Best Mechanical Engineering Schools Near Vista, CA (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Vista, California has 5 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $8,728 to $50,958 per year for indexed programs. Vista has a population of about 98,646. Median household income is $91,854 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, the top-earning mechanical engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $202,810 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Mechanical Engineering Schools to Vista

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer mechanical engineering programs near Vista, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Vista city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Vista. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA 21.5 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
92.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 27%
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,943
Avg net price $12,470/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,758
Out‑of‑state$50,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of San Diego

San Diego, CA 29.1 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,522
Avg net price $30,365/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA 30.2 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
83.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 36%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,909
Avg net price $15,364/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,728
Out‑of‑state$21,328
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 133

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA 47.0 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
90.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $80,735
Avg net price $14,251/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,722
Out‑of‑state$49,922
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 134

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 52.2 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 54.3 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
84.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA 60.6 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
85.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 91%
Graduation rate 70%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,951
Avg net price $6,555/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,470
Out‑of‑state$20,070
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA 64.9 miles from Vista
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
86.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 46%
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,403
Avg net price $10,440/yr
Tuition
In‑state$7,350
Out‑of‑state$19,950
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 121

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Mechanical Engineering Wages Near Vista

Vista is part of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area (BLS area code 41740). 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)
Mechanical Engineers $121,750 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $108,803
Architectural and Engineering Managers $202,810 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $181,242
Industrial Engineers $119,050 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $106,390
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians $77,800 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $69,526
Mechanical Drafters $83,550 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $74,665
Engineers, All Other $132,790 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $118,668
Aerospace Engineers $135,010 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $120,652
Cost Estimators $87,170 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $77,900

Source: BLS, May 2025 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.

Vista at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 98,646 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $91,854 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 27.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 111.9 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Vista-Area Cities With Mechanical Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mechanical engineering schools are near Vista, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs near Vista. The closest is University of California-San Diego in La Jolla, CA (21.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is California Baptist University (52.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying mechanical engineering roles near Vista?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mechanical engineering-related roles near Vista are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($202,810), Aerospace Engineers ($135,010), Engineers, All Other ($132,790). 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 Oceanside instead of Vista?

Oceanside, CA is 4.7 miles from Vista and has its own set of local mechanical engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Vista an affordable place to study mechanical engineering?

Vista’s median household income of $91,854 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Vista 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.

Learn More About Mechanical Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Vista

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Vista:

Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; 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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