2026 Best Value General Engineering Science Schools in the Far Western Region
[General Engineering Science](/majors/engineering/engineering-science/general-engineering-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general engineering science schools.
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2026 Best Value General Engineering Science Schools in the Far Western Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general engineering science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Engineering Science Schools
Leading the list is University Of California San Diego, our #1 best value for general engineering science in the Far Western Region. Located in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,788, compared with $47,676 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering science graduates is $17,101. Soon after graduation, general engineering science degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $60,797. That is a strong return on a $17,101 median debt. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Berkeley came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering science schools. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, with out-of-state students paying around $47,265. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete the general engineering science program here. General Engineering Science graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $70,847 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo one of the best values for general engineering science. Set in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,161, compared with $33,230 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general engineering science graduates is $19,273. Soon after graduation, general engineering science degree recipients from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo generally make around $61,010. Set against $19,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo admits about 31% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
