2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering
12
Ranked Colleges
1,386
Degrees Awarded
$35,400
Avg Cost*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2020-2021, 11,796 people earned their degree in general engineering, making the major the 79th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, general engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,873 and had an average of $20,557 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 1,386 general engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $85,262 and $12,259 respectively.
For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering” ranking, we looked at 12 colleges that offer a degree in general engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general engineering programs and a strong support system for veterans and active service members.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the general engineering program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank General Engineering Schools
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering
The colleges and universities below are the best for california vets studying engineering.
Top 12 Best General Engineering Colleges for Veterans in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering list. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, UCLA supports 44,589 students, and 7 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $8,071. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UCLA Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering that were part of this year’s ranking, San Jose State University landed the #2 spot on the list. San Jose State University is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 54 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california vets studying engineering list, San Jose State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 36,208 students enrolled at San Jose State, 660 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 384 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $4,909. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. San Jose State offers credit for military training for eligible students.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full San Jose State Veteran Student Life Report
Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #3 spot on the list. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 123 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 39,074 students enrolled at UC Davis, 31 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 23 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $6,489. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
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 undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering list. University of California - Riverside is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 52 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Our most recent data shows that 11 of the 26,434 students enrolled at University of California - Riverside were GI Bill® students, of which 5 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $2,182. To help with additional expenses, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Eligible students may be able to receive credit for their military training.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at UCR]](/colleges/university-of-california-riverside/student-life/veterans/)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of San Diego. The school came in at #5 for the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering. USD is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 7 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
USD also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Of the 8,861 students enrolled at University of San Diego, 44 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 28 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $22,598. In addition to receiving other benefits, 17 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 veteran student life at USD]](/colleges/university-of-san-diego/student-life/veterans/)
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.Among the 30,014 students enrolled at Cal Poly Pomona, 34 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 17 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,486. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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.
Read More…
San Francisco State University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering ranking. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 29 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
SFSU also made our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list, coming in at #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS].According to our most recent data, SFSU supports 27,349 students, and 950 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 536 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,581. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. SFSU offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 San Francisco State University Veteran Student Life Report
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering ranking, coming in at #8. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 22,440 students enrolled at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 268 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 128 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $6,027. During this same period, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read More…
California State University - Fresno came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering ranking. Fresno State is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 17 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california vets studying engineering list, Fresno State has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Among the 25,497 students enrolled at Fresno State, 471 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 211 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $3,324. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Fresno State offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
[Read full report on veteran student life at California State University - Fresno]](/colleges/california-state-university-fresno/student-life/veterans/)
With a ranking of #10, University of the Pacific did quite well on the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering list. University of the Pacific is a medium-sized school located in Stockton, California that handed out 34 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california vets studying engineering list, Pacific has also earned the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] rank in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.According to our most recent data, University of the Pacific supports 6,263 students, and 10 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 8 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $21,238. During this same period, 5 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. University of the Pacific offers credit for military training for eligible students.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…
Santa Clara University ranked #11 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering list. Located in Santa Clara, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SCU, the school also landed the #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] spot in our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 106 of the 8,616 students enrolled at SCU were GI Bill® students, of which 68 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $13,898. On top of their other funding sources, 38 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read More…
Harvey Mudd College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in California for Engineering list. Harvey Mudd College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Harvey Mudd College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #[COLLEGE_QUALITY_RANK_ALL_LEVELS] on our “[COLLEGE_QUALITY_NAME_ALL_LEVELS]” list.According to our most recent data, Harvey Mudd College supports 854 students, and 7 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 4 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $21,530. During this same period, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read More…
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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).
- Veteran-specific data can be found at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- 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
- *Avg Salary and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top schools only.
- **GI Bill® student total includes all chapters of the GI Bill® program (e.g., Post-9/11, Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, and Veteran Readiness and Employment)
- 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 Rémi Kaupp.
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