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Best Colleges for Engineering in California

The best colleges for a Engineering degree in California, led by Stanford University, University of Southern California and Harvey Mudd College. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Engineering programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Engineering in California?

Based on our rankings, Stanford University is the top-ranked college for Engineering in California. Other top choices include University of Southern California, Harvey Mudd College, University of California-Berkeley.

What are the best Engineering schools?

The best Engineering schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are Stanford University, University of Southern California, Harvey Mudd College. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Engineering?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Engineering programs is approximately $41,195 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Engineering degree?

A bachelor's degree in Engineering typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Engineering rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Engineering graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Engineering programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $95,009 per year. Below are the highest-paying Engineering programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. Stanford University — Stanford, CA · 3.6% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $65,910 tuition · 92% grad rate
  2. 2. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · 9.8% acceptance · SAT 1,495 · $72,097 tuition · 92% grad rate
  3. 3. Harvey Mudd College — Claremont, CA · 12.7% acceptance · SAT 1,545 · $68,613 tuition · 92% grad rate
  4. 4. University of California-Berkeley — Berkeley, CA · 11% acceptance · $50,547 tuition · 93% grad rate
  5. 5. Loyola Marymount University — Los Angeles, CA · 45.1% acceptance · SAT 1,359 · $62,357 tuition · 79% grad rate
  6. 6. Santa Clara University — Santa Clara, CA · 48% acceptance · SAT 1,426 · $61,293 tuition · 88% grad rate
  7. 7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo — San Luis Obispo, CA · 31.3% acceptance · $34,665 tuition · 86% grad rate
  8. 8. University of San Diego — San Diego, CA · 52.4% acceptance · $59,486 tuition · 84% grad rate
  9. 9. California State University-Northridge — Northridge, CA · 93.5% acceptance · $20,058 tuition · 57% grad rate
  10. 10. University of the Pacific — Stockton, CA · 71.3% acceptance · SAT 1,346 · $57,080 tuition · 69% grad rate
  11. 11. University of California-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 9% acceptance · $49,403 tuition · 93% grad rate
  12. 12. California State University-Fullerton — Fullerton, CA · 90.5% acceptance · $20,070 tuition · 70% grad rate
  13. 13. California State University-Sacramento — Sacramento, CA · 94% acceptance · $20,618 tuition · 56% grad rate
  14. 14. San Francisco State University — San Francisco, CA · 96.4% acceptance · $20,550 tuition · 50% grad rate
  15. 15. California State University-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 91.3% acceptance · $19,760 tuition · 53% grad rate
  16. 16. California State University-Fresno — Fresno, CA · 95.3% acceptance · $19,950 tuition · 57% grad rate
  17. 17. University of California-San Diego — La Jolla, CA · 26.7% acceptance · $50,958 tuition · 86% grad rate
  18. 18. California Baptist University — Riverside, CA · 84.9% acceptance · $41,228 tuition · 62% grad rate
  19. 19. University of California-Davis — Davis, CA · 41.8% acceptance · $50,974 tuition · 86% grad rate
  20. 20. University of California-Santa Barbara — Santa Barbara, CA · 33% acceptance · $50,614 tuition · 83% grad rate
  21. 21. University of California-Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz, CA · 65.8% acceptance · $50,205 tuition · 75% grad rate
  22. 22. Sonoma State University — Rohnert Park, CA · 93.4% acceptance · $21,224 tuition · 58% grad rate
  23. 23. San Diego State University — San Diego, CA · 36.2% acceptance · $21,328 tuition · 76% grad rate
  24. 24. California State University-San Bernardino — San Bernardino, CA · 93.7% acceptance · $20,693 tuition · 55% grad rate
  25. 25. California State University-East Bay — Hayward, CA · 97.4% acceptance · $20,183 tuition · 48% grad rate

Best Colleges for Engineering in California on PickACampus