<p>The OP does not say where she/he lives. If not a CA resident, cross all the UCs off the list. It is not worth the OOS tuition when there are other good quality schools on your list that would be more affordable. CS or engineering is not like a degree in the liberal arts where prospective employers have to bet on your ability to produce and school name carries a lot of weight. To graduate in CS from a decent school you had to learn something, and it isn’t hard during an interview to find out.
To some extent, true. Larger employers recruit nationwide, but even they don’t go to all colleges. If you attend college in an area outside of where you want to work, I suggest you get an internship or coop (the latter easier to get, BTW, since fewer people want to commit an entire semester) with a large employer in your desired area. That gives you at least one job offer in the area if you do decently, and will lend credibility to your contacts with other employers explaining you want to work in the area.</p>