Best colleges for Engineering in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Santa Ana College, University of California-Los Angeles and Clovis Community College award the most Engineering degrees and certificates in California: 163, 162 and 89 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 103 California colleges offer Engineering and award 1,931 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Engineering program, formally known as Engineering, General, encompasses a broad range of disciplines that apply scientific theories and mathematical methods to develop technological solutions. This program is ideal for students…
Top 2 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $92,491 | 66 | 92% | $22,858 | $22,240 |
| 2 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $82,956 | 2 | 86% | — | $15,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Engineering degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana Public | 163 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 162 | Not reported |
| 3 | Clovis Community College Fresno Public | 89 | Not reported |
| 4 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 73 | Not reported |
| 5 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica Public | 68 | Not reported |
| 6 | Ventura College Ventura Public | 68 | Not reported |
| 7 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont Private not-for-profit | 66 | $92,491 |
| 8 | San Jose State University San Jose Public | 50 | Not reported |
| 9 | Norco College Norco Public | 45 | Not reported |
| 10 | San Diego Miramar College San Diego Public | 44 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 93 California colleges offering Engineering
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199).
What Engineers, All Other earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Engineering programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Engineering degrees?+
Santa Ana College (163 graduates a year), University of California-Los Angeles (162 graduates a year) and Clovis Community College (89 graduates a year) award the most Engineering degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 103 California colleges offer Engineering.
Which Engineering program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Harvey Mudd College tops the list at $92,491. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Engineers, All Other earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Engineers, All Other in California is $139,670 (median $130,850), across about 28,610 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Engineering program?+
The Engineering program, formally known as Engineering, General, encompasses a broad range of disciplines that apply scientific theories and mathematical methods to develop technological solutions. This program is ideal for students…
What is the job outlook for Engineers, All Other?+
The national job outlook is about +2.1% growth with around 9,300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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