2023 Best Value Colleges for General Chemistry in California (With Aid)
23
Ranked Colleges
3,013
Degrees Awarded
$14,200
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
General Chemistry is the 43rd most popular major in the country with 20,056 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
Across California, there were 3,013 general chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 23 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general chemistry program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
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 in California For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
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. 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 Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid
The colleges and universities below are the best for california chemistry students with aid.
Top 23 Best Value Colleges for General Chemistry in California (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 58 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $12,894 for California Chemistry students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about General Chemistry at Stanford
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #2 spot on the list. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 172 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,240 for california chemistry students with aid per year to attend University of California - San Diego.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on General Chemistry at University of California - San Diego
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Cal State LA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
Cal State LA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $3,302 for california chemistry students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Chemistry at Cal State LA
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 135 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california chemistry students with aid list, UCLA has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,023 for California Chemistry students with aid per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.
The school has an impressive undergrad 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about General Chemistry at University of California - Los Angeles
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 170 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $16,032 for California Chemistry students with aid 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%. 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 UC Berkeley General Chemistry Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 170 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california chemistry students with aid list, UC Irvine has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $12,209 for California Chemistry students with aid.
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%. 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 UC Irvine
With a ranking of #7, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 116 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $16,252 for california chemistry students with aid.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of California - Santa Barbara General Chemistry Report
With a ranking of #8, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 93 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california chemistry students with aid list, UC Davis has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $15,768 for california chemistry students with aid.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full University of California - Davis General Chemistry Report
California State University - Long Beach came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 54 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
CSULB also made our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Long Beach is $10,054 for california chemistry students with aid.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
Read more about General Chemistry at CSULB
California State University - Fullerton landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 32 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal State Fullerton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,003 for California Chemistry students with aid per year to attend California State University - 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 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 General Chemistry at Cal State Fullerton
University of California - Riverside ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 98 degrees to qualified ’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.
UCR also made our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Riverside is $11,822 for California Chemistry students with aid.
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 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full UCR General Chemistry Report
San Diego State University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 105 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
SDSU also made our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $13,845 for california chemistry students with aid.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on General Chemistry at SDSU
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. This large school is located in Sacramento, California, and it awarded 37 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
Sac State also made our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Sac State is $11,178 for california chemistry students with aid.
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%.
Full California State University - Sacramento General Chemistry Report
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 78 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly Pomona, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $14,304 for California Chemistry students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on General Chemistry at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
California State University - Northridge ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Northridge, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.
CSUN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,523 for california chemistry students with aid per year to attend California State University - Northridge.
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 General Chemistry at California State University - Northridge
California State University - San Bernardino landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large public school situated in San Bernardino, California. It awarded 45 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,107 for California Chemistry students with aid per year to attend California State University - San Bernardino.
With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Full California State University - San Bernardino General Chemistry Report
University of California - Merced landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Merced is located in Merced, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 41 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Merced, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Merced is $13,691 for California Chemistry students with aid.
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 General Chemistry at University of California - Merced
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 93 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $17,930 for california chemistry students with aid per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, 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 85%.
Read more about General Chemistry at University of California - Santa Cruz
With a ranking of #19, California State University - Channel Islands did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Camarillo, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.
CSUCI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Channel Islands is $14,928 for california chemistry students with aid.
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 General Chemistry at CSUCI
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 36 students in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $20,677 for California Chemistry students with aid.
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 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%.
Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo General Chemistry Report
Humboldt State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Humboldt State University is a public institution located in Arcata, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 20 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Humboldt State University, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,956 for California Chemistry students with aid per year to attend Humboldt State University.
Read full report on General Chemistry at Humboldt State University
California Institute of Technology landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Caltech is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 32 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
Caltech did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $26,542 for california chemistry students with aid per year to attend California Institute of Technology.
The undergraduate 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.
Read more about General Chemistry at California Institute of Technology
With a ranking of #23, University of Redlands did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of Redlands is located in Redlands, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Redlands is $26,098 for California Chemistry students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about General Chemistry at University of Redlands
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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
- *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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