Best Online Engineering Programs in Union City, CA (2026)
Union City, California has a population of about 68,141. The city’s median household income is $137,194 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 58 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Union City, with tuition ranging from $1,168 to $22,803 per year for indexed programs. In the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $208,580 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
Closest Engineering Schools to Union City
The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 58 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Union City. Distances are calculated from Union City city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-East Bay | Hayward, CA | 4.2 mi | $7,055 - $22,803 | – |
| Chabot College | Hayward, CA | 5.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Ohlone College | Fremont, CA | 7.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| San Francisco Bay University | Fremont, CA | 9.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Las Positas College | Livermore, CA | 14.1 mi | $1,168 - $14,810 | – |
| Stanford University | Stanford, CA | 14.5 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Mission College | Santa Clara, CA | 14.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Merritt College | Oakland, CA | 15.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Northeastern University Oakland | Oakland, CA | 15.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Saint Mary’s College of California | Moraga, CA | 17.2 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California engineering page.
Engineering Wages Near Union City
Union City is part of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro area (BLS area code 41860). 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 | $126,560 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $109,481 |
| Electrical Engineer | $163,840 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $141,730 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $145,640 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $125,986 |
| Chemical Engineer | N/A | CA statewide | – |
| Aerospace Engineer | $160,000 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $138,408 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $136,720 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $118,270 |
| Environmental Engineer | $142,000 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $122,837 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $208,580 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $180,433 |
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.
Union City at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,141 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $137,194 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 45.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 115.6 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Alameda County | 12,119 workers, 1,202 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Union City-Area Cities With Engineering Programs
- Hayward, CA – 3.8 mi away (158,937 pop)
- Fremont, CA – 5.6 mi away (233,136 pop)
- Newark, CA – 5.7 mi away (45,810 pop)
- Pleasanton, CA – 8.7 mi away (82,270 pop)
- Dublin, CA – 10.3 mi away (59,583 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited engineering schools are near Union City, CA?
Our directory has 58 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Union City. The closest is California State University-East Bay in Hayward, CA (4.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Saint Mary’s College of California (17.2 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Union City?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Union City are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($208,580), Electrical Engineer ($163,840), Aerospace Engineer ($160,000). 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 Hayward instead of Union City?
Hayward, CA is 3.8 miles from Union City 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 Union City an affordable place to study engineering?
Union City’s median household income of $137,194 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Union City 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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