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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering in California (With Aid)

14 Ranked Colleges
884 Degrees Awarded
$16,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 14 colleges that offered a degree in chemical engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent chemical engineering programs, but they also cost less that 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

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 Getting Aid”.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students with aid.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering in California (With Aid)

#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 Getting Aid list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 11 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $11,496 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Stanford University

#13 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Long Beach landed the #2 spot on the list. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 91 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $9,622 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students with aid.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at California State University - Long Beach

#3

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#5 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #3 spot on the list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 74 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students with aid list, UCLA has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $14,279 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 96%.

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

#9 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #4 spot on the list. University of California - Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also took the #9 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $14,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full University of California - Irvine Chemical Engineering Report

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 112 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $15,329 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students with aid per year to attend UC Berkeley.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley

#11 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 69 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students with aid list, UCR has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students with aid.

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 full report on Chemical Engineering at UCR

#8 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 105 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $14,232 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

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 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 Chemical Engineering at University of California - San Diego

#6 in overall quality

University of California - Davis ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 111 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $14,669 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

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

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of California - Davis

#10 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 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 $12,734 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

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

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

#10

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#7 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 54 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $15,884 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 91%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of California - Santa Barbara

#11

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#12 in overall quality

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 50 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,928 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid per year to attend San Jose State University.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full San Jose State University Chemical Engineering Report

#12

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#2 in overall quality

California Institute of Technology did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $24,274 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students with aid per year to attend Caltech.

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 1.0% 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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full California Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering Report

#13

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#14 in overall quality

California Baptist University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California Baptist University is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 10 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Baptist is $24,707 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid.

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 Chemical Engineering at California Baptist University

#14

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 41 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $29,528 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students with aid per year to attend University of Southern California.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, 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.

Full USC Chemical Engineering Report

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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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