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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in California

29 Ranked Colleges
4,047 Degrees Awarded
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering 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 General Mechanical Engineering 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, 47,598 people earned their degree in general mechanical engineering, making the major the 12th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 5,259 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,047 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking analyzed 29 colleges that offered a degree in general mechanical engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent general mechanical engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The general mechanical engineering 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Stanford University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 54 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $1,959 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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. 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 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%.

Full Stanford University General Mechanical Engineering Report

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#3 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 General Mechanical Engineering 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 15 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Caltech has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,042 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California Institute of Technology.

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%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full California Institute of Technology General Mechanical Engineering Report

#2 in overall quality

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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 177 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also took the #2 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Berkeley is $13,081 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Berkeley

#4

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#6 in overall quality

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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 137 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $13,081 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full UCLA General Mechanical Engineering Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 144 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $5,644 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State LA General Mechanical Engineering Report

#24 in overall quality

California State University - Fresno came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 86 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno State, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,549 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Fresno State.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 87%.

Full California State University - Fresno General Mechanical Engineering Report

#20 in overall quality

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. California State University - Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 231 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $9,427 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Fullerton

#11 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 263 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $13,648 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Irvine General Mechanical Engineering Report

#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 308 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $19,407 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 176 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $13,578 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UC Davis

#18 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering 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 193 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB also took the #18 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $10,807 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Long Beach General Mechanical Engineering Report

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCSD is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 179 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UCSD also took the #12 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $14,071 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - San Diego

#23 in overall quality

California State University - Northridge came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 226 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

CSUN also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $10,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at CSUN

#14

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#22 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 145 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $12,290 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Riverside

#15

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#13 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 88 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,343 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Santa Barbara

#16

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 306 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, SDSU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,730 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Diego State University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at SDSU

#25 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 204 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Sac State also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $11,413 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Sac State.

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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Sac State

#17 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 225 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona also took the #17 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $14,012 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering 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 87%.

Full Cal Poly Pomona General Mechanical Engineering Report

#8 in overall quality

California State University Maritime Academy landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. California State University Maritime Academy is a public institution located in Vallejo, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Maritime did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $18,528 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cal Maritime.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at California State University Maritime Academy

#20

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

University of Southern California landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering 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 96 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $20,050 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend USC.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at USC

#21

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#16 in overall quality

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 193 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $16,397 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at San Jose State University

#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - Chico is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 102 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #19. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $16,116 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Chico

University of California - Merced ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Merced, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 146 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend UC Merced is $14,922 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Merced

#24

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #24, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 97 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $16,661 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Francisco State University.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at San Francisco State University

#25

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, California
#7 in overall quality

Santa Clara University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Clara, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, SCU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $24,848 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Santa Clara University.

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 93%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at SCU

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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.

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