2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in California
[Engineering & Applied Physics](/majors/engineering/engineering-physics/engineering-applied-physics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong engineering & applied physics education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for engineering & applied physics students.
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2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering & applied physics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of California Berkeley the best value for a degree in engineering & applied physics in California. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, while out-of-state students pay about $47,265. Typical student debt for engineering & applied physics graduates is $14,238. Soon after graduation, engineering & applied physics degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $70,847. Set against $14,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at California Institute Of Technology earned it the #2 place for engineering & applied physics. California Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pasadena. In-state tuition and fees average $65,898. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates of California Institute Of Technology earn a median of $173,344 early in their careers. Roughly 3% of applicants are accepted.
Biola University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering & applied physics, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of La Mirada, Biola University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $48,984. Students borrow a median of $25,308 to complete the engineering & applied physics program here. Soon after graduation, engineering & applied physics degree recipients from Biola University generally make around $45,003. That is a strong return on a $25,308 median debt. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
