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# Best Chemical Engineering Programs in California (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in California](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-california/)

This page ranks the 12 Chemical Engineering programs in California by median earnings of Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) leads the list at $121,027, followed by [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/) at $113,317 and [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) at $108,066.

Across the listed schools, the median figure is $99,151, with a range from $121,027 to $55,512. For 2 of the 12 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

The list is predominantly public: 10 of the 12 schools are public institutions, alongside 2 private nonprofit programs. California State University-Long Beach posts the lowest average net price on the page at $10,440.

University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

## The ranked list

12 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $121,027 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
|  | [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) reports [$121,027 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, and ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $113,317 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 33%](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/admissions/), [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/) posts $113,317 in median earnings for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $108,066 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) shows [median earnings of $108,066](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $12,548. |
| 4 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $102,849 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) [ranks 15th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $102,849 four years after completing. |
| 5 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $102,649 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $15,750](/school/university-of-california-davis/cost/) among Chemical Engineering completers who borrowed, and median earnings of $102,649 four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $100,646 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, [University of Southern California](/school/university-of-southern-california/majors/) lists an [average net price of $32,740](/school/university-of-southern-california/cost/) and median earnings of $100,646 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 7 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $97,656 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
|  | [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) [admits 29% of applicants](/school/university-of-california-irvine/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $97,656 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $96,798 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | Median earnings for Chemical Engineering graduates of [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) reach $96,798 four years after completing, and the school [ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 9 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $92,523 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
|  | [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) posts an [average net price of $10,440](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/cost/) and median earnings of $92,523 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. |
| 10 | Stanford University · Stanford, CA | $91,744 | $13,807 | \-$2,536\* | 3.6% |
|  | [Stanford University](/school/stanford-university/majors/) [admits 4% of applicants](/school/stanford-university/admissions/), and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $91,744 four years after completing. |
| 11 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $91,457 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
|  | [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $17,182](/school/university-of-california-riverside/cost/) among Chemical Engineering completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $91,457 four years after completing. |
| 12 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $55,512 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
|  | [San Jose State University](/school/san-jose-state-university/majors/) [ranks 23rd on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/san-jose-state-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $55,512 four years after completing. |

\* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 2 of the 12 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked University of California-Berkeley and second-ranked University of California-Santa Barbara is $7,710, and the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $65,515.

## Related rankings

-   [Chemical Engineering Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-chemical-engineering-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/)
-   [Best Chemical Engineering Programs in Michigan](/rankings/best-chemical-engineering-programs-in-michigan/)
-   Chemical Engineering Programs in Alabama
-   Chemical Engineering Programs in Massachusetts
-   [Best Engineering Colleges in California](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-california/)
-   Engineering Colleges in California for Social Mobility