Best Online Engineering Programs in Cathedral City, CA (2026)
Cathedral City, California has a population of about 52,047. The city’s median household income is $67,031 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 64 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Cathedral City, with tuition ranging from $1,354 to $44,947 per year for indexed programs. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $170,180 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
Closest Engineering Schools to Cathedral City
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 64 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Cathedral City. Distances are calculated from Cathedral City city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert, CA | 8.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto, CA | 29.1 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Summit College | San Bernardino, CA | 48.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside, CA | 50.3 mi | $14,170 - $44,947 | – |
| San Bernardino Valley College | San Bernardino, CA | 51.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Riverside City College | Riverside, CA | 53.5 mi | $1,420 - $12,427 | – |
| California State University-San Bernardino | San Bernardino, CA | 54.6 mi | $7,675 - $19,555 | – |
| California Baptist University | Riverside, CA | 55.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Palomar College | San Marcos, CA | 62.9 mi | $1,354 - $13,997 | – |
| California State University-San Marcos | San Marcos, CA | 63.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California engineering page.
Engineering Wages Near Cathedral City
Cathedral City is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $109,250 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $102,679 |
| Electrical Engineer | $109,360 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $102,782 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $101,800 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $95,677 |
| Chemical Engineer | N/A | CA statewide | – |
| Aerospace Engineer | $126,220 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $118,628 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $122,520 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $115,150 |
| Environmental Engineer | $109,830 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $103,224 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $170,180 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $159,944 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 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.
Cathedral City at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,047 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $67,031 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 25.8% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 106.4 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Riverside County | 5,469 workers, 894 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Cathedral City-Area Cities With Engineering Programs
- Palm Springs, CA – 4.8 mi away (47,689 pop)
- Palm Desert, CA – 8.8 mi away (52,231 pop)
- Desert Hot Springs, CA – 9.3 mi away (43,327 pop)
- Indio, CA – 15.0 mi away (402,166 pop)
- La Quinta, CA – 16.6 mi away (40,956 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited engineering schools are near Cathedral City, CA?
Our directory has 64 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Cathedral City. The closest is College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA (8.5 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is California State University-San Marcos (63.0 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Cathedral City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Cathedral City are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($170,180), Aerospace Engineer ($126,220), Biomedical Engineer ($122,520). 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 Palm Springs instead of Cathedral City?
Palm Springs, CA is 4.8 miles from Cathedral City and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Cathedral City an affordable place to study engineering?
Cathedral City’s median household income of $67,031 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Cathedral City 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.
Related Resources
Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.
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