2023 Best Value Colleges for Chemistry (Income $0-$30k) in California
23
Ranked Colleges
3,316
Degrees Awarded
$8,300
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.
In 2020-2021, 21,239 people earned their degree in chemistry, making the major the 51st most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, chemistry graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $40,656 and had an average of $22,680 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 3,316 chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $46,709 and $17,837 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 23 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in chemistry. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality chemistry programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the chemistry program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
More Ways to Rank Chemistry Schools
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 23 Best Value Colleges for Chemistry (Income $0-$30k) in California
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 Making $0-$30k list. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 58 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $1,233 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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 Chemistry at Stanford University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Berkeley, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 170 students in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,450 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UC 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.
Read more about Chemistry at UC Berkeley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 135 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UCLA also took the #5 spot in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,037 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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 full report on Chemistry at UCLA
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 412 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $9,823 for california chemistry 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 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%.
Read full report on Chemistry at UCSD
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #5 spot on the list. 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.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Caltech, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Institute of Technology is $-539 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.
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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read more about Chemistry at California Institute of Technology
With a ranking of #6, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 126 students in 2020-2021.
UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $10,568 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 Chemistry Report
University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 119 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis also took the #6 spot in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $10,006 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UC Davis Chemistry Report
With a ranking of #8, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 175 students in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also made our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $6,540 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Irvine.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read more about Chemistry at UC Irvine
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 105 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $7,169 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SDSU.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, 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.
Read more about Chemistry at SDSU
California State University - Los Angeles landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 29 degrees to qualified ’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.
Cal State LA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal State LA is $1,887 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%.
Full California State University - Los Angeles Chemistry Report
With a ranking of #11, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 32 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State Fullerton is $4,590 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Chemistry at Cal State Fullerton
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 98 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
UCR not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $6,810 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%.
Read more about Chemistry at UCR
California State University - Long Beach landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 54 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. It costs about $6,663 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSULB.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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 undergraduate students.
Full California State University - Long Beach Chemistry Report
University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 93 students in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $11,038 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Chemistry at University of California - Santa Cruz
California State University - Sacramento came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Sac State is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 37 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
Sac State also made our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $8,163 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.
Full California State University - Sacramento Chemistry Report
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 78 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly Pomona also took the #13 spot in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,349 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. 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 full report on Chemistry at Cal Poly Pomona
With a ranking of #17, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 40 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUN also made our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. It costs about $6,266 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSUN.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full CSUN Chemistry Report
With a ranking of #18, California State University - San Bernardino did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Bernardino, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 45 students in 2020-2021.
CSUSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - San Bernardino is $5,985 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Chemistry at California State University - San Bernardino
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $12,173 for california chemistry 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 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%.
Read full report on Chemistry at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
University of California - Merced ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Merced, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 53 students in 2020-2021.
UC Merced also took the #15 spot in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Merced is $10,363 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - Merced Chemistry Report
With a ranking of #21, California State University - Channel Islands did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k 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 also made our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. The estimated yearly cost for CSUCI is $12,011 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 more about Chemistry at California State University - Channel Islands
Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #22. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized school located in Arcata, California that handed out 20 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
Humboldt State University also made our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend Humboldt State University is $11,473 for california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Chemistry at Humboldt State University
With a ranking of #23, University of Redlands did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This small school is located in Redlands, California, and it awarded 12 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Redlands has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Chemistry Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $20,409 for California Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Redlands.
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%.
Read more about 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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