Best Accredited Electrical Engineering Schools In California | 2024 Ranking

One of the basic steps to becoming an electrical engineer is to earn a bachelor’s degree in it or a related engineering field. Also, advancing your field career requires earning a master’s or Ph.D. in electrical engineering. With our focus on California, we’ve compiled the top schools that offer the state’s best accredited electrical engineering programs.

Basically, the electrical engineering field is vast and one of the most popular engineering majors. It covers the design, construction, and operation of every electrical component, circuit, and system.

On the other hand, the USA is one of the top study destinations for students in this field with California being the 1st most popular state for students studying this major.

In fact, according to Collegefactual, 4,847 of the 31,993 Electrical Engineering diplomas earned last year in the USA were given by colleges in California.

This, in turn, shows that several schools are offering electrical engineering programs in California.

So, to make it easier for you to select a school among them, we’ve ranked and gathered vital information on the top schools where you can get the best accredited electrical engineering programs in California.

In this article, you will also learn what electrical engineers are paid in California, the cost of earning an electrical engineering degree and how long it takes to earn one.

Before entering the schools, let’s get an overview of electrical engineering.

What Is Electrical Engineering?

Electrical engineering is basically the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It is a branch of engineering deals with the heavy current that is electric light and power systems alongside apparatuses. 

Electrical Engineering is also the study and application of physics and mathematics to the flow of electrons to generate electromagnetism in a system to process information and transmit energy.

In fact, the field is so vast that it has to be broken down to branches. The various branches of Electrical engineering includes but not limited to:

• Power engineering.
• Control engineering.
• Telecommunications engineering.
• Instrumentation engineering.
• Computer engineering.
• Electronic engineering.
• Microelectronics.
• Signal processing.

Why Study Electrical Engineering In California?

Electrical Engineering is one of the most popular majors in the Engineering field, and California is the most popular state for students studying this major.

One major reason California schools should top your electrical engineering school choice is that Silicon Valley – home to many start-up and global technology companies – is in California.

This, in turn, means that most schools in California get support and collaborations from most companies at Silicon Valley. Being a techy state, students in the engineering and technology field are at an advantage.

In addition, California is home to some of the top US schools. That is to say, most schools in California provide their students with top education quality.

Yet to make up your mind? See these 10 Good Reasons to Study Electrical Engineering

What Are Electrical Engineers Paid In California?

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage of Electrical Engineers in California is $117,070.

How Long Does It Take To Complete An Electrical Engineering Degree Program in California?

The duration for electrical engineering programs varies among levels, modes of study (part-time or full-time), and schools in California.

Basically, it takes about 4-5 years to complete a bachelor’s degree program in electrical engineering. On the other hand, it takes about 2 years to complete a master’s degree program in electrical engineering.

Meanwhile, it takes about 4 years to complete a PhD or doctorate program in electrical engineering.

How Much Does It Cost To Earn An Electrical Engineering Degree Program in California?

Basically, the tuition cost for electrical engineering programs varies among the degree programs and schools. Also, since there are so many engineering schools in California, there is a wide range of tuition costs.

So, as an intending student, you should visit the website of your preferred school to know their current cost.

However, for estimation’s sake, the average cost of tuition for California residents is $3000, while for non-residents, the average cost of tuition is $7500.

Bear in mind the above cost is just an estimation of tuition and not the other fees for attendance.

When other costs are included, the total cost for an electrical engineering program ranges from $14,00 to $60,000 in California. The former is lower for in-state students and the higher range for out-of-state students.

Which Body Accredits Electrical Engineering Degree Programs In California?

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) recognizes and accredits electrical engineering programs in California, USA.

In fact, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognizes ABET as the country’s main accrediting body for applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.

Which Schools Offer The Best Accredited Electrical Engineering Programs in California?

Various schools in California offer electrical engineering programs both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. However for the purpose of this article, emphasis will be laid on 10 of them.

So, to effectively rank these 10 schools, we used some factors. With the ABET accreditation of the electrical engineering program being constant, here are the ranking factors.

Here are the best accredited electrical engineering programs in California:

• University of California – Berkeley
• Stanford University
• California Institute of Technology
• University of California – Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• The University of California – San Diego
• University of California – Santa Barbara
• California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
• University of California – Irvine
• Santa Clara University

#1 University of California – Berkeley

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 3

Acceptance rate: 6.9%

Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley, is a public research university in Berkeley, California. It is the oldest campus of the University of California system and is considered by some to be one of the system’s flagship campuses.

UC Berkeley is currently the best school to earn an electrical engineering degree in California. In fact, the University of California Berkeley is ranked as #2 in the Best Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Undergraduate Program in the USA and #3 in the best graduate EE programs by USNEWS.

Now, let’s get to know about the program.

The Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) at UC Berkeley offers one of the strongest research and instructional programs in this field anywhere in the world. 

One of UC Berkeley EECS’s mission is to educate future leaders in academia, government, industry, and entrepreneurial pursuits, through a rigorous curriculum of theory and applications that develops students’ abilities to solve problems individually and in teams.

This is evident in the way programs are taught in the department.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctorate Degree in Electrical Engineering

Furthermore, UC Berkeley has a 5.5:1 students to faculty ratio.

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#2 Stanford University

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 5

Acceptance Rate: 4%

Founded in 1885, Stanford University is a private research university in Stanford, California. Stanford’s Electrical Engineering Program is among the best in California , USA and the world.  They have received some of the highest honors and awards for their research and teaching. 

In fact, the history of Silicon Valley traces back to the Stanford Electrical Engineering department. Stanford’s EE continues to work closely with industry, while encouraging entrepreneurial innovation. To be more precise, Stanford EE students, faculty & alumni have started an astonishing array of startup companies.

Stanford’s Department of Electrical Engineering is the largest department in the School of Engineering, with 62 active faculty and over 1,000 PhD, MS, and BS students. Each year, approximately 300 students earn Electrical Engineering degrees.

The school offers a broad and innovative set of research programs supported by state-of-the-art research equipment and diverse classes.

Here, students choose from more than 130 courses each academic year. Five full- or part-time graduate programs also include joint degrees and non-degree options. 

Available Accredited Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor of Science with a major in Electrical Engineering
• Full-Time Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Catamenial Program
• Joint Degree Programs (For example, EE MS/MBA and JD/EE MS)
• Online Graduate Certificates or Non-Degree Option (NDO)Engineering

Furthermore, Stanford is ranked as #3 in the Best Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Undergraduate Program in the USA and #2 in the best graduate EE programs by USNEWS.

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#3 California Institute of Technology

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 3

Acceptance: 7%

Founded in 1891, the California Institute of Technology is a private research university in Pasadena, California, that focuses on science and engineering education. It offers one of the best accredited electrical engineering programs in California.

Established in 1910, Caltech’s Electrical Engineering (EE) Department has an extended record of excellence and innovation. In fact, many distinguished leaders in the field over the last century received their training at Caltech.

As a discipline, electrical engineering has had a disproportionate and palpable impact on the technologies that define modern-day life and society.

EE at Caltech emphasizes both the fundamentals of physical (devices) and mathematical (systems) sides of EE and acknowledging the field’s multi-disciplinary nature. 

With a student to faculty ratio of 3:1, Caltech’s Department of Electrical Engineering offers degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in Electrical Engineering

Furthermore, Caltech is ranked as #7 in the Best Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Undergraduate Program in the USA and #4 in the best doctorate EE programs by USNEWS.

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#4 University of California – Los Angeles

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 3

Acceptance Rate: 14%

Founded in 1882, the University of California, Los Angeles, is a public research university in Los Angeles. It offers one of the best accredited electrical engineering programs in California, USA.

The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department is one of seven academic departments in the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science (HSSEAS).

The Department is administratively divided into three research areas: Circuits & Embedded Systems, Physical & Wave Electronics, and Signals & Systems. However, much of the research is multi-disciplinary and features collaborations in various fields, including medicine, physics, mathematics, and theater & film.

Basically, UCLA offers electrical engineering programs at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Available Accredited Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctorate Degree in Electrical Engineering

Furthermore, the University of California – Los Angeles as #12 in the Best Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Undergraduate Program in the USA and #15 in the best doctorate EE programs by USNEWS.

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#5 University of Southern California

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 3

Acceptance Rate: 13%

Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California is California’s oldest private research university. It is one of the world’s leading private research universities in the heart of Los Angeles. USC also offers one of the best accredited electrical engineering programs in California, USA.

The Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is one of the largest departments in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Students here can receive degrees in electrical or computer engineering at the undergraduate, masters, and PhD level.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering

In recent years, USC undergraduates in engineering as a group are among the brightest in the university, as measured by their incoming GPA and SAT scores. This in turn, places them in the same category as incoming undergraduates at the top five engineering schools in the US News and World Report rankings.

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#6 University of California – San Diego

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 3

Acceptance Rate: 32%

Founded in 1960, the University of California, San Diego, is a public research university in San Diego, California. It is one of the top schools offering Calfornia’s best electoral engineering programs.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is one of the prominent departments in the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering. Since its formation, ECE has earned a world-class reputation for producing top-notch engineers for industry and academia.

Its vision focuses on information and communication theory, systems, radiophysics, and quantum electronics.

In fact, ECE in UC San Diego is among the leading departments of its kind in the nation, built on fundamentals of applied mathematics and engineering physics, providing multidisciplinary, systems-oriented education and research in eleven core areas.

These areas include Applied Ocean Sciences, Computer Engineering, Communication Theory & Systems, Electronic Circuits & Systems, Electronic Devices & Materials, Intelligent Systems, Robotics & Control, Medical Devices & Systems, Nanoscale Devices & Systems, Photonics, Radio and Space Science, and Signal & Image Processing.

As regards to electrical engineering, UC San Diego offers 3 programs in the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering

Furthermore, the University of California San Diego is ranked as #6 in the Best Electrical Engineering Programs in California by College Factual.

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#7 University of California – Santa Barbara

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 3

Acceptance Rate: 17%

The University of California, Santa Barbara, is a leading center for teaching and research located on the California coast – truly a learning and living environment like no other. It is among the top schools offering California’s best electrical engineering programs.

At UC Santa Barbara, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering offers programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Basically, students here are introduced to computing methods and foundational knowledge for building and designing circuits. They are also exposed to a balance of theory and practice and encouraged to pursue technical electives in signal processing, control systems, computer engineering, electronics, and photonics.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering

Furthermore, the University of California Santa Barbara is ranked #7 in the Best Electrical Engineering Programs in California, USA by College Factual and #13 in the best graduate EE programs by USNEWS.

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#8 California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic is one of the 25 California State University System campuses, collectively the largest university in the world.

The EE Department is one of seven departments within the school’s College of Engineering. It offers one of the best electrical engineering programs in California.

Cal Poly Electrical Engineering is distinguished for its laboratory-intensive curriculum, faculty-student interaction, and innovative hands-on educational methods. The department offers 35,000 square feet of well-equipped undergraduate laboratory space, unparalleled among other universities.

Basically, Cal Poly offers electrical engineering programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering

Furthermore, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is ranked as #9 in the Best Electrical Engineering Programs in California by College Factual.

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#9 University of California – Irvine

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs:

Acceptance Rate: 21%

The University of California, Irvine, is a public research university in Irvine, California. It is among the top USA schools offering California’s best accredited electrical engineering programs.

At UCI, the Electrical Engineering program focuses on the fundamental aspects of the discipline, such as network analysis, electronics, electronic system design, signal processing, control systems, and electromagnetics.

Basically, the department seeks to provide the finest education to its students and consistently meet industry needs by developing cutting-edge technology. EECS at UCI also promotes an integrated view of the electrical engineering field.

UCI offers various accredited electrical engineering programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering

Furthermore, the University of California, Irvine, is ranked as #8 in the Best Electrical Engineering Programs in California by College Factual.

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#10 Santa Clara University

Accreditation: ABET

Number of Programs: 3

Acceptance Rate: 36%

Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university in Santa Clara. It is one of the schools that offer the best electrical engineering programs in California, USA.

At SCU, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has developed a curriculum that is both practical and innovative and addresses the ethical and societal impacts of engineering.

As a student, you will get hands-on experience in well-equipped modern laboratories and project spaces through their co-op program, internship opportunities, and independent projects.

The school offers various programs at the undergraduate and graduate level.

Available Electrical Engineering Programs

• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
• Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical Engineering

SCU EE graduates are highly sought-after for their technical knowledge and leadership skills in the Valley and beyond.

Furthermore, Santa Clara University is ranked as #10 in the Best Electrical Engineering Programs in California by College Factual.

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Conclusion

To become an electrical engineer, you must first earn a degree in the field. With California being the most popular state for students in the field, the article above provides vital information on the best schools that offer accredited electrical engineering programs in California.

I hope this article helps you in your decision making.

References

• Wikipedia – Electrical engineering
• US BLS – Occupational Outlook Handbook of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• USNEWS – Best Electrical, Electronics And Communication Colleges in California
• CollegeFactual – Best Colleges for Electrical Engineering in California

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