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Best Value Mathematics & Computer Science Schools in California

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2023 Best Value Mathematics & Computer Science Schools in California

Identifying Quality Schools at More Affordable Prices

6 Colleges
$35,479 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$90,327 Avg Salary

Finding the Best Mathematics & Computer Science School for You

In 2020-2021, 475 degrees and certificates were awarded to mathematics and computer science students who went to a California college or university. This makes it the #129 most popular major in the state.

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Value Mathematics & Computer Science Schools in California ranking. Our analysis looked at 6 schools in California to see which programs offered the best value experiences for math and compsci students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

When determining this ranking, we place a high emphasis on the school's quality as well as its sticker price. Even though a college may be affordable, it may not offer value. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.

Our calculations use out-of-state tuition and fees in our nationwide and regional rankings. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.

2023 Best Value Mathematics & Computer Science Schools in California

Check out the math and compsci programs at these schools if you want to get the best value for your educational dollar.

Best California Schools for Affordable Quality in Mathematics & Computer Science

$13,775 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found University of California - Irvine to be the best value school for mathematics and computer science students who want to pursue a degree in California. Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public school with a very large student population.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UC Irvine are $13,775 a year.

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Out of the 6 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the # 2 spot on the list. UCSD is a fairly large public school located in the city of La Jolla.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at UCSD are $14,700 a year. After completing their degree, math and compsci graduates from UCSD carry an average student debtload of $17,500. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $258, based on a 10-year repayment plan.

On top of its placing in our value ranking, UCSD also did well on our Best Mathematics & Computer Science Schools in California list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.

Full Mathematics & Computer Science at University of California - San Diego Report

#3

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA
$8,136 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 6 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, San Diego State University landed the # 3 spot on the list. SDSU is a very large public school located in the city of San Diego.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at SDSU are $8,136 per year.

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#4

Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, CA
$60,703 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent programs at Harvey Mudd College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best mathematics and computer science schools in California. Harvey Mudd College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Claremont.

In-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Harvey Mudd College are $60,703 per year. Math & CompSci majors at Harvey Mudd College take out an average of $23,000 in student loans while working on their egree.

Read full report on Mathematics & Computer Science at Harvey Mudd College

#5

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, CA
$55,860 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Santa Clara University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Value Mathematics & Computer Science Schools in California list. SCU is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Santa Clara.

SCU undergraduate students pay an average of $55,860 in in-state tuition and fees each year. After completing their degree, math and compsci graduates from SCU carry an average student debtload of $24,450.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, SCU is ranked #4 for overall quality for math and compsci in California.

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#6

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA

With a ranking of #6, Pepperdine University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for mathematics and computer science students. Pepperdine is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Malibu.

The average tuition and fees for an in-state undergraduate at Pepperdine are $59,702 a year.

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Best Value Mathematics & Computer Science Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Value Mathematics & Computer Science Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 26
Oregon 39

One of 44 majors within the area of study, mathematics and computer science has other similar majors worth exploring.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 34,975
Biological & Physical Science 30,075
Interdisciplinary Studies 9,074
International Studies 7,368
Nutrition Science 5,330

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 6 schools only.

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Toresbe.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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