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Best Criminal Justice Colleges in California (2026)

Updated

This page ranks the 19 Criminal Justice programs in California by median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing. Sonoma State University leads with $66,892, and the figures across the 17 schools with a published median range from $66,892 to $37,748, with a median of $57,727.

For 1 of the 19 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 15 of the 19 schools, or 79%. California State University-Los Angeles ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the strongest showing on the list.

California State University-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price at $3,967, and Point Loma Nazarene University reports the highest six-year completion rate at 77%.

The ranked list

19 schools in list order
RankSchoolMedian Criminal Justice EarningsAverage net priceNet price, families under $30KAdmission rate
1Sonoma State University · Rohnert Park, CA$66,892$12,885$8,31093.4%
Sonoma State University reports $66,892 in median earnings of Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $12,885.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (69 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($66,892)

2California Baptist University · Riverside, CA$65,603$26,285$22,29884.9%
California Baptist University, a private nonprofit university in Riverside, shows a six-year completion rate of 62% alongside median earnings of $65,603 four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (64 graduates), Security Science and Technology (6 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($65,603)

3California State University-East Bay · Hayward, CA$64,835$9,320$6,36097.4%
With an admission rate of 97%, California State University-East Bay posts $64,835 in median earnings for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (238 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($64,835)

4San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA$63,764$12,278$9,34196.4%
San Francisco State University ranks 4th on this list and reports an average net price of $9,341 for families earning under $30,000.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (266 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($63,764)

5California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA$62,583$9,338$6,50194.0%
California State University-Sacramento graduates 56% within six years and records $62,583 in median earnings four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (568 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($62,583)

6Point Loma Nazarene University · San Diego, CA$59,183$38,729$30,99983.7%
A six-year completion rate of 77% and median earnings of $59,183 four years after completing are reported by Point Loma Nazarene University.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (37 graduates)

7California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA$58,513$10,440$7,18346.3%
California State University-Long Beach admits 46% of applicants and its Criminal Justice graduates earn a median of $58,513 four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (233 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($58,513)

8California State University-Chico · Chico, CA$58,464$14,480$9,90292.7%
An average net price of $14,480 and median earnings of $58,464 four years after completing are reported by California State University-Chico.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (139 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($58,464)

9California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA$57,727$8,615$7,30393.3%
Ranking 46th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, California State University-Dominguez Hills reports median earnings of $57,727 four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (249 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($57,727)

10San Diego State University · San Diego, CA$57,510$15,364$9,91036.2%
San Diego State University is the most selective school on the list, admitting 36% of applicants, and its graduates earn a median of $57,510 four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (417 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($57,510)

11California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA$57,135$6,555$3,31590.5%
California State University-Fullerton posts an average net price of $3,315 for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $57,135 four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (352 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($57,135)

12California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA$54,275$4,564$2,68193.7%
Graduating 55% within six years, California State University-San Bernardino reports an average net price of $4,564.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (238 graduates), Security Science and Technology (7 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($54,275)

13California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA$54,169$7,021$4,90593.5%
California State University-Northridge reports $54,169 in median earnings for its Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, and its average net price is $7,021.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (442 graduates)

14La Sierra University · Riverside, CA$53,902$45,566$44,98891.5%
A private nonprofit university in Riverside, La Sierra University admits 92% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 60%.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (53 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($53,902)

15California State University-Bakersfield · Bakersfield, CA$53,715$5,652$3,53693.9%
California State University-Bakersfield ranks 15th on this list with median earnings of $53,715 four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $3,536 for families earning under $30,000.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (170 graduates)

16California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CANo published median$3,967$2,87791.3%
Holding the lowest average net price on the page at $3,967, California State University-Los Angeles admits 91% of applicants and ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (348 graduates), Fire Protection (32 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($54,695)

17California State University-Stanislaus · Turlock, CA$51,740$6,067$3,93898.1%
With an admission rate of 98%, California State University-Stanislaus reports median earnings of $51,740 four years after completing.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (195 graduates)

Highest four-year median earnings by program: Criminal Justice and Corrections ($51,740)

18Azusa Pacific University · Azusa, CANo published median$22,212$15,78188.4%
Azusa Pacific University posts a six-year completion rate of 62% and an average net price of $15,781 for families earning under $30,000.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (31 graduates)

19San Jose State University · San Jose, CA$37,748$13,760$9,73084.6%
San Jose State University reports $37,748 in median earnings two years after completing, the only school on the list with a two-year figure, and its six-year completion rate is 69%.

Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Criminal Justice and Corrections (237 graduates), Security Science and Technology (29 graduates)

How this list is ordered

Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Criminal Justice graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Criminal Justice earnings cohort in California appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing the program. For 1 of the 19 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 17 schools with a published figure. Sonoma State University leads California Baptist University by $1,289 in median earnings after completing, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $29,144.

Job market context in California

In California, the labor market linked to Criminal Justice includes occupations such as Security Guards, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, and Firefighters. The median annual wage across those occupations is $73,586, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $59,077. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 6.2% higher, with 72,060 projected openings a year, or about 1,501 openings a year for every hundred graduates, meaning more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, while these market figures describe the broader occupations and are not the same measure.

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