2023 Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $75-$110k) in California
13
Ranked Colleges
1,120
Degrees Awarded
$20,800
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
Chemical Engineering is the 64th most popular major in the country with 12,690 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
Across California, there were 1,120 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking looked at 13 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Chemical Engineering Schools
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.
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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.
Top 13 Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $75-$110k) in California
Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 65 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $13,623 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The low undergrad 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Stanford
Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 104 diplomas to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.
UC Davis also took the #5 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $18,728 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at UC Davis
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 175 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $21,601 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The undergrad 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 California - Berkeley Chemical Engineering Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chem eng degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $20,697 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 Chemical Engineering at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 130 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,906 for california chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - San Diego.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of California - San Diego
University of California - Irvine came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 77 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $20,567 for california chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UC Irvine.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 California - Irvine
With a ranking of #7, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 74 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,101 for california chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at CSULB
University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 59 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.
UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $21,581 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UCSB.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of California - Santa Barbara Chemical Engineering Report
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #9. University of California - Riverside is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 88 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
UCR also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $16,887 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Riverside Chemical Engineering Report
With a ranking of #10, San Jose State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. San Jose State University is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 49 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.
San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $21,035 for california chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad 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 86%.
Full San Jose State University Chemical Engineering Report
With a ranking of #11, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 73 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $18,166 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Chemical Engineering Report
University of Southern California landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k 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 68 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
USC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $32,363 for california chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of Southern California.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at USC
California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chem Eng Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #13. Cal Baptist is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Baptist not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Baptist University is $28,614 for California Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Cal Baptist
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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
- *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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