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2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

14 Ranked Colleges
884 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

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 Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 13,314 people earned their degree in chemical engineering, making the major the 53rd most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 1,177 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 884 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking looked at 14 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in chemical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality chemical engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the chemical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The chem eng school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 11 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $1,959 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Stanford University.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Stanford Chemical Engineering Report

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. California Institute of Technology is a small school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 9 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k list, Caltech has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,042 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Caltech.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Caltech

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 112 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Berkeley is $13,081 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of California - Berkeley

#4

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 74 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $13,081 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles Chemical Engineering Report

#6 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #5 spot on the list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 111 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $13,578 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Full UC Davis Chemical Engineering Report

#11 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 69 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $12,290 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of California - Riverside

#13 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 91 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $10,807 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at CSULB

#9 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 68 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also took the #9 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,648 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UC Irvine.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of California - Irvine Chemical Engineering Report

#9

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 54 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,343 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCSB.

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 more about Chemical Engineering at University of California - Santa Barbara

#8 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 105 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k list, UCSD has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $14,071 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCSD Chemical Engineering Report

#11

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

University of Southern California landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of Southern California is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 41 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern California is $20,050 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Southern California

#10 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 79 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $14,012 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Chemical Engineering Report

#13

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#12 in overall quality

San Jose State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also took the #12 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $16,397 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at San Jose State University

#14

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#14 in overall quality

California Baptist University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Riverside, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist also took the #14 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $23,255 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cal Baptist.

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 Chemical 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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Mikulova.

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