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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Mechanical Engineering in California

29 Ranked Colleges
3,935 Degrees Awarded
$33,000 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor's

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 3,935 general mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 29 colleges that offered a degree in general mechanical engineering. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in general mechanical engineering.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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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 “Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s”.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 293 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 0.7% 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 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 287 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, 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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UC Irvine

3

Out of the 29 schools in the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #3 spot on the list. UC Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 234 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Full University of California - Davis General Mechanical Engineering Report

4

Out of the 29 schools in the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #4 spot on the list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 232 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad 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 full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UCSD

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s. Cal Poly Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 227 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona General Mechanical Engineering Report

5
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

Out of the 29 schools in the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the #5 spot on the list. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 227 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, 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 General Mechanical Engineering at SDSU

7

California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #7. CSUN is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 222 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad 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%.

Full CSUN General Mechanical Engineering Report

8

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 210 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Sac State General Mechanical Engineering Report

9

California State University - Fullerton came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 195 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Full California State University - Fullerton General Mechanical Engineering Report

10

University of California - Berkeley came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. UC Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 170 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley

11

California State University - Long Beach came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. CSULB is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 168 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Long Beach

12

California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 164 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Los Angeles

13

University of California - Merced ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Merced, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 155 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, 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 86%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UC Merced

14
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. San Jose State is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 154 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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 San Jose State University

14

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 154 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, 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 96%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UCLA

16

With a ranking of #16, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 110 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at UCR

17
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #17, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 102 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SFSU General Mechanical Engineering Report

18
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 96 degrees to qualified bachelors’s general mechanical engineering students in 2020-2021.

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%. 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. 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 Southern California

19

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. 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 73 students in 2020-2021.

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

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at UCSB

20

California State University - Chico landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. California State University - Chico is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 72 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 more about General Mechanical Engineering at Chico State

21

California State University - Fresno ranked #21 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 71 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, 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%.

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

22
USD crest
University of San Diego
San Diego, California

University of San Diego did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. 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 60 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at University of San Diego

23
SCU crest
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

With a ranking of #23, Santa Clara University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. SCU is located in Santa Clara, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

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

Read full report on General Mechanical Engineering at SCU

24
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #24. Cal Baptist is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 50 bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about General Mechanical Engineering at Cal Baptist

25
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended General Mechanical Engineering Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s general mechanical engineering degrees to 49 students in 2020-2021.

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

Full Stanford University General Mechanical Engineering Report

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