# Best Engineering Colleges in California

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 33 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-engineering-california

## Methodology

Engineering programs in California ranked by outcomes and program concentration

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

Engineering programs in California are known for their strong outcomes and rigorous academics. With a range of schools to choose from, students and families are often evaluating where to invest their time and resources when pursuing an engineering degree. For context, the average earnings for engineering graduates in California are around $79,511.

What sets the top engineering colleges apart from the rest is their ability to deliver strong graduate outcomes. Metrics such as earnings, graduation rates, and student debt load play a critical role in this evaluation. As you explore the list below, keep in mind that higher earnings and lower debt often indicate solid return on investment for students.

Take Stanford University and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, for example. Stanford boasts impressive earnings of $124,080 and a graduation rate of 92%, while Cal Poly has earnings of $90,768 and an 86% graduation rate. This contrast highlights how a higher net price can correlate with greater potential earnings, prompting students to weigh costs against future financial benefits.

## Key Findings

- Stanford graduates earn an average of $124,080, while Cal Poly's graduates earn $90,768.
- Harvey Mudd College has a high graduation rate of 93% but a net price of $35,924.
- The average graduation rate for engineering colleges in California is 74%, indicating varying levels of student success.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Stanford University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/stanford-university) | Stanford, CA | 92% | $124,080 | $13,807 | $12,000 | 0.1x |
| 2 | [California Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-institute-of-technology) | Pasadena, CA | 94% | $128,566 | $16,075 | N/A | N/A |
| 3 | [Harvey Mudd College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/harvey-mudd-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $138,687 | $35,924 | $25,000 | 0.18x |
| 4 | [California State University Maritime Academy](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-maritime-academy) | Vallejo, CA | 63% | $94,784 | $20,555 | $24,965 | 0.26x |
| 5 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 6 | [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-clara-university) | Santa Clara, CA | 88% | $109,183 | $50,062 | $19,162 | 0.18x |
| 7 | [University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california) | Los Angeles, CA | 92% | $92,498 | $32,740 | $18,000 | 0.19x |
| 8 | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo) | San Luis Obispo, CA | 86% | $90,768 | $16,665 | $18,500 | 0.2x |
| 9 | [University of California-Merced](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-merced) | Merced, CA | 69% | $64,368 | $11,983 | $16,144 | 0.25x |
| 10 | [University of California-Berkeley](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley) | Berkeley, CA | 93% | $92,446 | $13,481 | $13,000 | 0.14x |
| 11 | [University of the Pacific](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-the-pacific) | Stockton, CA | 68% | $78,445 | $25,447 | $19,500 | 0.25x |
| 12 | [University of California-San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-san-diego) | La Jolla, CA | 87% | $84,943 | $12,470 | $15,500 | 0.18x |
| 13 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 14 | [University of San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-diego) | San Diego, CA | 83% | $86,522 | $30,365 | $22,940 | 0.27x |
| 15 | [San Francisco State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-francisco-state-university) | San Francisco, CA | 50% | $68,077 | $12,278 | $15,371 | 0.23x |
| 16 | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona) | Pomona, CA | 68% | $71,902 | $11,531 | $16,000 | 0.22x |
| 17 | [University of California-Irvine](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-irvine) | Irvine, CA | 86% | $80,735 | $14,251 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 18 | [University of California-Los Angeles](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles) | Los Angeles, CA | 93% | $82,511 | $12,548 | $14,000 | 0.17x |
| 19 | [University of California-Davis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-davis) | Davis, CA | 85% | $80,838 | $14,741 | $13,000 | 0.16x |
| 20 | [California State University-Long Beach](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-long-beach) | Long Beach, CA | 69% | $64,403 | $10,440 | $14,289 | 0.22x |
| 21 | [Loyola Marymount University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-marymount-university) | Los Angeles, CA | 79% | $78,349 | $48,381 | $19,500 | 0.25x |
| 22 | [University of California-Santa Barbara](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara) | Santa Barbara, CA | 84% | $74,915 | $16,109 | $13,993 | 0.19x |
| 23 | [University of California-Riverside](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-riverside) | Riverside, CA | 76% | $67,699 | $14,304 | $17,500 | 0.26x |
| 24 | [Westmont College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/westmont-college) | Santa Barbara, CA | 70% | $64,778 | $29,053 | $23,250 | 0.36x |
| 25 | [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton) | Fullerton, CA | 70% | $62,951 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 0.22x |
| 26 | [California Baptist University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-baptist-university) | Riverside, CA | 61% | $61,504 | $26,285 | $26,063 | 0.42x |
| 27 | [University of California-Santa Cruz](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz) | Santa Cruz, CA | 75% | $68,396 | $17,890 | $16,666 | 0.24x |
| 28 | [California State University-Sacramento](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-sacramento) | Sacramento, CA | 56% | $64,876 | $9,338 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 29 | [California State University-Northridge](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-northridge) | Northridge, CA | 57% | $59,115 | $7,021 | $13,872 | 0.23x |
| 30 | [California State University-Los Angeles](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-los-angeles) | Los Angeles, CA | 53% | $59,211 | $3,967 | $13,000 | 0.22x |
| 31 | [California State University-Chico](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-chico) | Chico, CA | 63% | $64,172 | $14,480 | $16,552 | 0.26x |
| 32 | [California State University-Bakersfield](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-bakersfield) | Bakersfield, CA | 50% | $59,009 | $5,652 | $16,600 | 0.28x |
| 33 | [California State University-Fresno](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fresno) | Fresno, CA | 56% | $61,244 | $7,000 | $14,505 | 0.24x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Engineering Colleges in California." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-engineering-california

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.