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Cheapest Manufacturing Engineering Colleges in California

Ranked by lowest net price after financial aid. See our methodology.

California State University-Northridge delivers Manufacturing Engineering at just $7,599 net cost, making it nearly four times cheaper than private options that reach $31,663. This massive affordability gap matters in a state where aerospace giants like SpaceX and Northrop Grumman actively recruit manufacturing engineers. The California State University system dominates the affordable tier, with five of the seven programs charging under $16,000 annually. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo stands out with an 85.20% graduation rate despite charging only $15,624, while UC Berkeley's Manufacturing Engineering program accepts just 11.33% of applicants.
7
Programs
$7,599 – $31,663
Net Price Range
$73,841
Avg. Program Earnings
72.0%
Avg. Graduation Rate

7 Manufacturing Engineering Programs

Program rankings
# School Net Price In-State Tuition Graduation Rate Acceptance Rate
1 $7,599 $7,095 56.2% 91.2%
2 $8,931 $7,008 69.9% 40.0%
3 $11,580 $7,439 66.7% 55.4%
4 $14,979 $14,850 92.9% 11.3%
5 $15,624 $11,075 85.2% 30.4%
6 $31,058 $13,320 50.0%
7 $31,663 $62,692 83.2% 18.4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the $24,000 cost difference between the cheapest and most expensive programs?

Public universities like CSU-Northridge charge $7,599 compared to private institutions like Pitzer College at $31,663. California residents benefit from state funding that subsidizes public university costs, while private colleges rely on tuition revenue.

How do graduation rates compare across different price points?

UC Berkeley leads with a 92.90% graduation rate despite charging $14,979, while the cheapest option at CSU-Northridge graduates 56.20% of students. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo achieves 85.20% graduation rates at $15,624, showing strong value.

Does program cost correlate with post-graduation earnings?

National University graduates earn $78,343 annually despite charging $31,058, while Cal Poly Pomona graduates make $69,338 at just $11,580 total cost. The $9,000 earnings difference doesn't justify the $19,000 price gap for most students.

More Manufacturing Engineering Rankings

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