Best Online Engineering Programs in La Quinta, CA (2026)

La Quinta, California has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $1,354 to $44,947 per year for indexed programs. La Quinta has a population of about 38,299. Median household income is $97,628 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $172,600 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Engineering Schools to La Quinta

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer engineering programs near La Quinta, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from La Quinta 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:

  • 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 Quinta. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 64.6 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 84.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 14

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

MiraCosta College

Oceanside, CA 67.0 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 54.0
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,845
Avg net price $7,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

National University

San Diego, CA 75.2 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 44.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,548
Avg net price $22,878/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA 76.3 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 83.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 36%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,909
Avg net price $15,364/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,728
Out‑of‑state$21,328
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA 76.8 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 92.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 27%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,943
Avg net price $12,470/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,758
Out‑of‑state$50,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

DeVry University-California

Ontario, CA 80.4 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 36.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,987
Avg net price $33,744/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of San Diego

San Diego, CA 80.5 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 76.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,522
Avg net price $30,365/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Pitzer College

Claremont, CA 87.5 miles from La Quinta BOC Score 64.8
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,512
Avg net price $34,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Engineering Wages Near La Quinta

La Quinta 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Civil Engineer$115,120Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$108,195
Electrical Engineer$109,990Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$103,374
Mechanical Engineer$104,910Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$98,600
Chemical Engineer$106,200Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$99,812
Aerospace Engineer$129,530Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$121,739
Biomedical Engineer$123,670Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$116,231
Environmental Engineer$117,360Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$110,301
Architectural and Engineering Manager$172,600Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$162,218

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 Quinta at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population38,299Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$97,628Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+38.9%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 County5,469 workers, 894 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other La Quinta-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near La Quinta, CA?

Accredited schools offering engineering programs near La Quinta 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 engineering roles near La Quinta?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near La Quinta are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($172,600), Aerospace Engineer ($129,530), Biomedical Engineer ($123,670). 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 Indio instead of La Quinta?

Indio, CA is 6.1 miles from La Quinta 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 La Quinta an affordable place to study engineering?

La Quinta’s median household income of $97,628 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in La Quinta 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

Other Programs Available in La Quinta

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for La Quinta:

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.