Best Online Engineering Programs in Fountain Valley, CA (2026)
Fountain Valley, California has a population of about 56,358. The city’s median household income is $111,797 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 44.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 89 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Fountain Valley, with tuition ranging from $1,156 to $45,014 per year for indexed programs. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $181,400 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
Closest Engineering Schools to Fountain Valley
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 89 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Fountain Valley. Distances are calculated from Fountain Valley city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden West College | Huntington Beach, CA | 3.3 mi | $1,196 - $12,206 | – |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa, CA | 3.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana, CA | 5.0 mi | $1,180 - $11,848 | – |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | 7.6 mi | $14,237 - $45,014 | – |
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | 8.0 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Southern California Institute of Technology | Anaheim, CA | 8.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Cypress College | Cypress, CA | 9.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Irvine Valley College | Irvine, CA | 10.3 mi | $1,156 - $11,750 | – |
| California State University-Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | 10.5 mi | $7,008 - $20,310 | – |
| Fullerton College | Fullerton, CA | 11.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California engineering page.
Engineering Wages Near Fountain Valley
Fountain Valley is part of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (BLS area code 31080). 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 | $105,290 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $92,685 |
| Electrical Engineer | $134,900 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $118,750 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $114,290 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $100,607 |
| Chemical Engineer | $122,950 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $108,231 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $143,860 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $126,637 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $115,020 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $101,250 |
| Environmental Engineer | $119,780 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $105,440 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $181,400 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $159,683 |
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.
Fountain Valley at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,358 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $111,797 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 44.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 113.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Orange County | 29,431 workers, 3,059 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Fountain Valley-Area Cities With Engineering Programs
- Huntington Beach, CA – 3.1 mi away (200,652 pop)
- Costa Mesa, CA – 3.7 mi away (112,822 pop)
- Westminster, CA – 3.8 mi away (91,565 pop)
- Santa Ana, CA – 4.4 mi away (334,217 pop)
- Garden Grove, CA – 4.7 mi away (174,858 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited engineering schools are near Fountain Valley, CA?
Our directory has 89 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Fountain Valley. The closest is Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA (3.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Fullerton College (11.6 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Fountain Valley?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Fountain Valley are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($181,400), Aerospace Engineer ($143,860), Electrical Engineer ($134,900). 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 Huntington Beach instead of Fountain Valley?
Huntington Beach, CA is 3.1 miles from Fountain Valley 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 Fountain Valley an affordable place to study engineering?
Fountain Valley’s median household income of $111,797 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fountain Valley 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.
Back to Best Online Engineering Programs in California (2026)
Return to Best Online Engineering Programs in California (2026)