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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in California

29 Ranked Colleges
4,047 Degrees Awarded
$8,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

General Mechanical Engineering is the 12th most popular major in the country with 47,598 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

Across California, there were 5,259 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 4,047 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 29 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in general mechanical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general mechanical engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Mechanical Engineering Schools

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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 54 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $-1,387 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at Stanford

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#3 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Pasadena, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, Caltech has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Institute of Technology is $5,456 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at California Institute of Technology

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 29 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 177 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $8,392 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering 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 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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Berkeley

#4

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#6 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 137 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCLA has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,553 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UCLA General Mechanical Engineering Report

#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Irvine. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 263 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $9,558 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UC Irvine

California State University - Los Angeles ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 144 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $1,379 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State LA.

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 Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Los Angeles

#20 in overall quality

California State University - Fullerton ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 231 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $4,291 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Fullerton

#24 in overall quality

California State University - Fresno came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 86 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #24. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $3,264 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Full Fresno State General Mechanical Engineering Report

#9

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#15 in overall quality

San Diego State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 306 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $8,870 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Full SDSU General Mechanical Engineering Report

#5 in overall quality

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 308 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $12,475 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, 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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

#18 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 193 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $6,364 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Full California State University - Long Beach General Mechanical Engineering Report

#23 in overall quality

With a ranking of #12, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Northridge is a large school located in Northridge, California that handed out 226 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k list, CSUN has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUN is $5,945 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at CSUN

#9 in overall quality

University of California - Davis landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 176 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $9,842 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Davis

#14

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#22 in overall quality

With a ranking of #14, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 145 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR also took the #22 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,366 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCR.

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

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UCR

#12 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 179 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSD also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $9,280 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. 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%.

Full University of California - San Diego General Mechanical Engineering Report

#16

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s 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 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 88 students in 2019-2020.

UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Barbara is $10,316 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering 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 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 Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Santa Barbara

#17 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school handed out 225 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly Pomona is $8,596 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

#25 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 204 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $6,819 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at Sac State

#8 in overall quality

California State University Maritime Academy landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Vallejo, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 44 students in 2019-2020.

Cal Maritime also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,774 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal Maritime.

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%.

Full Cal Maritime General Mechanical Engineering Report

#20

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#16 in overall quality

San Jose State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 193 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also took the #16 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $10,940 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at San Jose State University

#21

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #21. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 96 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Southern California is $14,668 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national 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. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at USC

#19 in overall quality

California State University - Chico ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Chico is a fairly large school located in Chico, California that handed out 102 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Chico State, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $10,260 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Chico State

#23

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 97 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $11,123 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend San Francisco State University.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at San Francisco State University

University of California - Merced ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Merced is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 146 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for UC Merced is $10,782 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UC Merced

#25

University of San Diego

San Diego, California
#14 in overall quality

University of San Diego did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #25. San Diego, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 71 students in 2019-2020.

USD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of San Diego is $22,263 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low 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 General Mechanical Engineering at University of San Diego

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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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