2026 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools in California
[Systems Engineering](/majors/engineering/systems-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong systems engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for systems engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Systems Engineering Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the systems engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Systems Engineering Schools
California State University Dominguez Hills earned the #1 spot for value among systems engineering schools in California. Set in the city of Carson, California State University Dominguez Hills is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,454 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,054 for out-of-state students. Systems Engineering graduates carry a median of $15,886 in student loans. Early-career systems engineering graduates make about $52,683. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of California San Diego one of the best values for systems engineering. Located in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,788, while out-of-state students pay about $47,676. Systems Engineering graduates carry a median of $17,101 in student loans. Soon after graduation, systems engineering degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $60,797. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
University Of Southern California is a great value for students pursuing a degree in systems engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,647. Typical student debt for systems engineering graduates is $15,625. Systems Engineering graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $118,363 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 10%.
Loyola Marymount University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in systems engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $61,867 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $22,248 to complete the systems engineering program here. Early-career systems engineering graduates make about $52,935. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Loyola Marymount University admits about 45% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
