton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,470, with out-of-state students paying around $20,070. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the software engineering program here. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $84,047. Set against $18,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #2 makes California State University Northridge one of the best values for software engineering. Located in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,458, while out-of-state students pay about $20,058. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $19,548. Software Engineering graduates of California State University Northridge earn a median of $75,692 early in their careers. Set against $19,548 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in software engineering will find it at California State University Sacramento, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,018, with out-of-state students paying around $20,618. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $17,500. Software Engineering graduates of California State University Sacramento earn a median of $66,266 early in their careers. Set against $17,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
California State University San Marcos is a great value for students pursuing a degree in software engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. California State University San Marcos is a large public school located in the suburb of San Marcos. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,082, while out-of-state students pay about $20,682. Software Engineering graduates carry a median of $17,527 in student loans. Software Engineering graduates of California State University San Marcos earn a median of $48,726 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,527 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Irvine is a great value for students pursuing a degree in software engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,752 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $46,640. Software Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,233 in student loans. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $79,812. Set against $19,233 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
San Jose State University landed the #6 spot for software engineering value this year. San Jose State University is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose. Students from in state pay about $8,410 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,010. Median earnings reach $78,988 ten years out. San Jose State University admits about 85% of applicants.
University Of California Merced placed #7 among the best values for software engineering. University Of California Merced is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Merced. In-state tuition and fees average $14,653, with out-of-state students paying around $46,541. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $19,086. Soon after graduation, software engineering degree recipients from University Of California Merced generally make around $58,835. That is a strong return on a $19,086 median debt. University Of California Merced admits about 90% of applicants.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earned the #8 position for value in software engineering this year. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public school located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo. Students from in state pay about $12,161 in tuition and fees, compared with $33,230 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,556 to complete the software engineering program here. Software Engineering graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of $111,560 early in their careers. Set against $20,556 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo admits about 31% of applicants.
San Diego State University came in at #9 for value in software engineering this year. Set in the city of San Diego, San Diego State University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,728 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,328 for out-of-state students. Software Engineering graduates carry a median of $16,248 in student loans. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $76,812. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 36% of applicants are accepted.
Ashford University earned the #10 position for value in software engineering this year. Located in the city of San Diego, Ashford University is a very large private for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,960. Students borrow a median of $39,515 to complete the software engineering program here. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $48,441. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
California Baptist University ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value software engineering schools. California Baptist University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Riverside. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $41,228. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the software engineering program here. Early-career software engineering graduates make about $75,087. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. California Baptist University admits about 85% of applicants.
Chapman University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value software engineering schools. Chapman University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Orange. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,984. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $21,657. Software Engineering graduates of Chapman University earn a median of $50,947 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 65%.
Santa Clara University came in at #13 for value in software engineering this year. Santa Clara University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Santa Clara. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,293. Typical student debt for software engineering graduates is $24,666. Software Engineering graduates of Santa Clara University earn a median of $79,380 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,666 median debt. The acceptance rate is 48%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 19 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.
[Software Engineering](/majors/engineering/ce-computer-engineering/software-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong software engineering education at a price that pays off.
