Soledad, California has a population of about 24,476. The city’s median household income is $93,204 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 6.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 34 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Soledad, 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).
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 34 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Soledad. Distances are calculated from Soledad city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartnell College | Salinas, CA | 24.0 mi | $1,404 - $12,050 | – |
| Naval Postgraduate School | Monterey, CA | 31.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Monterey Peninsula College | Monterey, CA | 31.8 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Gavilan College | Gilroy, CA | 38.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Cabrillo College | Aptos, CA | 49.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | 55.0 mi | $14,560 - $45,337 | – |
| Coalinga College | Coalinga, CA | 58.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Evergreen Valley College | San Jose, CA | 63.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| West Valley College | Saratoga, CA | 67.6 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| San Jose City College | San Jose, CA | 68.4 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California engineering page.
Soledad 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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $112,510 | Salinas, CA | $103,220 |
| Electrical Engineer | $109,770 | Salinas, CA | $100,706 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $141,420 | Salinas, CA | $129,743 |
| Chemical Engineer | N/A | CA statewide | – |
| Aerospace Engineer | $143,860 | CA statewide | $131,982 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $125,700 | CA statewide | $115,321 |
| Environmental Engineer | $124,180 | Salinas, CA | $113,927 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $166,430 | Salinas, CA | $152,688 |
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.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,476 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $93,204 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 6.9% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 109.0 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Monterey County | 772 workers, 169 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Our directory has 34 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Soledad. The closest is Hartnell College in Salinas, CA (24.0 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is San Jose City College (68.4 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Soledad 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.
Salinas, CA is 23.3 miles from Soledad 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.
Soledad’s median household income of $93,204 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Soledad while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
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.
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