2026 Best Value General Engineering Science Schools in California
[General Engineering Science](/majors/engineering/engineering-science/general-engineering-science/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general engineering science education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 5 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 California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general engineering science degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Engineering Science Schools
University Of California San Diego earned the #1 spot for value among general engineering science schools in California. Located in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,788, with out-of-state students paying around $47,676. Students borrow a median of $17,101 to complete the general engineering science program here. Early-career general engineering science graduates make about $60,797. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Berkeley is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general engineering science, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. General Engineering Science graduates carry a median of $14,238 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general engineering science degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $70,847. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 11%.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general engineering science schools. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,161 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,230. Typical student debt for general engineering science graduates is $19,273. General Engineering Science graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of $61,010 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,273 median debt. Roughly 31% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 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.
