Best Engineering colleges in California

Located within the heart of Silicon Valley, Stanford University produces some of the most successful engineers in the world. A top-notch faculty, 65 state-of-the art university centers and labs, intelligent and supportive classmates – what else could an engineering major desire? There are nine central engineering departments at Stanford University, including aeronautics, bioengineering, chemical engineering, computer science, management science, civil and environmental engineering, and mechanical engineering. With over 50 centers and labs to study in, it’s no wonder Stanford produces great engineers. 

Stanford’s School of Engineering has been at the forefront of innovation for nearly a century - engineering faculty and graduates have founded an estimated 12,700 companies over the decades - and shows no signs of slowing down. Engineering is one of the university’s most popular majors, and roughly 1,600 undergraduates and 3,200 graduate students seek engineering degrees. Curiosity-driven research that crosses disciplines or even schools is encouraged, as seen by the School of Engineering’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, which brings together students and faculty in engineering, business, education, medicine, and the humanities to learn design thinking and work together to solve big problems in a human-centered way. The engineering program at Stanford is extremely competitive, with about 16% of applicants earning acceptance into the program. The annual price of tuition at Stanford is about $74,00.

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering has eight engineering departments and 109 engineering degree programs. It is a large, private 4-year university in the heart of Los Angeles. The engineering research centers are known for their role in developing the internet, among various other technologies. The USC School of Engineering graduated 673 undergraduate and 2,608 master’s degree students in 2020. Undergraduate tuition is about $60,000 per year.

The College of Engineering at the University of California-Berkeley is one of 14 schools within the University of California system. The university is in the northern California bay area, near San Francisco. There are 55 engineering degree programs with an acceptance rate of about 9%. In 2020, there were 3,892 undergraduate and 2,155 graduate students enrolled in the engineering program. Full-time in-state tuition is approximately $36,00 per year, and out-of-state tuition is about $67,000 per year.

The University of California- Los Angeles (UCLA) has a large program with 192 full-time faculty members. It is located in Westwood, Los Angeles. During the 2020-2021 school year, 3,331 undergraduate and 2,185 graduate students enrolled in the engineering program. In the summer of 2021, 940 undergraduates received engineering degrees. Full-time in-state tuition is about $36,00 per year, and out-of-state tuition is about $67,000 per year.

The University of California-Irvine engineering school began in 1961 with a class of 75 students. Today, it is one of the most prestigious engineering universities. The school currently has 3,695 undergraduate and 926 graduate students enrolled in 11 undergrads and one graduate degree program. Full-time in-state tuition is about $36,00 per year, and out-of-state tuition is about $67,000 per year.

The Engineering School at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) offers an outstanding 41 engineering degree programs! There are currently 5,857 undergraduates, and 2,951 postgraduates enrolled in the UCSD engineering program. This program offers summer internships with local industries, including Cisco Systems. Full-time in-state tuition is about $36,00 per year, and out-of-state tuition is about $67,000 per year.

The University of California-Davis College of Engineering is one of the largest engineering programs in the United States. The program offers 12 undergraduate engineering majors:

• Aerospace Science and Engineering
• Biochemical Engineering
• Biological Systems Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Engineering 
• Computer Science and Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

There are currently 4,404 undergraduate and 1,159 postgraduate students enrolled. Full-time in-state tuition is about $36,00 per year, and out-of-state tuition is about $67,000 per year.

Located in Silicon Valley, San Jose State University offers 10 undergraduate engineering programs and 11 graduate programs. The university serves over 7,100 undergraduate and graduate engineering students with its 390 faculty and staff members. San Jose State tuition starts at $7,8582 per year, which is affordable considering it is one of the top engineering programs in California. 

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo offers 14 undergraduate engineering and 11 master’s degree programs. They pride themselves on having over 80 state-of-the-art laboratories! There are also roughly 250 engineering faculty on campus. In-state tuition is $9,943 per year, and out-of-state tuition is $23,833 per year.

Santa Clara University is a 4-year, private, not-for-profit university. The school of engineering offers eight undergraduate majors, twelve master’s programs, and three doctorate degrees. The undergraduate program provides students an opportunity to complete some units towards the master’s degree while still enrolled as undergraduates. Tuition is approximately $55,200 per year.