La Mesa, California has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $1,332 to $11,543 per year for indexed programs. La Mesa has a population of about 60,835. Median household income is $84,337 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $206,740 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Computer Science Schools to La Mesa
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near La Mesa, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from La Mesa city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
On this page, schools are ordered by distance from La Mesa.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
36%
Graduation rate
77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$64,909
Avg net price
$15,364/yr
TuitionIn‑state$8,728
Out‑of‑state$21,328
Key stats- Retention rate: 90%
- Programs offered: 57
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
47%
Avg net price
$32,637/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 86%
- Programs offered: 5
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$67,548
Avg net price
$22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 53%
- Programs offered: 53
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$48,414
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
10%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$35,404
Avg net price
$31,266/yr
TuitionIn‑state$11,960
Out‑of‑state$11,960
Key stats- Retention rate: 33%
- Programs offered: 42
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$45,120
Avg net price
$5,814/yr
TuitionIn‑state$1,146
Out‑of‑state$10,002
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
TuitionIn‑state$13,774
Out‑of‑state$13,774
Key stats- Retention rate: 94%
- Programs offered: 5
Source:Accreditor: Distance Education Accrediting Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$66,666
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California computer science page.
Computer Science Wages Near La Mesa
La Mesa is part of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area (BLS area code 41740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Software Developer | $163,270 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $145,907 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $119,090 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $106,425 |
| Computer Network Architect | $157,700 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $140,929 |
| Database Administrator | $106,820 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $95,460 |
| Database Architect | $156,800 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $140,125 |
| Information Security Analyst | $132,120 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $118,070 |
| Computer Network Support Specialist | $79,270 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $70,840 |
| Computer User Support Specialist | $74,020 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $66,148 |
| Web Developer | $98,300 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $87,846 |
| Web and Digital Interface Designer | $123,850 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $110,679 |
| Computer and Information Systems Manager | $206,740 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $184,754 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
La Mesa at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 60,835 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $84,337 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 38.4% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 111.9 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Computer Science-related employment in San Diego County | 22,358 workers, 2,580 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other La Mesa-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs
- Lemon Grove, CA – 2.7 mi away (26,860 pop)
- El Cajon, CA – 4.1 mi away (103,768 pop)
- Santee, CA – 6.2 mi away (57,834 pop)
- San Diego, CA – 7.3 mi away (3,181,172 pop)
- National City, CA – 8.5 mi away (61,147 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited computer science schools are near La Mesa, CA?
Accredited schools offering computer science programs near La Mesa are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.
What are the highest-paying computer science roles near La Mesa?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near La Mesa are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($206,740), Software Developer ($163,270), Computer Network Architect ($157,700). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Lemon Grove instead of La Mesa?
Lemon Grove, CA is 2.7 miles from La Mesa and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is La Mesa an affordable place to study computer science?
La Mesa’s median household income of $84,337 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Mesa while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Computer Science Programs
Other Programs Available in La Mesa
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for La Mesa:
- Criminal Justice programs in La Mesa, CA
- Nursing programs in La Mesa, CA
- Business Administration programs in La Mesa, CA
- Psychology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Education programs in La Mesa, CA
- Engineering programs in La Mesa, CA
- Technology programs in La Mesa, CA
- Liberal Arts programs in La Mesa, CA
- Healthcare programs in La Mesa, CA
- Cybersecurity programs in La Mesa, CA
- Accounting programs in La Mesa, CA
- Healthcare Administration programs in La Mesa, CA
- Social Work programs in La Mesa, CA
- Counseling programs in La Mesa, CA
Data verified: July 23, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
← Back to Best Online Computer Science Programs in California (2026)
