16 Criminal Justice colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $64,058.
Top Criminal Justice graduates on this list earn over $78,988—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 16 programs deliver both access and results.
San Jose State University leads the rankings, producing Criminal Justice graduates earning $78,988 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. California State University-East Bay follows at $71,401 with 95th percentile mobility. These outcomes prove that accessible schools can compete on graduate earnings, not just enrollment.
California State University-Stanislaus serves 55% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $63,188. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: San Jose State achieves 98th percentile mobility with just a 5.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability tier.
Earnings: $78,988 | Mobility: 98th percentile
55% Pell students with $63,188 earnings
5.4% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
11.5% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $78,988 | $15,000 | Excellent | $20,820 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $71,401 | $16,544 | Excellent | $15,738 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | $65,986 | $16,705 | Excellent | $27,986 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $64,172 | $16,552 | Good | $17,585 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $63,188 | $13,540 | Excellent | $12,700 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $62,951 | $13,750 | Excellent | $16,538 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $61,504 | $26,063 | Good | $31,387 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $59,977 | $14,715 | Excellent | $12,000 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $59,211 | $13,000 | Excellent | $12,526 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $59,115 | $13,872 | Manageable | $13,522 | High | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $59,009 | $16,600 | Good | $9,000 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $57,162 | $13,807 | Excellent | $11,061 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
