Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Engineering

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in California

36 Ranked Colleges
15,052 Degrees Awarded
$8,200 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

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 Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

With 200,458 degrees handed out in 2019-2020, engineering is the 6th most popular major in the United States. In 2017-2018, engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $64,888 and had an average of $23,564 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 25,440 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $67,620 and $21,114 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 15,052 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 36 colleges that offer a degree in engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality engineering programs that also have a lower cost than 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 engineering program at the school. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Engineering Schools

The 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 Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 36 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 286 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Stanford has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $-1,387 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Engineering at Stanford University

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 53 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

Caltech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Caltech is $5,456 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 3 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Caltech Engineering Report

#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 1,011 degrees to qualified bachelors’s engineering students in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,392 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UC Berkeley.

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 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at UC Berkeley

#4

Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Harvey Mudd College. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Harvey Mudd College also made our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Harvey Mudd College is $16,494 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Engineering at Harvey Mudd College

#5

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#7 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 #5 for the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 669 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA also made our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $8,553 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 Engineering Report

#12 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1,055 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine also made our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $9,558 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Full University of California - Irvine Engineering Report

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 313 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $1,379 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read full report on Engineering at Cal State LA

California State University - Fresno ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Fresno is a public institution located in Fresno, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 234 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $3,264 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, 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 87%.

Full Fresno State Engineering Report

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 463 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $4,291 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Engineering Report

#10

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#16 in overall quality

San Diego State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 810 students in 2019-2020.

SDSU also took the #16 spot in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,870 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SDSU.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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 more about Engineering at San Diego State University

#10 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 933 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UC Davis also took the #10 spot in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $9,842 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Davis Engineering Report

#6 in overall quality

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 1,254 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,475 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Engineering Report

#13

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#23 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 455 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCR has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,366 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCR.

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%. 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 full report on Engineering at UCR

#24 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSULB is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 759 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

CSULB also took the #24 spot in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $6,364 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, 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.

Full California State University - Long Beach Engineering Report

California State University - Northridge came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Northridge is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 507 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $5,945 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Read full report on Engineering at CSUN

#13 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - San Diego is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 948 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $9,280 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - San Diego Engineering Report

#17

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#14 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 249 bachelors’s engineering degrees to qualified students.

UCSB also made our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $10,316 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Santa Barbara Engineering Report

#25 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #18. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 516 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Sac State has also earned the #25 rank in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $6,819 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Engineering Report

#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cal Poly Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 972 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $8,596 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%.

Read more about Engineering at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

#9 in overall quality

California State University Maritime Academy ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Vallejo, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.

Cal Maritime also took the #9 spot in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University Maritime Academy is $12,774 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University Maritime Academy Engineering Report

California State University - Bakersfield came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 73 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUB is $3,423 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full California State University - Bakersfield Engineering Report

#22

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#20 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 215 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Santa Cruz, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,872 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UC Santa Cruz.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of California - Santa Cruz Engineering Report

#23

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#18 in overall quality

San Jose State University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Jose, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s engineering degrees to 984 students in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also took the #18 spot in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $10,940 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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

Read more about Engineering at San Jose State

#24

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 413 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, USC has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,668 for California Bachelor’s Degree Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USC.

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%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full USC Engineering Report

#22 in overall quality

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. California State University - Chico is a fairly large school located in Chico, California that handed out 227 bachelors’s engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State also made our “Best Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $10,260 for california bachelor’s degree engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Engineering at Chico State

Switch to a More Focused Major

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.

Credits

Featured Schools

Find Schools Near You