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2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

28 Ranked Colleges
5,137 Degrees Awarded
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools 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 General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

General Mechanical Engineering is the 14th most popular major in the country with 46,178 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

Across California, there were 5,137 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 28 colleges that offer a degree 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

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The general mechanical engineering school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k”.

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. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in California

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 253 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $7,081 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Stanford University General Mechanical Engineering Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school handed out 320 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $13,423 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UC Berkeley.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. 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 Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Berkeley

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 252 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,644 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UCLA

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 274 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $14,193 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, 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 93%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Davis

5

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 379 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD also took the #6 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $14,310 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, 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 University of California - San Diego

6

University of California - Irvine ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 359 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine also took the #9 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $13,275 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 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 UC Irvine

7

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 173 students in 2020-2021.

Cal State LA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #25 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $5,700 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Los Angeles.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Cal State LA

8

California State University - Fullerton came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 211 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,017 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% 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 Cal State Fullerton

9

California State University - Northridge came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. CSUN is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 234 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

CSUN not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Northridge is $10,780 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

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

10
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 217 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, USC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend USC is $22,826 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at USC

11

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 194 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

CSULB also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. It costs about $11,189 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k 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 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%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at CSULB

12
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #12. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 243 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Diego State University is $14,698 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 General Mechanical Engineering at SDSU

13

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school awarded 93 degrees to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $14,583 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UCSB General Mechanical Engineering Report

14

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #14. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 247 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly Pomona also took the #13 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $15,958 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly Pomona

15

University of California - Riverside came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school awarded 144 diplomas to qualified ’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $11,126 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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 91%.

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

16

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 321 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $17,340 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

17

California State University - Sacramento ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 229 students in 2020-2021.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $12,602 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Sac State General Mechanical Engineering Report

18

With a ranking of #18, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Fresno, California, and it awarded 71 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for Fresno State is $8,030 for california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.2% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full California State University - Fresno General Mechanical Engineering Report

19
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #19. San Jose State University is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 209 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

San Jose State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $17,338 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend San Jose State.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full San Jose State University General Mechanical Engineering Report

20

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #20. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 72 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Chico State, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $16,738 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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 General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Chico

21
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. SCU is located in Santa Clara, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 71 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california general mechanical engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, SCU has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Santa Clara University is $29,618 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at SCU

22

University of California - Merced came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. UC Merced is a public institution located in Merced, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 171 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Merced also took the #24 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,261 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of California - Merced.

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%. 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 University of California - Merced General Mechanical Engineering Report

23

California State University Maritime Academy landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. Cal Maritime is located in Vallejo, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

Cal Maritime did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University Maritime Academy is $18,885 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

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%.

Full California State University Maritime Academy General Mechanical Engineering Report

24
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #24, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k list. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 102 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $16,065 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 SFSU General Mechanical Engineering Report

25
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #25. California Baptist University is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 58 ’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Baptist did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Baptist is $25,553 for California General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California Baptist University General Mechanical Engineering Report

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