2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
28
Ranked Colleges
5,137
Degrees Awarded
$11,000
Avg Net Price*
When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
In 2020-2021, 46,178 people earned their degree in mechanical engineering, making the major the 21st most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, mechanical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $69,007 and had an average of $23,944 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 5,137 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $73,918 and $19,735 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 28 colleges that offer a degree in mechanical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality mechanical engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
More Ways to Rank Mechanical Engineering Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 253 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $1,581 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.
Full Stanford University Mechanical Engineering Report
Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #2 spot on the list. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 320 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $9,999 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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%.
Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. UCLA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 252 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,891 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%.
Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ME degrees to 379 students in 2020-2021.
UCSD also took the #6 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,176 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCSD.
The low undergrad 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%. 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 full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of California - San Diego
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 274 degrees to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california me students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Davis has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,598 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Davis.
The school has an impressive undergrad 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 93%.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UC Davis
With a ranking of #6, California State University - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State LA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 173 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State LA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $2,701 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Los Angeles
With a ranking of #7, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 359 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california me students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $8,449 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, 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 about Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Irvine
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #8. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 211 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $5,821 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.
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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Fullerton
California State University - Northridge landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 234 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUN, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,103 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUN.
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%.
Read more about Mechanical Engineering at CSUN
San Diego State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 243 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.
SDSU also took the #11 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SDSU is $9,274 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State University
California State University - Long Beach came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school awarded 194 degrees to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.
CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $7,573 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full California State University - Long Beach Mechanical Engineering Report
University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 217 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend USC is $17,345 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k.
The impressive undergraduate 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 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Southern California
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 247 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $12,992 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal Poly Pomona.
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 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%.
Full Cal Poly Pomona Mechanical Engineering Report
With a ranking of #14, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.
The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $4,655 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Fresno
With a ranking of #15, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 93 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $11,606 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UCSB Mechanical Engineering Report
With a ranking of #16, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, this large public school handed out 321 degrees to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $13,194 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
California State University - Sacramento came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 229 ’s ME degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $9,055 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.
Full California State University - Sacramento Mechanical Engineering Report
University of California - Riverside landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 144 degrees to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.
UCR also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. It costs about $8,193 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UCR.
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%. 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 more about Mechanical Engineering at UCR
San Jose State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. San Jose State University is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 209 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california me students whose families make $30-$48k list, San Jose State has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,378 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend San Jose State University.
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%. 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 Mechanical Engineering at San Jose State University
With a ranking of #20, Santa Clara University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Santa Clara, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ME degrees to 71 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california me students whose families make $30-$48k list, SCU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SCU is $23,508 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 0.7% 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 Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University
With a ranking of #21, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school awarded 72 degrees to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.
Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $13,040 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Chico State.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Chico State
With a ranking of #22, University of California - Merced did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Merced, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 171 degrees to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.
UC Merced not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Merced is $11,400 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 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 Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Merced
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 102 ’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $11,862 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at SFSU
With a ranking of #24, California State University Maritime Academy did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Vallejo, California, this small public school awarded 19 diplomas to qualified ’s ME students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal Maritime has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $18,048 for California ME students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Cal Maritime.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California State University Maritime Academy
With a ranking of #25, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value ME Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Riverside, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s ME degrees to 58 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california me students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal Baptist has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Baptist is $22,162 for california me students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 Mechanical Engineering Report
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