2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
32
Ranked Colleges
25,212
Degrees Awarded
$10,500
Avg Net Price*
It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.
With 198,468 degrees handed out in 2020-2021, engineering is the 7th most popular major in the United States. In 2019-2020, engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $68,653 and had an average of $23,855 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 25,212 engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $72,831 and $20,014 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 32 colleges that offer a degree in engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality 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 engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k” 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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,121 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,581 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. 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.
Read more about Engineering at Stanford
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,982 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Berkeley also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $9,999 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering at University of California - Berkeley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 1,342 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
UCLA also took the #6 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $9,891 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad 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 more about Engineering at University of California - Los Angeles
Out of the 32 schools in the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 2,047 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCSD has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSD is $11,176 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about Engineering at UCSD
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school awarded 387 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $2,701 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%.
Full California State University - Los Angeles Engineering Report
University of California - Davis ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Davis, California, this large public school awarded 1,248 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
UC Davis also took the #8 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,598 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UC Davis.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, 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 93%.
Read more about Engineering at University of California - Davis
University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. University of California - Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,418 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also took the #10 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Irvine is $8,449 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Full University of California - Irvine Engineering Report
With a ranking of #8, California State University - Fresno did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Fresno is located in Fresno, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 226 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $4,655 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 Engineering Report
With a ranking of #9, California State University - Fullerton did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 611 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fullerton is $5,821 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full Cal State Fullerton Engineering Report
With a ranking of #10, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 1,815 students in 2020-2021.
USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $17,345 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend USC.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Engineering at University of Southern California
California State University - Long Beach came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 786 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, CSULB has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $7,573 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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.
Full CSULB Engineering Report
With a ranking of #12, California State University - Northridge did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Northridge is located in Northridge, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 539 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
CSUN also took the #22 spot in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $7,103 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend CSUN.
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 Engineering at CSUN
San Diego State University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 777 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
SDSU also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $9,274 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend SDSU.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.
Read more about Engineering at San Diego State University
With a ranking of #14, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal Poly Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,089 ’s engineering degrees to qualified students.
Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,992 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Engineering at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona
California State University - Sacramento came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Sacramento is a large public school situated in Sacramento, California. It awarded 597 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, Sac State has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $9,055 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering at Sac State
San Jose State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school handed out 1,943 degrees to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
San Jose State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Jose State is $13,378 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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%.
Read full report on Engineering at San Jose State
With a ranking of #17, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 366 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCSB has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best Engineering Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $11,606 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.
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 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 full report on Engineering at UCSB
University of California - Riverside ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 691 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $8,193 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Engineering at UCR
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 1,403 students in 2020-2021.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $13,194 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read full report on Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
With a ranking of #20, University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 221 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Santa Cruz also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. The yearly cost to attend UC Santa Cruz is $12,049 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Engineering at University of California - Santa Cruz
California State University - Bakersfield landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. California State University - Bakersfield is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 70 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUB is $6,046 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
Full CSUB Engineering Report
Santa Clara University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Santa Clara, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s engineering degrees to 429 students in 2020-2021.
SCU also made our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. The yearly cost to attend SCU is $23,508 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Engineering at Santa Clara University
With a ranking of #23, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. California State University - Chico is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 230 ’s engineering degrees in 2020-2021.
Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Chico is $13,040 for California Engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Engineering at California State University - Chico
University of California - Merced came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Merced, California, this medium-sized public school handed out 468 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
UC Merced did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Merced is $11,400 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Engineering at University of California - Merced
Harvey Mudd College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Engineering Schools in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 58 diplomas to qualified ’s engineering students in 2020-2021.
Harvey Mudd College not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Engineering Schools in California” list. It costs about $20,829 for california engineering students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Harvey Mudd College.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Engineering at Harvey Mudd College
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