Tuition and fees in California's CSU system are still only about $8k per year. The CSU system provides a very good education, in some ways better than the more prestigious UC system because there tends to be more opportunities for direct contact with instructors. In the sciences, there are often more research opportunities and spaces for undergraduate students in labs. It's a real bargain, and you can save even more money by doing your first two years at a community college.
Some of my favorite most professional colleges are from San Jose State, which is a part of CSU. Obviously, it is anecdotal, but I do see in them very practical no bullshit attitude, yet strong theoretical fundamentals.
