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2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

30 Ranked Colleges
1,555 Degrees Awarded
$7,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 20,841 people earned their degree in general chemistry, making the major the 38th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 3,187 general chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,555 general chemistry graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 30 colleges that offer a degree in general chemistry. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great general chemistry programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the general chemistry program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank General Chemistry Schools

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 Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. 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 Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for General Chemistry (Income $0-$30k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’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. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 18 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $-1,387 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.

The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Stanford University

#2

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California
#3 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Institute of Technology. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 5 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

Caltech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California Institute of Technology is $5,456 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 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 more about General Chemistry at Caltech

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’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 129 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Berkeley is $8,392 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, 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 96%.

Read more about General Chemistry at University of California - Berkeley

#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 148 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $9,558 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Chemistry at UC Irvine

#13 in overall quality

Out of the 30 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fullerton landed the #5 spot on the list. California State University - Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 41 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fullerton is $4,291 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 2.7% 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 full report on General Chemistry at Cal State Fullerton

#5

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 50 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,553 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Los Angeles.

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%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at UCLA

#23 in overall quality

California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 24 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal State LA has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $1,379 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 Chemistry at Cal State LA

#8

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#8 in overall quality

San Diego State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 101 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,870 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend SDSU.

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

Full San Diego State University General Chemistry Report

#9

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#5 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 92 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $10,316 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCSB General Chemistry Report

#6 in overall quality

University of California - Davis ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. UC Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $9,842 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of California - Davis

#11

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#18 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 51 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCR has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $8,366 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UCR General Chemistry Report

#9 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school handed out 54 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCSD has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $9,280 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Chemistry at University of California - San Diego

#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 40 students in 2019-2020.

Sac State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Sac State is $6,819 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

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%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at California State University - Sacramento

#14

California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino, California
#24 in overall quality

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. This fairly large school is located in San Bernardino, California, and it awarded 72 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSB, the school also landed the #24 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $5,077 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSUSB.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on General Chemistry at CSUSB

#21 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #15. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 32 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB also made our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $6,364 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Long Beach.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Chemistry at CSULB

#25 in overall quality

California State University - Bakersfield ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school handed out 9 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUB, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSUB is $3,423 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about General Chemistry at California State University - Bakersfield

California State University - Dominguez Hills came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSUDH is located in Carson, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for CSUDH is $2,455 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 Chemistry at California State University - Dominguez Hills

#16 in overall quality

California State University - San Marcos landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Marcos, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

CSUSM not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Marcos is $9,517 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUSM General Chemistry Report

#12 in overall quality

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal Poly Pomona is located in Pomona, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 61 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal Poly Pomona, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $8,596 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal Poly Pomona.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

#20

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#10 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 62 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz also took the #10 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Santa Cruz is $10,872 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about General Chemistry at University of California - Santa Cruz

California State University - Fresno ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Fresno is a large school located in Fresno, California that handed out 28 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

It costs about $3,264 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Fresno.

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

Read full report on General Chemistry at Fresno State

With a ranking of #22, California State University - Stanislaus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Stanislaus is located in Turlock, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Stan State is $3,410 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Stan State General Chemistry Report

#11 in overall quality

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Luis Obispo, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chemistry degrees to 27 students in 2019-2020.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $12,475 for California Bachelor’s Degree Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, 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.

Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo General Chemistry Report

#19 in overall quality

University of California - Merced landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC Merced is a medium-sized public school situated in Merced, California. It awarded 38 bachelors’s chemistry degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Merced did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,782 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Merced.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of California - Merced

#17 in overall quality

California State University - Channel Islands ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Camarillo, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 38 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chemistry students in 2019-2020.

CSUCI did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best General Chemistry Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSUCI is $10,131 for california bachelor’s degree chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

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 - Channel Islands General Chemistry 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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