2023 Best Value Colleges for Engineering (Income $75-$110k) in California
32
Ranked Colleges
25,212
Degrees Awarded
$19,500
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Engineering is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 7th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 198,468 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,653 and had an average of $23,855 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 25,212 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,831 and $20,014 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 32 colleges that offer a degree in engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to 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 Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Engineering (Income $75-$110k) in California
Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 1,121 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,623 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Stanford University.
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 freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.
Read more about Engineering at Stanford
Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 1,248 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $18,728 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UC Davis.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Engineering at UC Davis
Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 1,982 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,601 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UC Berkeley.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Engineering at University of California - Berkeley
Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 1,342 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $20,697 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Engineering at UCLA
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 Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k. California State University - Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 387 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
It costs about $10,011 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$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 Engineering at Cal State LA
University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #6. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 2,047 students in 2020-2021.
UCSD also took the #7 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $20,906 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
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%. 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 Engineering at UCSD
With a ranking of #7, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 1,418 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also took the #10 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $20,567 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%.
Full UC Irvine Engineering Report
With a ranking of #8, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. California State University - Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 611 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $12,977 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering at California State University - Fullerton
California State University - Long Beach landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. CSULB is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 786 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k list, CSULB has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $15,101 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$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 2.4% 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%.
Read more about Engineering at CSULB
Harvey Mudd College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Harvey Mudd College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 58 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Harvey Mudd College, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Harvey Mudd College is $25,320 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Engineering at Harvey Mudd College
California State University - Fresno ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 226 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $12,789 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$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 Engineering at Fresno State
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 1,403 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $22,744 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 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%.
Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Engineering Report
San Diego State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 777 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $18,957 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend SDSU.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, 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 89%.
Full San Diego State University Engineering Report
San Jose State University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 1,943 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
San Jose State also took the #11 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,035 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend San Jose State.
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 Engineering at San Jose State
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school awarded 1,089 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $18,166 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona
With a ranking of #16, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 597 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k list, Sac State has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,925 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering at California State University - Sacramento
California State University - Northridge landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 539 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUN also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #22. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $15,380 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$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 Engineering Report
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 691 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k list, UCR has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $16,887 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, 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 91%.
Read full report on Engineering at UCR
University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #19. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 366 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k list, UCSB has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $21,581 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k 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 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 more about Engineering at UCSB
California State University - Bakersfield came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. CSUB is a fairly large public school situated in Bakersfield, California. It awarded 70 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $13,441 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
Full California State University - Bakersfield Engineering Report
University of Southern California did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #21. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 1,815 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $32,363 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$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 1.3% 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%. 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.
Read full report on Engineering at USC
California State University - Chico came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 230 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Chico State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $20,708 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
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 Engineering at California State University - Chico
With a ranking of #23, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 221 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Santa Cruz has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $22,380 for california engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UC Santa Cruz.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.
Full University of California - Santa Cruz Engineering Report
With a ranking of #24, University of California - Merced did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This medium-sized school is located in Merced, California, and it awarded 468 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Merced not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $19,795 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UC Merced.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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 undergraduate students.
Full UC Merced Engineering Report
Santa Clara University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. SCU is located in Santa Clara, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 429 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
SCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Santa Clara University is $34,770 for California Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full SCU Engineering Report
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