Best Online Engineering Programs in Seaside, CA (2026)

Seaside, California has a population of about 31,964. The city’s median household income is $82,303 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 42 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Seaside, with tuition ranging from $1,404 to $45,337 per year for indexed programs. In the Salinas, CA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $166,430 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).

Closest Engineering Schools to Seaside

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 42 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Seaside. Distances are calculated from Seaside city center.

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

Engineering Wages Near Seaside

Seaside is part of the Salinas, CA metro area (BLS area code 41500). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

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.

Seaside at a Glance

Other Seaside-Area Cities With Engineering Programs

• Monterey, CA – 4.0 mi away (28,454 pop)
• Marina, CA – 4.4 mi away (21,688 pop)
• Salinas, CA – 11.3 mi away (193,126 pop)
• Watsonville, CA – 20.8 mi away (77,266 pop)
• Santa Cruz, CA – 27.4 mi away (176,037 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Seaside, CA?

Our directory has 42 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Seaside. The closest is Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA (3.5 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is San Jose State University (49.5 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Seaside?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Seaside are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($166,430), Aerospace Engineer ($143,860), Mechanical Engineer ($141,420). 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 Monterey instead of Seaside?

Monterey, CA is 4.0 miles from Seaside 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 Seaside an affordable place to study engineering?

Seaside’s median household income of $82,303 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Seaside 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

• Online Engineering Programs in California
• Main Engineering Degree Guide
• Engineering Programs by State

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.