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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $75-$110k) in California

29 Ranked Colleges
4,047 Degrees Awarded
$18,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value General Mechanical Engineering 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. College Factual has developed its “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 47,598 people earned their degree in general mechanical engineering, making the major the 12th most popular in the United States.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking, we looked at 29 colleges that offer a degree in general mechanical engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general mechanical engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Mechanical Engineering Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value General Mechanical Engineering 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.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 $75-$110k

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering (Income $75-$110k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 54 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 $75-$110k 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 $10,631 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Stanford General Mechanical Engineering Report

#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 $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, California Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Caltech is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 15 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Caltech also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend California Institute of Technology is $12,788 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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 94%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at California Institute of Technology

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. California State University - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 144 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend California State University - Los Angeles is $9,576 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at Cal State LA

#20 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 $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fullerton landed the #4 spot on the list. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 231 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,916 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

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 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal State Fullerton General Mechanical Engineering Report

#24 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fresno. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 86 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $11,819 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, 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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Fresno

#2 in overall quality

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 177 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $21,401 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley

#7

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#6 in overall quality

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 137 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $19,590 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UCLA.

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%.

Full University of California - Los Angeles General Mechanical Engineering Report

#18 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #8. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 193 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

CSULB also took the #18 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $14,544 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The 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 CSULB

#9 in overall quality

University of California - Davis landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 176 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Davis is $17,622 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

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

#23 in overall quality

California State University - Northridge came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. California State University - Northridge is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 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 $75-$110k list, CSUN has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUN is $15,346 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 General Mechanical Engineering at CSUN

#5 in overall quality

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 308 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is $22,585 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.1% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo General Mechanical Engineering Report

#17 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in Pomona, California, this large public school awarded 225 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly Pomona, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $17,944 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona General Mechanical Engineering Report

#13

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#15 in overall quality

San Diego State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 306 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2019-2020.

SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $18,766 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State University

#14

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#22 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Riverside is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 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. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $18,395 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

#11 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine 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 $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 263 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also took the #11 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $19,851 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of California - Irvine.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UC Irvine

#12 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 179 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $20,205 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering 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 1.5% 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 UCSD

#25 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #17. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 204 students in 2019-2020.

Sac State also took 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 $15,812 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 Sac State General Mechanical Engineering Report

#18

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#13 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #18. 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #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 $22,226 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at University of California - Santa Barbara

#19

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#16 in overall quality

San Jose State University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 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 University is $19,805 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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 student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#8 in overall quality

California State University Maritime Academy came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Cal Maritime is a small public school situated in Vallejo, California. It awarded 44 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 $75-$110k list, Cal Maritime has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $23,553 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend Cal Maritime.

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%.

Full California State University Maritime Academy General Mechanical Engineering Report

#19 in overall quality

California State University - Chico came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 102 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k list, Chico State has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $19,444 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend California State University - Chico.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 California State University - Chico General Mechanical Engineering Report

#22

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. SFSU is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 97 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $21,027 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at SFSU

University of California - Merced 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 $75-$110k ranking. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 146 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $20,450 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend UC Merced.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

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

#24

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 $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #24. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 96 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $30,858 for California Bachelor’s Degree General Mechanical Engineering students whose families make $75-$110k.

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

Full USC General Mechanical Engineering Report

#25

University of San Diego

San Diego, California
#14 in overall quality

University of San Diego came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value General Mechanical Engineering Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. University of San Diego is a medium-sized school located in San Diego, California that handed out 71 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

USD also took the #14 spot in our “Best General Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $30,369 for california bachelor’s degree general mechanical engineering students whose families make $75-$110k per year to attend University of San Diego.

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%.

Full USD General Mechanical Engineering Report

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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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