2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2019-2020, 47,598 people earned their degree in mechanical engineering, making the major the 20th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, mechanical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $64,495 and had an average of $23,104 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 5,259 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $66,612 and $20,850 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 985 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 23 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great mechanical engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the mechanical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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The me 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 ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 23 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in California
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 163 students in 2019-2020.
Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 11 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.
Caltech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of Technology are $56,649.
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’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. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 148 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
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 ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 99 students in 2019-2020.
UCLA also took the #5 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine also took the #8 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Irvine are $28,456, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #6. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 10 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State LA, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723.
With a ranking of #7, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’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 29 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.
Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State Fullerton are $17,892, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Cal State Fullerton
San Diego State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.
SDSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658.
University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. University of California - San Diego is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 62 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of California - San Diego
California State University - Long Beach landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Long Beach is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 34 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
CSULB also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Davis came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Davis has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Davis are $28,700, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of California - Riverside came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s ME degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCR has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Riverside are $28,686.
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 35 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are $21,009.
With a ranking of #14, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 15 masters’s ME degrees to qualified students.
CSUN also took the #18 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Northridge are $17,955.
With a ranking of #15, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 9 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSB are $28,670, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of Southern California came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Southern California is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 96 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
USC also made our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715.
Full University of Southern California Mechanical Engineering Report
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Cal Poly Pomona is a public institution located in Pomona, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 16 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona are $18,377, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
With a ranking of #18, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Sac State is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 16 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Sac State are $18,356, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full California State University - Sacramento Mechanical Engineering Report
San Jose State University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 48 diplomas to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, San Jose State has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State University are $18,790, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read more about Mechanical Engineering at San Jose State University
University of California - Merced ranked #20 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Merced is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 6 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Merced has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Merced are $43,854, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Santa Clara University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Santa Clara University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Clara, California. It awarded 23 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
SCU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Santa Clara University are $23,507, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Santa Clara University
California Baptist University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 2 masters’s ME degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal Baptist also took the #0 spot in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Baptist University are $14,140, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at California Baptist University
Loyola Marymount University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value ME Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #23. Located in Los Angeles, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 13 degrees to qualified masters’s ME students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree me students whose families make $0-$30k list, Loyola Marymount has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Mechanical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Loyola Marymount University are $19,756, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Loyola Marymount
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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.
Credits
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Michel Villeneuve.
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