Best Online Engineering Programs in Irvine, CA (2026)

Irvine, California has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $1,156 to $45,014 per year for indexed programs. Irvine has a population of about 308,160. Median household income is $129,647 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 70.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $190,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Engineering Schools to Irvine

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Irvine. Distances are calculated from Irvine city center.

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California engineering page.

Engineering Wages Near Irvine

Irvine 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.

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.

Irvine at a Glance

Other Irvine-Area Cities With Engineering Programs

• Tustin, CA – 4.3 mi away (80,395 pop)
• Lake Forest, CA – 6.0 mi away (83,240 pop)
• Newport Beach, CA – 6.9 mi away (86,688 pop)
• Aliso Viejo, CA – 7.2 mi away (51,424 pop)
• Laguna Hills, CA – 7.3 mi away (31,509 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Irvine, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Irvine. The closest is Irvine Valley College in Irvine, CA (0.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Santiago Canyon College (8.1 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Irvine?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Irvine are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($190,900), Aerospace Engineer ($163,280), Electrical Engineer ($139,780). 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 Tustin instead of Irvine?

Tustin, CA is 4.3 miles from Irvine 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 Irvine an affordable place to study engineering?

Irvine’s median household income of $129,647 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Irvine 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 Engineering Programs

• Engineering accreditation: what to look for
• Engineering concentrations and specializations
• Is a Engineering degree worth it?
• Main Engineering degree guide
• Online Engineering programs in California
• Engineering programs by state

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Data verified: June 11, 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.