Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Chemical Engineering

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

14 Ranked Colleges
903 Degrees Awarded
$54,945 Avg Salary
Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $48-$75k

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Chemical Engineering is the 66th most popular major in the country with 13,610 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, chemical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $62,963 and had an average of $22,564 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,196 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $54,945 and $17,612 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 903 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 14 colleges that offer 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.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the chemical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Chemical Engineering Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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 Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 14 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) 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 $48-$75k. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 11 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,959 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Stanford University

#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 $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Caltech also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. It costs about $8,042 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California Institute of Technology.

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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The 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 more about Chemical Engineering at California Institute of Technology

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 Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 112 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

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

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley

#4

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Out of the 14 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 74 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

UCLA also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $13,081 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

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

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 $48-$75k list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 130 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,578 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Davis.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of California - Davis

University of California - Riverside landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. University of California - Riverside is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 69 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,290 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of California - Riverside

With a ranking of #7, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. 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 $10,807 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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 Chemical Engineering at California State University - Long Beach

University of California - Irvine ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $13,648 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng 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 1.3% 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%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at UC Irvine

#9

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

With a ranking of #9, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 54 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB also took the #7 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSB is $15,343 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Full UCSB Chemical Engineering Report

University of California - San Diego 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 $48-$75k ranking. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 105 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

UCSD also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $14,071 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - San Diego.

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 94%.

Full UCSD Chemical Engineering Report

#11

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 41 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

USC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Southern California is $20,050 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% 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 impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at USC

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $14,012 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%. 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 more about Chemical Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona

#13

San Jose State University

San Jose, California

San Jose State University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $16,397 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Jose State.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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.

Full San Jose State University Chemical Engineering Report

#14

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#14 in overall quality

California Baptist University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Baptist University is $23,255 for california bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 Chemical Engineering at Cal Baptist

Switch to a Similar Major

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