Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k

14 Ranked Colleges
884 Degrees Awarded
$19,400 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $75-$110k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking.

Chemical Engineering is the 53rd most popular major in the country with 13,314 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across California, there were 1,177 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 884 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking analyzed 14 colleges that offered a degree in chemical engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent chemical engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the chemical engineering 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

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $75-$110k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $10,631 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

The 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 student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Stanford Chemical Engineering Report

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

Caltech also took the #2 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,788 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Caltech.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Caltech

#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 112 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $21,401 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 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 Chemical Engineering Report

#13 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. CSULB is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 91 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

CSULB also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $14,544 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at CSULB

#6 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 111 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Davis has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $17,622 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full University of California - Davis Chemical Engineering Report

#6

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#5 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 74 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $19,590 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of California - Los Angeles

#11 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 69 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Riverside is $18,395 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of California - Riverside

#10 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 79 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona also took the #10 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $17,944 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Pomona Chemical Engineering Report

#9

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#7 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 54 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k list, UCSB has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $22,226 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UCSB.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full UCSB Chemical Engineering Report

#9 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school handed out 68 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $19,851 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng 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 low 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%.

Full University of California - Irvine Chemical Engineering Report

#8 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 105 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $20,205 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, 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%.

Full University of California - San Diego Chemical Engineering Report

#12

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#12 in overall quality

San Jose State University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. San Jose State University is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State is $19,805 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, 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 86%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at San Jose State

#13

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

University of Southern California came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 41 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern California is $30,858 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Southern California

#14

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#14 in overall quality

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #14. California Baptist University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 10 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $26,285 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Cal Baptist.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California Baptist University Chemical Engineering Report

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Mikulova.

Featured Engineering Schools

Find Schools Near You