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2023 Best Value Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income Over $110k) in California

28 Ranked Colleges
5,137 Degrees Awarded
$28,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k

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 Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

General Mechanical Engineering is the 14th most popular major in the country with 46,178 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across California, there were 5,137 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k” ranking, we looked at 28 colleges that offer a degree in general mechanical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general mechanical 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 general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k”.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

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Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income Over $110k) in California

1

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fullerton landed the #1 spot on the list. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 211 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $8,003 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 California State University - Fullerton General Mechanical Engineering Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #2 for the Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 173 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

Cal State LA also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #25. It costs about $3,302 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend Cal State LA.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Los Angeles

3
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Diego State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 243 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

SDSU also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $13,845 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend SDSU.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

4

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 Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k. University of California - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 252 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UCLA also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. It costs about $15,023 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles General Mechanical Engineering Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 321 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $20,677 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, 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 94%.

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

6

California State University - Northridge ranked #6 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 234 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUN also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $8,523 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Northridge General Mechanical Engineering Report

7

California State University - Long Beach ranked #7 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 194 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

CSULB also took the #17 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,054 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend CSULB.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full CSULB General Mechanical Engineering Report

8

With a ranking of #8, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. University of California - San Diego is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 379 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $15,240 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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 General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - San Diego

9

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #9 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 247 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $14,304 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

10

University of California - Berkeley came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 320 students in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also took the #3 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,032 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

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

11

With a ranking of #11, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 274 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,768 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Davis General Mechanical Engineering Report

12

California State University - Sacramento landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 229 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k list, Sac State has also earned the #22 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $11,178 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Sac State

13
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 209 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State is $16,542 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

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

14

California State University - Fresno ranked #14 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 71 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $6,230 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%. 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 about General Mechanical Engineering at Fresno State

15

University of California - Irvine ranked #15 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 359 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Irvine also took the #9 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,209 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of California - Irvine.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, 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 94%.

Full UC Irvine General Mechanical Engineering Report

16

California State University - Chico landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 72 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k list, Chico State has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,218 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend California State University - Chico.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Chico State General Mechanical Engineering Report

17

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #17 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 93 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $16,252 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 UCSB

18

California State University Maritime Academy ranked #18 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. Cal Maritime is located in Vallejo, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k list, Cal Maritime has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,743 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend California State University Maritime Academy.

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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Cal Maritime

19
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 253 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

Stanford also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $12,894 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, 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 86%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University

20

University of California - Riverside came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k ranking. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 144 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UCR also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $11,822 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

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%. 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 UCR

21
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #21, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. San Francisco State University is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 102 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $14,459 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend SFSU.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

22

University of California - Merced landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k ranking. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 171 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Merced also took the #24 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Merced is $13,691 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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 University of California - Merced

23
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. Located in Riverside, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 58 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

Cal Baptist also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. The estimated yearly cost for California Baptist University is $26,719 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California Baptist University General Mechanical Engineering Report

24
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 217 students in 2020-2021.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $32,569 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k per year to attend University of Southern California.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national 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. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full University of Southern California General Mechanical Engineering Report

25
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Vallue General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making Over $110k list. Santa Clara, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 71 students in 2020-2021.

SCU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend SCU is $42,614 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make more than $110k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, 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 93%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at SCU

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