Engineering programs across California's 33 ranked institutions produce graduates with career earnings ranging from $57,470 to $143,344 ten years after enrollment. With an average program earnings of $91,788—significantly higher than the national engineering average—California's engineering degree programs demonstrate the direct connection between program selection and technical career outcomes.
Leading the list is University Of California-Berkeley, achieving the highest program earnings at $143,344. Santa Clara University follows at $125,546, while Stanford University rounds out the top tier at $105,098. These top-performing STEM programs showcase how California's public universities and private colleges consistently deliver strong median earnings for engineering graduates, with 76% of programs housed at public institutions offering competitive in-state tuition rates.
| Rank | School | Location | Earnings | Net Price | Acceptance Rate | Grad Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Berkeley, CA | $158,239 Median Engineering Earnings | $5,311 | 11.0% | 92.8% | |
| #2 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | Santa Clara, CA | $139,003 Median Engineering Earnings | $22,985 | 48.0% | 87.9% |
| #3 | Los Angeles, CA | $128,783 Median Engineering Earnings | $5,579 | 9.0% | 92.6% | |
| #4 | Vallejo, CA | $126,395 Median Engineering Earnings | $13,552 | 95.0% | 59.7% | |
| #5 | Harvey Mudd CollegePrivate | Claremont, CA | $122,845 Median Engineering Earnings | $27,979 | 12.7% | 91.9% |
| #6 | Santa Cruz, CA | $121,686 Median Engineering Earnings | $8,717 | 65.8% | 75.1% | |
| #7 | Santa Barbara, CA | $120,049 Median Engineering Earnings | $9,231 | 33.0% | 83.0% | |
| #8 | Los Angeles, CA | $115,921 Median Engineering Earnings | $13,516 | 9.8% | 91.8% | |
| #9 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $113,948 Median Engineering Earnings | $7,529 | 31.3% | 86.4% | |
| #10 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | Rohnert Park, CA | $112,757 Median Engineering Earnings | $8,310 | 93.4% | 57.6% |
| #11 | La Jolla, CA | $110,699 Median Engineering Earnings | $7,525 | 26.7% | 86.1% | |
| #12 | Davis, CA | $106,933 Median Engineering Earnings | $9,211 | 41.8% | 85.7% | |
| #13 | Irvine, CA | $106,892 Median Engineering Earnings | $8,123 | 28.6% | 86.9% | |
| #14 | San Diego, CA | $100,916 Median Engineering Earnings | $9,910 | 36.2% | 76.4% | |
| #15 | Pomona, CA | $100,321 Median Engineering Earnings | $7,851 | 75.2% | 68.4% | |
| #16 | Northridge, CA | $99,979 Median Engineering Earnings | $4,905 | 93.5% | 57.0% | |
| #17 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | Los Angeles, CA | $99,540 Median Engineering Earnings | $32,268 | 45.1% | 78.9% |
| #18 | Stanford UniversityPrivate | Stanford, CA | $99,243 Median Engineering Earnings | -$2,536 | 3.6% | 91.9% |
| #19 | San Francisco, CA | $99,148 Median Engineering Earnings | $9,341 | 96.4% | 50.4% | |
| #20 | Riverside, CA | $99,077 Median Engineering Earnings | $22,298 | 84.9% | 61.9% |
