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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Chemistry (Income $48-$75k) in California

30 Ranked Colleges
1,555 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 20,841 people earned their degree in general chemistry, making the major the 38th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 3,187 general chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,555 general chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 30 colleges that offer a degree in general chemistry. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general chemistry 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 general chemistry program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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 Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” 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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Chemistry (Income $48-$75k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $1,959 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Stanford University

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

Caltech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California Institute of Technology is $8,042 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full California Institute of Technology General Chemistry Report

#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 129 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $13,081 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Berkeley General Chemistry Report

#4

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#4 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 #4 for the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k list, UCLA has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,081 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UCLA.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Read more about General Chemistry at UCLA

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 41 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $9,427 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Chemistry at California State University - Fullerton

#23 in overall quality

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cal State LA is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 24 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State LA, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $5,644 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low 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%.

Read more about General Chemistry at California State University - Los Angeles

#7

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 92 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $15,343 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, 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%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of California - Santa Barbara

#7 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 148 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Irvine, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,648 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UC Irvine.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, 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 students.

Full University of California - Irvine General Chemistry Report

#6 in overall quality

University of California - Davis ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 57 students in 2019-2020.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $13,578 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of California - Davis General Chemistry Report

#10

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#18 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #10. University of California - Riverside is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 51 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $12,290 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

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

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of California - Riverside

#9 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 54 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $14,071 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of California - San Diego

#12

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#8 in overall quality

San Diego State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 101 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,730 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k 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 full report on General Chemistry at San Diego State University

#15 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 40 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,413 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Sac State

#14

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California
#24 in overall quality

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in San Bernardino, California, this fairly large public school awarded 72 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSB, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Bernardino is $8,924 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about General Chemistry at CSUSB

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, California State University - Bakersfield did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. CSUB is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUB also took the #25 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Bakersfield is $7,564 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on General Chemistry at California State University - Bakersfield

#21 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 32 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k list, CSULB has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,807 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Chemistry at CSULB

California State University - Dominguez Hills did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #17. CSUDH is a public institution located in Carson, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Dominguez Hills is $6,907 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

The 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 full report on General Chemistry at CSUDH

#18

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#10 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school awarded 62 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also made our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $15,253 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UC Santa Cruz General Chemistry Report

#16 in overall quality

California State University - San Marcos landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. San Marcos, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

CSUSM did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $14,582 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend CSUSM.

The low student loan default rate of 4.2% 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%.

Full California State University - San Marcos General Chemistry Report

#19 in overall quality

University of California - Merced did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. UC Merced is located in Merced, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Merced, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Merced is $14,922 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% 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%. 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 General Chemistry at UC Merced

California State University - Fresno did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #21. Fresno State is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $7,549 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

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 low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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%.

Full California State University - Fresno General Chemistry Report

#12 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 61 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $14,012 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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 more about General Chemistry at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

California State University - Stanislaus came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Stan State is a fairly large public school situated in Turlock, California. It awarded 13 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Stanislaus is $7,772 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Chemistry at Stan State

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 27 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $19,407 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, 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 General Chemistry at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

#17 in overall quality

California State University - Channel Islands landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Camarillo, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUCI, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,108 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Channel Islands.

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 CSUCI General Chemistry Report

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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.

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