Best Value Biomedical/Medical Engineering Colleges in California

California State University-Long Beach delivers extraordinary value in biomedical engineering with graduates earning $73,949 annually after completing a program that costs just $8,931 net annually. This return on investment stands out even among California's competitive biomedical engineering market, where net costs range from under $9,000 to over $50,000. The state's biotech corridor, anchored by companies like Genentech and Gilead Sciences, creates strong demand for biomedical engineers who design medical devices and develop therapeutic technologies. Public universities dominate the value equation, with UC San Diego offering top-tier research opportunities at $11,750 annually while producing graduates who earn $55,964. Private institutions like USC command premium pricing at $31,927 net cost but deliver comparable outcomes. California's Cal Grant program helps qualifying students access these programs, while the state's position as America's biotech capital ensures graduates enter a job market where medical device companies and pharmaceutical giants compete for talent.

Programs

$8,931 – $50,959

Net Price Range

$55,799

Avg. Program Earnings

79.3%

Avg. Graduation Rate

20 Biomedical/Medical Engineering Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931	$73,949	$7,008	69.9%	40.0%
2	University of California-San Diego La Jolla, California	$11,750	$55,964	$15,265	87.6%	23.7%
3	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, California	$15,624	$73,635	$11,075	85.2%	30.4%
4	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$61,020	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%
5	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California	$14,979	$63,005	$14,850	92.9%	11.3%
6	San Jose State University San Jose, California	$13,741	$53,358	$7,992	64.7%	76.7%
7	University of California-Irvine Irvine, California	$12,840	$48,432	$14,237	86.0%	21.2%
8	University of California-Riverside Riverside, California	$13,707	$49,214	$14,170	76.6%	68.7%
9	University of California-Davis Davis, California	$15,288	$50,856	$15,247	85.1%	37.3%
10	University of California-Merced Merced, California	$12,744	$39,729	$14,167	69.1%	89.5%
11	University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, California	$16,607	$48,823	$14,560	74.5%	46.9%
12	Southern California Institute of Technology Anaheim, California	$27,735	$58,221	$20,515	79.4%
13	University of Southern California Los Angeles, California	$31,927	$62,012	$68,237	92.0%	12.0%
14	University of the Pacific Stockton, California	$25,926	$33,993	$55,340	67.8%	93.2%
15	Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California	$50,959	$64,773	$59,241	88.5%	52.1%
16	National University San Diego, California	$31,058		$13,320	50.0%
17	San Diego State University San Diego, California	$16,174		$8,290	78.3%	39.3%
18	California Baptist University Riverside, California	$27,384		$39,720	59.5%	79.9%
19	Stanford University Stanford, California	$12,136		$62,484	92.8%	3.7%
20	California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California	$18,902		$63,255	93.2%	2.7%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Cal State Long Beach such strong value for biomedical engineering?

Cal State Long Beach offers the lowest net cost at $8,931 annually while producing graduates who earn $73,949, creating an strong cost-to-earnings ratio. The program maintains a 69.9% graduation rate with reasonable debt levels at $15,500. Students gain access to Southern California's medical device industry while paying significantly less than comparable programs.

How do UC schools compare in biomedical engineering value?

UC San Diego leads UC schools in value with $11,750 net cost and $55,964 graduate earnings, plus an 87.6% graduation rate. UC Berkeley and UCLA cost around $14,000-$15,000 annually but offer prestige and research opportunities that justify the premium. UC Merced provides the lowest UC cost at $12,744 but graduates earn just $39,729.

Is private school worth the extra cost for biomedical engineering?

USC charges $31,927 net annually but graduates earn $62,012 with a 92% graduation rate, making it competitive with top public options. Santa Clara University costs $50,959 annually, the highest on this list, but produces graduates earning $64,773. Most students find better value in California's strong public university system.

Where do California biomedical engineering graduates find employment?

California's biotech corridor employs biomedical engineers at companies like Genentech, Gilead Sciences, and Abbott Laboratories throughout the Bay Area and San Diego regions. Medical device manufacturers including Edwards Lifesciences and Dexcom seek graduates for product development roles. The state's aerospace industry, led by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman, also recruits biomedical engineers for life support systems and human factors engineering.

Does acceptance rate affect program value in biomedical engineering?

UCLA offers strong value despite an 8.57% acceptance rate, with graduates earning $61,020 and accumulating only $14,500 in debt. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo balances selectivity at 30.43% acceptance with strong outcomes including $73,635 graduate earnings. More accessible programs like UC Riverside (68.69% acceptance) still produce solid results with graduates earning $49,214.

More Biomedical/Medical Engineering Rankings

Cheapest Biomedical/Medical Engineering in California Biomedical/Medical Engineering Under $20,000 in California

All Biomedical/Medical Engineering Programs Best Colleges in California Best Biomedical/Medical Engineering in California

Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.