Best Online Engineering Programs in Orange, CA (2026)
Orange, California has a population of about 138,723. The city’s median household income is $116,945 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 40.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 89 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Orange, 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 Orange
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 89 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Orange. Distances are calculated from Orange city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | 1.9 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Santiago Canyon College | Orange, CA | 3.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana, CA | 4.9 mi | $1,180 - $11,848 | – |
| California State University-Fullerton | Fullerton, CA | 6.5 mi | $7,073 - $18,953 | – |
| Fullerton College | Fullerton, CA | 7.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Southern California Institute of Technology | Anaheim, CA | 7.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Irvine Valley College | Irvine, CA | 9.2 mi | $1,156 - $11,750 | – |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa, CA | 10.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine, CA | 10.8 mi | $14,237 - $45,014 | – |
| Golden West College | Huntington Beach, CA | 11.5 mi | $1,196 - $12,206 | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California engineering page.
Engineering Wages Near Orange
Orange 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.
Orange at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 138,723 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $116,945 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 40.1% | 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 Orange-Area Cities With Engineering Programs
- Anaheim, CA – 3.2 mi away (351,043 pop)
- Tustin, CA – 5.1 mi away (80,395 pop)
- Placentia, CA – 5.6 mi away (52,228 pop)
- Santa Ana, CA – 5.8 mi away (334,217 pop)
- Yorba Linda, CA – 6.6 mi away (68,235 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited engineering schools are near Orange, CA?
Our directory has 89 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Orange. The closest is Chapman University in Orange, CA (1.9 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Golden West College (11.5 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Orange?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Orange 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 Anaheim instead of Orange?
Anaheim, CA is 3.2 miles from Orange 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 Orange an affordable place to study engineering?
Orange’s median household income of $116,945 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Orange 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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