Best Online Engineering Programs in Lompoc, CA (2026)

Lompoc, California has a population of about 43,819. The city’s median household income is $70,038 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 12.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 14 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Lompoc, with tuition ranging from $14,965 to $45,742 per year for indexed programs. In the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $196,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Engineering Schools to Lompoc

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 14 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Lompoc. Distances are calculated from Lompoc city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Allan Hancock CollegeSanta Maria, CA19.7 miContact school for pricing
University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA39.4 mi$14,965 - $45,742
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA45.3 miContact school for pricing
Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara, CA47.4 miContact school for pricing
Westmont CollegeSanta Barbara, CA48.3 miContact school for pricing
Cuesta CollegeSan Luis Obispo, CA48.7 miContact school for pricing
Taft CollegeTaft, CA66.5 miContact school for pricing
Ventura CollegeVentura, CA75.5 miContact school for pricing
Oxnard CollegeOxnard, CA82.3 miContact school for pricing
California State University-Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA88.4 miContact school for pricing

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


Engineering Wages Near Lompoc

Lompoc is part of the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area (BLS area code 42200). 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$106,430Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$97,822
Electrical Engineer$134,620Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$123,732
Mechanical Engineer$122,760Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$112,831
Chemical EngineerN/ACA statewide
Aerospace Engineer$129,230Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$118,778
Biomedical Engineer$127,640Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$117,316
Environmental Engineer$120,290Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$110,561
Architectural and Engineering Manager$196,810Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$180,892

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.


Lompoc at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population43,819Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$70,038Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+12.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.8 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Engineering-related employment in Santa Barbara County3,781 workers, 360 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Lompoc-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Lompoc, CA?

Our directory has 14 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Lompoc. The closest is Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, CA (19.7 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is California State University-Channel Islands (88.4 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Lompoc?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Lompoc are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($196,810), Electrical Engineer ($134,620), Aerospace Engineer ($129,230). 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 Santa Maria instead of Lompoc?

Santa Maria, CA is 18.8 miles from Lompoc 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 Lompoc an affordable place to study engineering?

Lompoc’s median household income of $70,038 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lompoc 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.


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.